Valley, Caston, Rochester Look To Consolidate Services
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
Those present decided that the Merging of Services Oversight Committee will continue to look into the recommendations.
Valley, Caston and Rochester community schools have been looking into how they can expand opportunities given to students, how the corporations can work together, better spend resources and provide better education.[[In-content Ad]]About seven months ago, they hired Administrator Assistance to study the school corporations and come up with recommendations. Last night at Rochester Middle School, Dr. Marlin Creasy and Dr. Sherida Browers, of Administrator Assistance, presented the final report.
Creasy said that if you follow what is happening with the state legislature, funding will continue to be a big issue.
It's not just about survival for schools at this point, but schools are faced with a series of directives from the state. Not only are schools going to have to do more, they're going to have to do more with less money. That's not always possible, Creasy said.
The purpose of the collaboration study, according to the information provided, is to help the three school corporations identify potential merging of services opportunities that will allow more dollars to be available to support instruction. The study "will identify ways that may increase program opportunities for students, place highly qualified teachers in more program areas, and allow more efficient use of teacher time and talents."
Some of the strengths of the corporations, according to the study, were that each district has positive administrative leadership, the districts all have good teacher-to-student ratios and that college attendance rates are at or near Indiana average. Student discipline is not a major concern.
However, there were some concerns. The three districts are distinctly different, there is a loss of population in Cass and Fulton counties, growth is being seen in special education enrollment over a 10-year period and minority enrollment is on the increase in all three school corporations over the past 10 years. There also has been a very dramatic growth in free/reduced lunch and textbook percentages.
Brower discussed the strengths and concerns of the corporations' curriculum.
The strengths included the reported college attendance rates for graduating seniors are most recently at/or near current state average levels, graduation rates for these districts are near or at above state average and ISTEP/GQE pass rates are generally above state average.
However, results on Advanced Placement tests show that the recorded passing scores of these three districts are generally below state average. All three districts fall significantly below state average in terms of numbers and percentages of students enrolled in AP courses.
When interviewing students, Brower said, the students have been forthcoming. She said they talked about needing more chances to take elective courses, and students asked for more rigorous courses.
Looking at finances, Creasy said, "To the credit of all three school corporations, your budgets are balanced."
However, Creasy warned, "unfunded state mandates are really, really going to hurt you this year."
Another concern is that while the infrastructure of the schools are adequate at this time, they might require additional technology to provide needed services to students. Reductions in state funding are real concerns for the school corporations, both through direct state aid and the collection of local property taxes. Property tax relief, while benefiting the general population, will cause a loss of funding for schools, he said.
When it comes to the administration of the school corporations, Creasy said, "You have three really good superintendents."
Smaller districts require that superintendents wear multiple hats. "That's good, but you're not always skilled in every area,' Creasy said.
While all three school corporations all have buildings that are well maintained, Rochester has the greatest needs of renovation and upgrades of its facilities. Caston is currently using all of its available classrooms.
Creasy and Brower then reviewed the three corporations' maintenance, technology and transportation.
Various groups in each of the school corporations' communities were asked three questions.
For Valley stakeholders, the strengths of the programs, offerings and facilities offered in the school corporation included the elementary swim program, Burket Alternative School, the transportation building, good teachers and support staff, well-maintained buildings, school nurses, food services program, good financial management and other programs.
When asked what areas at Valley could be shared collaboratively, some of the responses from the stakeholders included the building trades program, Burket Alternative School, textbook adoption and media services.
The needs and challenges for Valley were given as changing demographics, high school HVAC, special education funding and staff, more foreign language, class size and funding issues among others.
Brower said, "We thought they came up with some really, really good ideas, but we found it interesting what they came up with that they were proud of in the districts and what could be shared."
Creasy then listed several recommendations.
In personnel, one idea was for a single chief financial officer/business manager could serve the financial needs of the three school corporations. A director of technology "should be employed by the three school corporations," according to the recommendations. All three corporations could also share a maintenance director and a transportation supervisor.
Recommendations also were given in the area of instructional personnel, instructional resources, high school curriculum and review and revisions of joint agreements.
Creasy also recommended the three corporations do a population study. The study would need to look beyond the state's data and birth data and look into areas such as immigration and business effects.
Rochester Superintendent Dr. Debra Howe then reported on the oversight committee's recommendations for short- and long-term goals. The school board members present then gave a consensus that the oversight committee should proceed looking into the recommendations.
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Those present decided that the Merging of Services Oversight Committee will continue to look into the recommendations.
Valley, Caston and Rochester community schools have been looking into how they can expand opportunities given to students, how the corporations can work together, better spend resources and provide better education.[[In-content Ad]]About seven months ago, they hired Administrator Assistance to study the school corporations and come up with recommendations. Last night at Rochester Middle School, Dr. Marlin Creasy and Dr. Sherida Browers, of Administrator Assistance, presented the final report.
Creasy said that if you follow what is happening with the state legislature, funding will continue to be a big issue.
It's not just about survival for schools at this point, but schools are faced with a series of directives from the state. Not only are schools going to have to do more, they're going to have to do more with less money. That's not always possible, Creasy said.
The purpose of the collaboration study, according to the information provided, is to help the three school corporations identify potential merging of services opportunities that will allow more dollars to be available to support instruction. The study "will identify ways that may increase program opportunities for students, place highly qualified teachers in more program areas, and allow more efficient use of teacher time and talents."
Some of the strengths of the corporations, according to the study, were that each district has positive administrative leadership, the districts all have good teacher-to-student ratios and that college attendance rates are at or near Indiana average. Student discipline is not a major concern.
However, there were some concerns. The three districts are distinctly different, there is a loss of population in Cass and Fulton counties, growth is being seen in special education enrollment over a 10-year period and minority enrollment is on the increase in all three school corporations over the past 10 years. There also has been a very dramatic growth in free/reduced lunch and textbook percentages.
Brower discussed the strengths and concerns of the corporations' curriculum.
The strengths included the reported college attendance rates for graduating seniors are most recently at/or near current state average levels, graduation rates for these districts are near or at above state average and ISTEP/GQE pass rates are generally above state average.
However, results on Advanced Placement tests show that the recorded passing scores of these three districts are generally below state average. All three districts fall significantly below state average in terms of numbers and percentages of students enrolled in AP courses.
When interviewing students, Brower said, the students have been forthcoming. She said they talked about needing more chances to take elective courses, and students asked for more rigorous courses.
Looking at finances, Creasy said, "To the credit of all three school corporations, your budgets are balanced."
However, Creasy warned, "unfunded state mandates are really, really going to hurt you this year."
Another concern is that while the infrastructure of the schools are adequate at this time, they might require additional technology to provide needed services to students. Reductions in state funding are real concerns for the school corporations, both through direct state aid and the collection of local property taxes. Property tax relief, while benefiting the general population, will cause a loss of funding for schools, he said.
When it comes to the administration of the school corporations, Creasy said, "You have three really good superintendents."
Smaller districts require that superintendents wear multiple hats. "That's good, but you're not always skilled in every area,' Creasy said.
While all three school corporations all have buildings that are well maintained, Rochester has the greatest needs of renovation and upgrades of its facilities. Caston is currently using all of its available classrooms.
Creasy and Brower then reviewed the three corporations' maintenance, technology and transportation.
Various groups in each of the school corporations' communities were asked three questions.
For Valley stakeholders, the strengths of the programs, offerings and facilities offered in the school corporation included the elementary swim program, Burket Alternative School, the transportation building, good teachers and support staff, well-maintained buildings, school nurses, food services program, good financial management and other programs.
When asked what areas at Valley could be shared collaboratively, some of the responses from the stakeholders included the building trades program, Burket Alternative School, textbook adoption and media services.
The needs and challenges for Valley were given as changing demographics, high school HVAC, special education funding and staff, more foreign language, class size and funding issues among others.
Brower said, "We thought they came up with some really, really good ideas, but we found it interesting what they came up with that they were proud of in the districts and what could be shared."
Creasy then listed several recommendations.
In personnel, one idea was for a single chief financial officer/business manager could serve the financial needs of the three school corporations. A director of technology "should be employed by the three school corporations," according to the recommendations. All three corporations could also share a maintenance director and a transportation supervisor.
Recommendations also were given in the area of instructional personnel, instructional resources, high school curriculum and review and revisions of joint agreements.
Creasy also recommended the three corporations do a population study. The study would need to look beyond the state's data and birth data and look into areas such as immigration and business effects.
Rochester Superintendent Dr. Debra Howe then reported on the oversight committee's recommendations for short- and long-term goals. The school board members present then gave a consensus that the oversight committee should proceed looking into the recommendations.
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