Editor’s note: This op-ed is by Rama Schneider of Williamstown.
Welcome to the world of Super Intendents and mandated school consolidation.
According to Gov. Shumlin we should be changing our for-now semi-autonomous state Department of Education into a wholly owned subsidary of the governor’s office (as in a governor-directed agency). And Shumlin has announced support for a proposal from state Sen. Kevin Mullin , R-Rutland, to reduce the number of supervisory unions to 16 with the further mandate that all school districts (except interstate) will become a part of one or another of these super supervisory unions.
Act 153 of 2010 has some interesting mandates regarding consolidation, and you need look no further then section 9 (page 16) to find the most obvious. It is this section that forces local school districts to surrender their responsibilities and authorities in almost every major decision-making area and turn these responsibilities and authorities over to the appropriate supervisory union board.
The trend is blatant: mandated consolidation of Vermont’s schools along with the resulting loss of local and democratic input and control. And this trend is being followed in a religious fashion … based entirely on blind faith and “but of course” discussions. The public discussion and exchange of evidence regarding end game costs and student outcomes has been nil.
The Williamstown school board is working with local legislators to introduce either legislation or an amendment to any educational bill that comes out of the House or Senate committee process. The board has voted unanimously in public session to support a legislative proposal that is intended to assure consolidations are a process that comes from the local level and not some top-down mandate; school districts are freed to pursue innovative and efficacious programs to improve student outcomes and reflect on the bottom line; and the state does not have to pay out any bribe money that will negate any possible savings.
The Williamstown proposal creates a process for school districts (as opposed to supervisory districts) to enter into inter-district agreements for the purpose of “consolidating or sharing school district operations or assets,” specifies that no extra state funds will be required for these agreements although small planning grants may be requested, and affirms that it is the state policy that “school consolidations of any type should be the result of local community action.”
The path forward according to Shumlin and friends is obvious: Consolidate control over the day-to-day operations of the schools, consolidate the public political input by reducing the number of publically elected officials with oversight capacity, and dis-empower the local school boards. The final step of their dream becomes trivial after that: Do away with those pesky local school boards forever.
Do you want to give up your local schools? I don’t. Do you want super-powered Super Intendents or would you rather have supporting superintendents? I’ll take the latter thank you.
