PRINCETON: PRSD, Cranbury officals are cold to consolidation

[Princeton Packet]

PRINCETON: PRSD, Cranbury officals are cold to consolidation
Tuesday, December 2, 2008 7:13 AM EST
By Greg Forester, Staff Writer

A state-mandated scheme to completely consolidate the Cranbury Township School District with the Princeton Regional School District may be formulating, but it has garnered little support among either district’s officials.

Middlesex County Executive Superintendent of Schools Patrick Piegari is producing a plan under a 2007 state law — pushed by Gov. Jon S. Corzine — that requires him to do so for any district without a full K-12 structure, to eventually go to voters in affected municipalities.

He has already conducted a series of meetings with officials from each of the districts, where approximately 630 Cranbury Township children attend public school at a single K-8 building, and then attend Princeton High School through grade 12. The Princeton Regional School District includes four elementary schools, a middle school, and the high school.

The two school systems would be combined into a single regional district under the plan, but officials at each say the state should be looking elsewhere for possible consolidation. Among those officials is Princeton Superintendent Judy Wilson, who said the districts’ relationship was already a model of cost-effectiveness.

”It’s a wonderful partnership,” said Ms. Wilson, who noted the state had not produced any type of report demonstrating consolidation would result in significant savings. “It’s a situation where everyone benefits.”
She said the state should be looking into consolidating districts that have a poor record of finding cost-savings and fiscal efficiency, instead of districts that consistently save money and don’t suffer from “ineffectiveness and inefficiency.”

”They are in a different subset,” Ms. Wilson said.

Ms. Wilson’s counterpart in Cranbury, Chief School Administrator and Cranbury School Principal John Haney, characterized the relationship between the two districts as “absolutely ideal.” He said the two “high-performing districts” already seek out all potential cost-savings.

”We always look at making things as efficient as possible,” said Mr. Haney, who noted the districts do staff training together, coordinate curriculums and pursue shared services. “We love Princeton,” he said.

Princeton Board of Education President Alan Hegedus expressed similar sentiments.

”Our position is we have a model relationship now and we think it works for both communities and we don’t see any advantage to the change,” Mr. Hegedus said.

He noted that a consolidation plan would have to pass muster with voters in all the affected municipalities.

”It won’t be forced down our throats,” Mr. Hegedus said.

Other school officials from Cranbury have said that Cranbury School is an important part of the community and consolidation would eliminate what they called a unique and successful K-8 school.

Although many district officials said residents would not likely support consolidation in the voting booth, state officials said a consolidation plan paired with evidence of solid tax benefits could find strong support among residents.

State Department of Education spokesman Rich Vespucci said the current economic climate and the state’s reputation as a place of high property taxes could boost support for consolidation of state school districts, like those of Cranbury and Princeton.

”Times are tough, and there is no indication they are going to get better,” Mr. Vespucci said.

Frank Belluscio, the director of communication at the New Jersey School Boards Association, said that part of the consolidation planning process would include feasibility studies examining the effect of consolidation on overall district costs.

Reports indicating that consolidation would result in higher costs, he said, could result in an alternative plan relying on greater emphasis on shared services and other cost efficiencies among districts, instead of outright consolidation. Examples of how consolidation could result in high costs include teachers at smaller districts, who traditionally receive less compensation, receiving higher salaries following consolidation to match the pay scale of the larger district.

Only with a feasibility report demonstrating cost savings through consolidation would a potential plan, like that being prepared for the Cranbury and Princeton districts, end up as a ballot question during a school election, according to Mr. Belluscio.

http://www.packetonline.com/articles/2008/12/02/the_princeton_packet/news/doc493487d5429f1927337077.txt

[Guest]

[Guest]

State Department of Education spokesman Rich Vespucci said the current economic climate and the state’s reputation as a place of high property taxes could boost support for consolidation of state school districts, like those of Cranbury and Princeton.

”Times are tough, and there is no indication they are going to get better,” Mr. Vespucci said.

This is part of what is wrong with this State. The article quotes several people in a position ot actually know the facts in both towns that establish there is no evidence that consolidation would save any money and challenges anyone to demonstrate otherwise. Then this taxpayer-paid mouthpeice totally ignores that challenge, offers zero evidence, demonstrates zero specific knowledge of our situation but repeats the same baseless generalized assertion that cosolidation would generate significant tax reductions. I'm offended our tax dollars pay the salary of morons like that...

[Guest]

What if we need to build a new high school because of the new COAH?

I think it's a good idea to merge with Princeton to ensure that we are not forced to build a new high school.

[Jay T.]

Let's not modify our school system based on a fear of the future today. I doubt Princeton could take on the added burden of kids from COAH even if we merged.

We need to assess the situation, develop a plan and then implement accordingly. We can't look at COAH and panic or we risk escalating the issue. The West property reaction was a panic move and now the school and town are working on a solution. That could have and should have been done before the decision to preserve it all was made.

I'd much rather focus on getting a stable tax structure in place, reducing debt and managing expenses so we have a stable tax plan in place. Fire, Police and Emergency budgets are core, all other budgets, services and contracts are reviewed for fat and reduced as necessary. Then when we have to start building the COAH homes we are not creating a larger debt ratio and a worse tax situation than is necessary.