School effort should focus first on spending
Local school officials deserve praise for banding together to figure out how to provide the region’s youth with a quality education while dealing with increasing costs and stagnant state aid. Their efforts might have a better chance of success, however, if they focused more on the local spending.
Representatives from school districts in Beverly, Danvers, Ipswich, Marblehead, Swampscott, Hamilton-Wenham, Manchester Essex, Gloucester, Rockport and Chelmsford have begun to compare notes and share stories. The discussions have only reinforced the fact many districts are facing similar problems.
“There’s something wrong when a community that has double the income and property value as Swampscott gets more funding than Swampscott,” said David Whelan, that town’s School Committee chairman.
The Beverly state representative, who was at the group’s first meeting, noted the state doesn’t have extra money to pass on to local school districts. With the economy remaining stagnant and support for the income tax-eliminating Question 1 continuing to grow, there’s little chance of that changing anytime soon.
School districts could find power in numbers, however, by regionalizing some services and pooling resources wherever possible, saving money while preserving or even expanding educational opportunities for their students.
One school district, for example, may not be able to support a Russian language program on its own. With students from other districts, such a program may thrive. Schools such as Hamilton-Wenham, Rockport and Ipswich already share some sports programs.
A regional coalition could also allow for group purchases of utilities and supplies, and less expensive bus service in some communities.
There is still much work to be done to move past the discussion stage and into action. Any movement in that direction should be welcomed by educators and taxpayers alike.
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