RE: Question 3: School Districts-What's in the Plan

Background for Question 3: Recommendation 35
states "To enhance efficiency and educational effectiveness of public schools, the smallest one-third of public school districts, as defined by Average Daily Attendance (ADA), should be eliminated through locally-determined consolidation and/or unification within a prescribed time period. The State should initiate an examination of effective incentives to encourage remaining school districts to adopt a unified K-12 district structure. Based on this inquiry, the State should provide the recommended incentives for all school districts to adopt unified structures throughout the state." 

A more unified structure is intended to help lead to a more cohesive education system. At present small districts cannot provide the same breadth of programs and curriculum as larger districts; such changes would make similar offerings more available to students across the state. This should increase "course alignment" across grade levels - that is, students at the same level and in similar programs could be expected to have completed similar course work and be similarly prepared for success at the next grade level. In addition, there should be cost efficiencies.