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

     The basic premise of any school district is to represent the local community by having fair elections of members who are from that community, representing the diverse and unique cultural fabric that is their own. Unifying with other/larger school districts is not in the best interest of local small school students or the local community. Small outlying schools will quickly become the proverbial "Red-Haired Step-Child" that nobody wants to claim, and would just as soon forget.

     Larger districts have the nasty tendency to level the playing field so everything is equal. Bad news Folks, things are not equal! Small schools know this too well as we watch the incredible squandering practices of large districts. This laser leveling is usually done at the expense of schools that truly need additional monies for the economically disadvantaged youth. The district will receive the categorical funds and disperse them to the schools that are entitled. However, they will severely cut funding in other revenue streams and divert that income to other schools in the name of equality. The attempt to equalize will actually perpetuate the poverty learning conditions that already exist in the community. EDY schools need all of the funding that they can get, and contributing to the bureaucracy of an outside school district will again not be in the best interest of local small school students.
      
     Compared to larger school districts, small school districts are far more efficient and extremely child-centered. We have to be. We offer a unique learning environment that addresses specific individual needs while adhering to state-standards. What is aligned for large schools may be completely mis-aligned for the small schools and their unique needs. Combine our ability to personalize instruction with the services provided by county co-ops, small schools offer a superior form of education. The breadth is here! We are not cookie-cutter establishment. The "Silo" cohesion that the Joint Committee seeks is leading towards division, animosity, and disenfranchised schools,students, and communities. 

     Finally, if you truly want to improve the efficiency of school districts and provide better services to students, change the Master Plan Recommendation 35 to read, "To enhance efficiency and educational effectiveness of public schools, the superintendents of the top 1/3 of public school districts as defined by Average Daily Attendance (ADA) will swap positions    with small school district superintendents or administrators." Hey now, there is an idea, and it makes even more sense too!