Comments on: School District Consolidation: Some Thoughts http://www.delawarepolitics.net/school-district-consolidation-some-thoughts/ Where public policy meets common sense Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:23:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: thatsElbert http://www.delawarepolitics.net/school-district-consolidation-some-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-21711 thatsElbert Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:42:55 +0000 http://www.delawarepolitics.net/?p=7640#comment-21711 David is right, there is a lot of pride in your school district. At age 5 I could tell you what school and school district I attended. Actually that was only 5 years after the Indian River School District was formed. Consolidation will destroy that. Mike, I have considered your plan. I'm not convinced that it would be as effective as you may think. It would be better to remove some of the influence of DC & Dover and allow the local leaders in the districts to make good choices for our students. In my opinion the more local influence, the better the performance of students. David is right, there is a lot of pride in your school district. At age 5 I could tell you what school and school district I attended. Actually that was only 5 years after the Indian River School District was formed. Consolidation will destroy that.

Mike, I have considered your plan. I’m not convinced that it would be as effective as you may think. It would be better to remove some of the influence of DC & Dover and allow the local leaders in the districts to make good choices for our students. In my opinion the more local influence, the better the performance of students.

]]> By: Rick http://www.delawarepolitics.net/school-district-consolidation-some-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-21701 Rick Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:58:10 +0000 http://www.delawarepolitics.net/?p=7640#comment-21701 The only thing that will be 'consolidated' is power and propaganda. I concur with David; Charterization. This will foster competition (something illiberals inherently fear) and specialization, leading to academic success. The only thing that will be ‘consolidated’ is power and propaganda. I concur with David; Charterization. This will foster competition (something illiberals inherently fear) and specialization, leading to academic success.

]]> By: David http://www.delawarepolitics.net/school-district-consolidation-some-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-21699 David Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:41:49 +0000 http://www.delawarepolitics.net/?p=7640#comment-21699 Mike P., downstate there is a lot of pride about one's district. I don't know of anyone who does not know if they are in Capital or CR, Milford or Lake, Cape or Indian River, Seaford or Woodbridge. There is a healthy rivalry and not just in sports. It is in the Odyssey of the Mind, test scores, and else where. That emotional investment will be a powerful impediment to this proposal. I went to private school and my kids home or charter so I don't have it. I am just looking at the fact that it won't work because it hasn't. We could allow the districts to join together voluntarily with each other and charter schools to form purchasing pools not only for goods but services such as transportation, technology, and food. I would even allow private and home school groups to join. I hope to write more on that later. Mike P., downstate there is a lot of pride about one’s district. I don’t know of anyone who does not know if they are in Capital or CR, Milford or Lake, Cape or Indian River, Seaford or Woodbridge. There is a healthy rivalry and not just in sports. It is in the Odyssey of the Mind, test scores, and else where. That emotional investment will be a powerful impediment to this proposal.

I went to private school and my kids home or charter so I don’t have it. I am just looking at the fact that it won’t work because it hasn’t. We could allow the districts to join together voluntarily with each other and charter schools to form purchasing pools not only for goods but services such as transportation, technology, and food. I would even allow private and home school groups to join. I hope to write more on that later.

]]> By: Frank Knotts http://www.delawarepolitics.net/school-district-consolidation-some-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-21697 Frank Knotts Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:06:35 +0000 http://www.delawarepolitics.net/?p=7640#comment-21697 I made my larger points in my own post, so let me say that Elbert and myself share the same fears. Elbert didn't mention it but I did , that if we are willing to allow this state consolidation, why not just allow the federal government to consolidate all of the nations schools. Why not send one national board member from Delaware to D.C. , to be one of fifty? Yes we need to save money , but not at the expence of creating larger government and by giving up what little local control we still have over how our money is spent. No one has mentioned if this would do away with school choicing. What if you live in an area of the consolidation that has a high number of violent acts ? Will you be able to move your child to another section of the consolidation ? Right now you can choice your child out of a district that you feel is dangerous. Right now you get to choose you board members,don't be surprised that if this consolidation goes through that we end up with appointed members , like they have at the Tech schools. Also just like the Tech schools you will most likely lose the ability to vote for tax hikes, the state will determine the increases and when. So bottom line is that we should not be willing to give up our freedom of choice . Government , governs best at the local level. If we want to save money , then we should get the state and federal government out of our local districts with all of their un-funded mandates. And tell the state to keep what funds it does send to the seperate districts and see how much money that saves the state. Those funds are just another way for the state and federal governments to exercise power over local issues. I made my larger points in my own post, so let me say that Elbert and myself share the same fears. Elbert didn’t mention it but I did , that if we are willing to allow this state consolidation, why not just allow the federal government to consolidate all of the nations schools. Why not send one national board member from Delaware to D.C. , to be one of fifty? Yes we need to save money , but not at the expence of creating larger government and by giving up what little local control we still have over how our money is spent.
No one has mentioned if this would do away with school choicing. What if you live in an area of the consolidation that has a high number of violent acts ? Will you be able to move your child to another section of the consolidation ? Right now you can choice your child out of a district that you feel is dangerous. Right now you get to choose you board members,don’t be surprised that if this consolidation goes through that we end up with appointed members , like they have at the Tech schools. Also just like the Tech schools you will most likely lose the ability to vote for tax hikes, the state will determine the increases and when.
So bottom line is that we should not be willing to give up our freedom of choice . Government , governs best at the local level. If we want to save money , then we should get the state and federal government out of our local districts with all of their un-funded mandates. And tell the state to keep what funds it does send to the seperate districts and see how much money that saves the state. Those funds are just another way for the state and federal governments to exercise power over local issues.

]]> By: M.Opaliski http://www.delawarepolitics.net/school-district-consolidation-some-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-21688 M.Opaliski Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:44:52 +0000 http://www.delawarepolitics.net/?p=7640#comment-21688 Granted, the Feasibility Study that was done a few years ago focused on Kent and Sussex alone but, see the last paragraph of Page 34 in Summary and Conclusions: http://www.doe.k12.de.us/reports_data/files/de_houseresolut54.pdf It wouldn't save a dime ... Granted, the Feasibility Study that was done a few years ago focused on Kent and Sussex alone but, see the last paragraph of Page 34 in Summary and Conclusions:

http://www.doe.k12.de.us/reports_data/files/de_houseresolut54.pdf

It wouldn’t save a dime …

]]> By: Mike Protack http://www.delawarepolitics.net/school-district-consolidation-some-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-21679 Mike Protack Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:51:25 +0000 http://www.delawarepolitics.net/?p=7640#comment-21679 Consolidation is a worthy cause and it should be done. There is absolutely no need for 19 Directors of all of the different titles such as curriculum and buildings. We also have way too many administrators who make huge salaries who seem to have little or no impact on the classroom. The key is to move away from the antiquated school district model and move to making each and every principal the Captain of their ship with the tools needed to perform and the accountability to be let go if they do not. I attended public school in Delaware and not for one minute could I tell you which district I was a part of at any point. I attended a school not a district. While we dither over school districts and staffs our paraprofessionals are grossly underpaid which has a direct effect on the classroom. Mike Protack Consolidation is a worthy cause and it should be done. There is absolutely no need for 19 Directors of all of the different titles such as curriculum and buildings. We also have way too many administrators who make huge salaries who seem to have little or no impact on the classroom.

The key is to move away from the antiquated school district model and move to making each and every principal the Captain of their ship with the tools needed to perform and the accountability to be let go if they do not.

I attended public school in Delaware and not for one minute could I tell you which district I was a part of at any point. I attended a school not a district.

While we dither over school districts and staffs our paraprofessionals are grossly underpaid which has a direct effect on the classroom.

Mike Protack

]]> By: Chris Slavens http://www.delawarepolitics.net/school-district-consolidation-some-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-21677 Chris Slavens Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:24:48 +0000 http://www.delawarepolitics.net/?p=7640#comment-21677 Every state effort to reform education is a step in the wrong direction. We argue, should the state interfere with local districts in this way, or in that way? Our officials never seem to get around to discussing the obvious alternative of simply removing Dover from the problem. In a way, Dover is the problem. Larger school districts are not the answer. Queen Anne's County has two high schools, and many students must get up hours in advance and endure a ridiculously long bus ride. Money might be saved in consolidation (or might not), but a sense of community will be lost, which is much more important to education than bureaucratic control. Every state effort to reform education is a step in the wrong direction. We argue, should the state interfere with local districts in this way, or in that way? Our officials never seem to get around to discussing the obvious alternative of simply removing Dover from the problem. In a way, Dover is the problem. Larger school districts are not the answer. Queen Anne’s County has two high schools, and many students must get up hours in advance and endure a ridiculously long bus ride. Money might be saved in consolidation (or might not), but a sense of community will be lost, which is much more important to education than bureaucratic control.

]]> By: School District Consolidation: Some Thoughts « That's Elbert With An E http://www.delawarepolitics.net/school-district-consolidation-some-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-21676 School District Consolidation: Some Thoughts « That's Elbert With An E Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:18:04 +0000 http://www.delawarepolitics.net/?p=7640#comment-21676 [...] crossposted on DelawarePolitics.net) [...] [...] crossposted on DelawarePolitics.net) [...]

]]> By: David http://www.delawarepolitics.net/school-district-consolidation-some-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-21673 David Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:17:34 +0000 http://www.delawarepolitics.net/?p=7640#comment-21673 We already had consolidation around 30 years ago. It didn't save much then. Let's just get rid of districts and make each school like a charter. That is the only way to eliminate administration. Parents would have more control and choice. The individual would be impowered. Anything else is smoke and mirrors. As Frank said no one will be fired, they will just be retitled. We already had consolidation around 30 years ago. It didn’t save much then. Let’s just get rid of districts and make each school like a charter. That is the only way to eliminate administration. Parents would have more control and choice. The individual would be impowered. Anything else is smoke and mirrors. As Frank said no one will be fired, they will just be retitled.

]]> By: John Hightower http://www.delawarepolitics.net/school-district-consolidation-some-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-21668 John Hightower Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:38:54 +0000 http://www.delawarepolitics.net/?p=7640#comment-21668 I agree 100%. The consolidation will be noting but the same only bigger. I agree 100%. The consolidation will be noting but the same only bigger.

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