Consolidation study to visit all 18 school districts

CANTON — Researchers hired to study ways to consolidate programs, staff and services among the region's 18 public school districts are scheduled tentatively to make on-site visits to each of the districts later this month.

The in-depth study includes exploring the idea of replacing individual high schools with three large regional high schools.

Dennis M. Sweeney, the project manager from Ithaca hired to lead the research team, said he was in Syracuse on Friday meeting with three regional managers assigned to the study.

Their sessions focused on analyzing student enrollment and other data that were submitted over the past two months by 17 St. Lawrence County school districts and Harrisville Central School, Lewis County.

The study, which carries a $126,176 price tag, is moving forward as planned, he said.

"We're going over enrollment projections and setting up our agenda for the on-site meetings," Mr. Sweeney said. "Enrollment has declined over the past 10 years, but the birthrate in St. Lawrence County is starting to stabilize."

During their visit Jan. 24 to 26, Mr. Sweeney said, three regional managers will meet with school superintendents within their assigned region.

"There are a number of questions we need to ask," Mr. Sweeney said. "As questions get answered, new ones will get asked."

By the end of the month, researchers expect to have preliminary enrollment projections for all districts, analysis of school district capacity and trend analyses concerning expenditures, revenues and tax rates.

Mr. Sweeney said he will travel here as well, and his plans include visiting the St. Lawrence-Lewis Board of Cooperative Educational Services' three technical and vocational centers, in Norwood, Ogdensburg and Fowler.

The regional managers were contracted by the Rural Schools Association of New York State, Ithaca, which was hired by BOCES to conduct the yearlong study in partnership with Organizational Leadership Services, Clifton Park.

Faced with decreased student enrollment and dwindling revenues, small districts across the state are being pushed to help cut costs by finding ways to share, consolidate or merge their operations.

Thomas R. Burns, St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES superintendent, said area school superintendents are bracing themselves for a tough state budget from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.

"Over the past week or two, school superintendents have started scrambling and being creative about what they can share. We're talking about things we haven't talked about in years," Mr. Burns said.

Providing driver's education through BOCES is one area being considered, he said.

Larry Kiley has been assigned regional manager of the Northwest region, which includes Hammond, Hermon-DeKalb, Heuvelton, Lisbon, Madrid-Waddington, Morristown and Ogdensburg school districts.

Glenn Walker will be regional manager of the Northeast region, which covers St. Lawrence Central, Canton, Colton-Pierrepont, Massena, Norwood-Norfolk, Parishville-Hopkinton and Potsdam.

The Southwest region has been assigned to Doug Hamlin, who will study Clifton-Fine, Edwards-Knox, Gouverneur and Harrisville central schools.