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School merger has not been justified
School consolidation — a bad idea combined with poor timing.
On Nov. 19, the Southern Oregon Educational Service District is poised to initiate consolidation of the Klamath Falls City Schools and Klamath County School District. This action is being taken despite a unanimous recommendation by both city and county school boards to support boundary realignment.
At this point, neither city nor county residents are being offered the opportunity to vote.
In an information sheet provided by the city school board, it has been estimated the funding required to maintain schools at the current service level under consolidation will cost city property owners an additional 62 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation.
We are being told that consolidation will bring economics of scale, yet to date those favoring consolidation have not provided facts as to how these cost savings will be achieved. If this merger occurs, county schools will lose $2 million in small school funding. Proponents of the merger are looking to the legislature to “fix” this, but the last three school districts that applied for this “fix” were denied.
So far, evidence indicates the only thing this mandated merger would reduce, other than money invested in schools, is the quality of education for all public school students residing within Klamath County.
David Menke
Klamath Falls
On Nov. 19, the Southern Oregon Educational Service District is poised to initiate consolidation of the Klamath Falls City Schools and Klamath County School District. This action is being taken despite a unanimous recommendation by both city and county school boards to support boundary realignment.
At this point, neither city nor county residents are being offered the opportunity to vote.
In an information sheet provided by the city school board, it has been estimated the funding required to maintain schools at the current service level under consolidation will cost city property owners an additional 62 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation.
We are being told that consolidation will bring economics of scale, yet to date those favoring consolidation have not provided facts as to how these cost savings will be achieved. If this merger occurs, county schools will lose $2 million in small school funding. Proponents of the merger are looking to the legislature to “fix” this, but the last three school districts that applied for this “fix” were denied.
So far, evidence indicates the only thing this mandated merger would reduce, other than money invested in schools, is the quality of education for all public school students residing within Klamath County.
David Menke
Klamath Falls
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| Could you at least return the photo? |
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dee wrote on Nov 18, 2008 7:04 AM: