Why Not “Regionalize” the Entire Town First?
Update: Dr. Fusco is not the only one calling for reality.
From Education Week: Experts Urge Districts to Do More With Less
& A Penny Saved: How Schools and Districts Can Tighten Their Belts While Serving Students Better
By Dr. Armand A. Fusco
The discussion whirling around the state is to regionalize efforts with nearby towns to cut and control costs. However, what is missing from the discussions is that the town should first “regionalize (cooperate)” with their schools by combining purchasing, staffing, facilities management, energy conservation, technology, etc. The schools and the town operate as independent entities rather than working together in spite of the fact that the resources they have come from the same source—the pockets of taxpayers.
So what can be done? Office supplies and office equipment are basically the same for both so they should be combined and put out to bid; this is also true with maintenance supplies and equipment.
Technology holds the promise for many innovative and cost efficient operations and practices but towns and schools are infants regarding the potential involved. It would be far more efficient and economical to have one technology department for all administrative functions, but it should include an instructional technology specialist. Instructional technology has incredible opportunities (largely untapped) to provide instruction at far less cost.
Staffing is another area to “regionalize.” Why should there be 2 personnel, purchasing, and finance departments, etc. when one of each would suffice? In fact, it is being done to some degree in some towns.
Facilities maintenance is another area to cooperate by having the town assume all responsibilities for cleaning and maintaining the buildings. Town employees are usually paid less than school employees and, therefore, the costs would be lower.
Library management is yet another opportunity to consider. The school can contract with the town to operate the library system that would be more cost efficient than two library systems. Also, why not have the town health department be responsible for contracting with nursing services for the schools?
Insurance coverage can also be combined and put out to bid. Unfortunately, this is viewed as a professional service not subject to bidding requirements and usually awarded to vendors with little transparency involved. Legal services also fall into this category.
Heating oil, gasoline, and even electricity are also competitive areas and regionalizing bidding not only with the town and school but also nearby towns could see substantial savings.
However, there are four problems involved. The first is the practice of how the town and schools are managed. For example, the town’s share of the budget is considerably smaller, both entities are governed by an elective body, but the school district is a far more complex operation to manage. Yet, the town body realizes it cannot do the job alone and needs the help of numerous boards and commissions to assist in their accountability responsibilities. The schools, in very sharp contrast, have no such assistance and they truly need such help to build citizen participation (ownership) and demonstrate democracy in action.
The second problem is the reality that there are no consequences for not working together—absolutely none! Yes, there are many incentives to do so because costs can be reduced and productivity increased, but obviously incentives alone are not enough to motivate.
The third problem is incredibly obvious— the lack of training and education on the part of officials to know what to do and how to do it. Consider the results of a recent grand jury investigation involving every school district in Suffolk County, LI, NY that concluded “ school administrators viewed fiscal responsibility as an optional luxury” and that school administrators lacked the training needed in fiscal responsibility.
The fourth problem involves the unions and it is obvious and understandable what their agenda is.
What is more perplexing is that since regionalizing with other towns can reduce costs, doesn’t it make sense that “regionalizing” the school and town also has the same potential?
The solution is simple and cost free and that is to provide the “motivation”(pressure) by establishing independent citizen audit committees (no permission is needed) in all districts trained in using proven best practices to help the towns and schools be the very best that they can be. Fortunately, it has been proven to work and the model is Trumbull which is one of 14 communities (CT and Mass) with audit committees that have been formed in the past two years.
Dr. Armand A. Fusco, a Guilford resident, is a retired school superintendent, author and consultant who will help any group of citizens or officials in establishing citizen audit committees at no cost. He can be reached at fusco.a@comcast.net.
From Education Week: Experts Urge Districts to Do More With Less
& A Penny Saved: How Schools and Districts Can Tighten Their Belts While Serving Students Better
By Dr. Armand A. Fusco
The discussion whirling around the state is to regionalize efforts with nearby towns to cut and control costs. However, what is missing from the discussions is that the town should first “regionalize (cooperate)” with their schools by combining purchasing, staffing, facilities management, energy conservation, technology, etc. The schools and the town operate as independent entities rather than working together in spite of the fact that the resources they have come from the same source—the pockets of taxpayers.
So what can be done? Office supplies and office equipment are basically the same for both so they should be combined and put out to bid; this is also true with maintenance supplies and equipment.
Technology holds the promise for many innovative and cost efficient operations and practices but towns and schools are infants regarding the potential involved. It would be far more efficient and economical to have one technology department for all administrative functions, but it should include an instructional technology specialist. Instructional technology has incredible opportunities (largely untapped) to provide instruction at far less cost.
Staffing is another area to “regionalize.” Why should there be 2 personnel, purchasing, and finance departments, etc. when one of each would suffice? In fact, it is being done to some degree in some towns.
Facilities maintenance is another area to cooperate by having the town assume all responsibilities for cleaning and maintaining the buildings. Town employees are usually paid less than school employees and, therefore, the costs would be lower.
Library management is yet another opportunity to consider. The school can contract with the town to operate the library system that would be more cost efficient than two library systems. Also, why not have the town health department be responsible for contracting with nursing services for the schools?
Insurance coverage can also be combined and put out to bid. Unfortunately, this is viewed as a professional service not subject to bidding requirements and usually awarded to vendors with little transparency involved. Legal services also fall into this category.
Heating oil, gasoline, and even electricity are also competitive areas and regionalizing bidding not only with the town and school but also nearby towns could see substantial savings.
However, there are four problems involved. The first is the practice of how the town and schools are managed. For example, the town’s share of the budget is considerably smaller, both entities are governed by an elective body, but the school district is a far more complex operation to manage. Yet, the town body realizes it cannot do the job alone and needs the help of numerous boards and commissions to assist in their accountability responsibilities. The schools, in very sharp contrast, have no such assistance and they truly need such help to build citizen participation (ownership) and demonstrate democracy in action.
The second problem is the reality that there are no consequences for not working together—absolutely none! Yes, there are many incentives to do so because costs can be reduced and productivity increased, but obviously incentives alone are not enough to motivate.
The third problem is incredibly obvious— the lack of training and education on the part of officials to know what to do and how to do it. Consider the results of a recent grand jury investigation involving every school district in Suffolk County, LI, NY that concluded “ school administrators viewed fiscal responsibility as an optional luxury” and that school administrators lacked the training needed in fiscal responsibility.
The fourth problem involves the unions and it is obvious and understandable what their agenda is.
What is more perplexing is that since regionalizing with other towns can reduce costs, doesn’t it make sense that “regionalizing” the school and town also has the same potential?
The solution is simple and cost free and that is to provide the “motivation”(pressure) by establishing independent citizen audit committees (no permission is needed) in all districts trained in using proven best practices to help the towns and schools be the very best that they can be. Fortunately, it has been proven to work and the model is Trumbull which is one of 14 communities (CT and Mass) with audit committees that have been formed in the past two years.
Dr. Armand A. Fusco, a Guilford resident, is a retired school superintendent, author and consultant who will help any group of citizens or officials in establishing citizen audit committees at no cost. He can be reached at fusco.a@comcast.net.
I've not heard any more regarding the Citizens Audit Committee. Are there plans to begin such a committee in Woodstock. In the future, I'd be interested in starting one in my town.
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