T R I - T O W N - S C H O O L - U N I O N
Readiness Evaluation Report
JUNE 2009
In June 2008, the Tri-Town School Union voted to establish a joint subcommittee to investigate the future structure of the pre-K-6 school district. On November 21, 2008, the School Union submitted a grant application to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to conduct a study on the possible formation of a regional pre-K-6 school district. The grant was awarded, a request for proposal was made and Future Management Systems was engaged to conduct a Regional Readiness Evaluation.
The goal of this project is to provide consultation to the regional study committee for the purpose of determining the fiscal, operational, and educational feasibility of the establishment of a pre-K-6 regional school district and to look at the options.
Tri-Town is looking for the most cost-effective and educationally advantageous approach to the organization of the elementary education in the three towns. This includes a cost-effective governance and administrative organizational structure to meet the demands on the school districts with the changing academic and financial climate of the 21st century. We want to maximize the effective use of the time and talent of the central office leadership team to meet the educational responsibilities to our families and the financial responsibilities to our taxpayers. (November 2008 Regional Grant Application)
There is much history that sets the context for this work. There have been three failed K-12 regionalization attempts. The communities of the Tri-Town School Union are fearful, anxious and concerned about another attempt, even if it is K-6. They are concerned about timing, change, local control, community identity and cost. They are concerned about busing students out of neighborhood schools and wonder if the Commonwealth will mandate consolidation. They are concerned about succession planning and finding a new superintendent that would be willing to attend over sixteen evening meetings per month and work within the current context of a Central Office administration with three separate town relationships, budgets and contracts.
As the Tri-Town communities know, creating a strong School Union model is complex, from initial discussions to vote and implementation. Tri-Town has done an excellent job to date in bringing Boxford, Middleton and Topsfield together with a common vision, mission and values that reflect the culture, leadership and collective vision for educating their children. They recognize the importance of succession planning and driving better, more effective ways of working together. They also understand the climate outside of the community and the possible impact on education.TO VIEW THE ENTIRE REPORT,
CLICK ON THE "REPORT" BUTTON ABOVE.
As a result of the current fiscal crisis and its impact on the State of Massachusetts, all school funding sources (local aid, Chapter 70, Circuit Breaker) are at risk for reductions. The State does not anticipate an improvement of or return to current funding levels for a few more years, if ever. At the State level, there are ongoing strategic discussions and legislative proposals to deal with this reality, including the regionalization of school districts and municipal services. Simultaneously, school districts must continue to deal with mandates and continuously improve educational offerings to be competitive in the 21st century. Within this context, it is imperative that school districts take the lead in determining their futures, through planning and action. This evaluation is a first step in that process.
This Evaluation Report will take into account the history, as well as the current environment, in its exploration of the “readiness” of the schools and the political will of the communities to take the next step towards creating a more efficient School Union, to maximize opportunities and position the District to take advantage of new initiatives as they become available, which may or may not include regionalization.
The Evaluation began with the framing of all the issues, gathering of data, analysis, and the development of recommended options. There was an opportunity for constituents of the Tri-Town School Union, including town officials and the Masconomet leadership team, to be involved in the process so that the assessment would reflect a cross-section of stakeholders and information. The assessment included five key areas: financial, educational, legal, facilities and governance. Information was gathered through interviews (individual and group) with key stakeholders within the Tri-Town School District and community, as well as a compilation and analysis of current State data and benchmark information
Summary Recommendations:
After a complete review of the data, interviews, and an assessment of the current climate, the recommendation is to look at a re-organizing effort that will have both short and long term objectives over the next three years.
There are two options for the current School Union:
1. Strengthen and Modify the Tri-Town School Union: Continue with the current school union agreement while identifying areas to further consolidate and streamline such as, Special Education and Facilities Management. It is important to note that any further consolidations may or may not be within the purview of the School Committees. It will be necessary to work closely with State agencies and propose creative solutions that will need to be vetted and perhaps voted by the member towns, DESE or the legislature in accordance with Massachusetts General Law.
2. Formalize a Tri-Town K-6 Region: There has been a lot of work already completed in the consolidation of the current school union structure, both formal and informal. If the goal is to formalize the work that has been completed, it will be necessary to develop a plan to address all the regionalization components. This plan is clear, mapped out by the state and supported by Massachusetts General Law (see Appendix: Steps to Forming a Regionalized School District). This effort will strengthen and optimize the operations the current school union into a K-6 Regional School District.TO VIEW THE ENTIRE REPORT,
CLICK ON THE "REPORT" BUTTON ABOVE.
This report outlines the
methodology, history,
key findings, current state
of the Union, what works well
and the challenges, the differences
of superintendency unions and
regional school districts,
culminating with specific
short and long-term actions
and a “case” to bring forward
to boards and constituents.