web site: http://RegionalSchoolPlanning.com
PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Andrew Steinberg Chair, Regional School District Planning Board (RSDPB) RSDPB votes to develop three-town pre K-6 elementary regional school district Three of four towns in current 7-12 region will pursue additional preK-6 elementary region to present to voters in the fall Amherst, MA – March 12, 2013 The twelve member Regional School District Planning Board (RSDPB) of Amherst, Leverett, Pelham and Shutesbury agreed unanimously on Saturday, March 9, 2013 to propose a regional school district for the preK-6 elementary schools in Amherst, Leverett and Pelham. The RSDPB will develop a plan for the three-town preK-6 elementary regional school district during the next three months and then present it to the voters in those three towns in the fall. The RSDPB, which is composed of three members from each town, has been working since June 2012 to understand the educational and financial benefits and consequences of changing from the present structure. Currently all four towns participate in a 7-12 regional school district for Middle School and High School. That 7-12 regional school district will continue, with a change to the existing 7-12 regional agreement in the composition of the its regional school committee. Currently, each town also has a School Committee for its preK-6 elementary schools. Because it is not feasible for small towns to hire their own Superintendent and maintain an administrative office, all of the towns participate in School Unions created in 1901. Amherst and Pelham are School Union 26, which hires and shares a Superintendent with the four-town 7-12 secondary regional school district. Leverett and Shutesbury are in School Union 28 and share their Superintendent with Erving, Wendell, and New Salem elementary schools. Andrew Steinberg, RSDPB chair, said, “This structure was created in 1901 and served well for the 20th century. A new structure to support our schools is needed for the 21st century.” School enrollment is declining, and three of the four towns now accept elementary school choice students. Costs are increasing at a greater rate than the 2 ½% annual increase in property taxes that is allowed by state law without an override. The 1993 State Education Reform Act diminished the role of School Committees, a trend that continued with new federal education laws and initiatives since 2001. In the past months the RSDPB has studied the relative administrative efficiencies, the ongoing need to coordinate elementary curriculum for the local elementary schools bringing students together in the 7-8 regional middle school, and the advantages of more effectively sharing specialized staff such as administrative support, special education teachers, and teachers who focus on special programs, such as art, music, technology, and world language. The RSDPB also considered the short-term and long-term financial benefits to creating a regional school district for elementary schools. A multi-town regional school district will be more financially stable because of the ability to share resources among more students, teachers, and buildings. A primary benefit of a regional school district is that member towns share one School Committee, develop and administer one budget, and provide one set of reports to the State. There are challenges to creating a regional school district because there must be a fair and lawful way to compose and elect a multi-town School Committee, and a means to allocate both operating and capital costs acceptable to all member towns. Throughout the process, RSDPB members consistently considered both the needs of their own towns and the four towns collectively. Although Shutesbury RSDPB members determined that their town is not yet ready to join an elementary regional school district, they will remain members of the RSDPB so as to craft a Regional Agreement that also meets the needs of their town should they decide to request admission to the elementary regional school district at a future time. In the next months, the RSDPB will develop a Regional Agreement that addresses these and other issues to present to voters in the fall. Leverett and Pelham voters will do so at Special Town Meetings with printed ballots. Because Amherst has a Town Meeting with elected representatives, a special election will be required. The RSDPB will continue to hold meetings and forums to include residents in planning a three-town elementary regional school district. For more information: http://RegionalSchoolPlanning.com
