Former DCMO BOCES super says New York’s education system needs “fundamental” change
MASONVILLE – Last week, school leaders from across Delaware, Chenango, Madison and Otsego counties gathered at the DCMO BOCES Robert W. Harrold Campus in Masonville to talk about change.
Former DCMO BOCES Superintendent Alan Pole, now an education consultant, was the keynote speaker at the event, which was part of a series of educational forums hosted by the cooperative education organization.
“Education has got to be different in New York State in the future,” Pole said, as he launched into his presentation, “The New Normal for Schools in New York State: Sharing, Regional High Schools and School District Reorganization.”
According to Pole, three factors are contributing to the crisis he calls the “perfect storm” facing education: greater expectations for students, declining enrollment and the current fiscal crisis.
Districts are “trying to do more with fewer kids” and less money, he explained, and these pressures are proving to be too much for the current education system.
“We can’t confront the perfect storm without change,” he said. “Things are going to have to fundamentally change in New York State.”
Bringing about change won’t be without its challenges, Pole warned.
“These conversations within our schools and in our communities are not going to be easy,” he said. “It’s going to take courageous leadership.”
Pole discussed three possibilities for change, from sharing services to the creation of regional high schools and, lastly, district reorganization.
He identified a number of areas where districts can share - including sharing administrators, management functions and facilities. He acknowledged, however, that this was nothing new for those in the audience.
“There is not a region in this state that has as many shared services as the 16 schools in this BOCES district,” he reported, describing their inter-dependence as “unique” and ahead of their peers across the state.
He next described a number of scenarios for restructuring high schools, sharing findings from a study he and his firm conducted in Wayne County.
The study identified a four opportunities for sharing for the county’s 11 high schools, he said. Those options included a student exchange program which would allow schools to continue offering elective courses; a New Vision program for seniors which links academic learning to a career field, such as the one currently offered by DCMO BOCES; greater use of electronic learning to expand elective offerings; and “thematic” high schools which would allow students to focus their studies to their area of interest.
“Without crumbling the high school walls, ... these are the four things we looked at,” he said.
They also explored the option of creating regional high schools. While this model creates more opportunities for students, he said, their findings showed only a minimal cost savings - a 3 percent reduction in expenses for 4 regional schools as opposed to the 11 existing facilities.
There were also other challenges - such as the fact that no state legislation currently exists which allows for regional high schools. Nor are financial incentives available.
There is, however, a model for this type of regional high school already exists - BOCES.
One of the things which was reinforced by the study was the emotion people in the community have about their school system.
“While people understand that education has to change, they like their high school just the way it is,” he said. “It’s a real, significant emotion people have.”
He then turned the discussion to the “M” word.
“I’m not pushing this,” he said, but Albany is.
Why would districts want to merge? According to Pole, as a rule, districts who combine are able to offer more courses, teachers who teach only in their specialty areas, have better facilities, more cost effective administrative structure, eliminate duplication of services and facilities, and reduce taxes.
But merger talks often meet with resistance from the community, which may fear losing its identity or worry about being represented on the board. Other concerns may be the busing time for students, and larger class sizes. Staff may worry about job security. There is also a natural resistance to change, Pole said. “I think it’s part of the human condition.”
The merger process is a complex, requiring an in-depth study and votes in both communities. It also takes an average of 1 1/2 to 2 years to complete.
According to Pole, research on merged districts indicates there are plusses and minuses. Both curricular and extracurricular opportunities are enhanced, he said, but student achievement does not necessarily improve.
“At the same time as opportunities increase, so does the competition to participate,” he reported, such as for spots on sports teams.
Class sizes do in fact increase, and bus rides are longer. And the new, combined district is not cheaper to run.
“School districts who merge spend more money than the other two districts did combined,” he stated.
So why do districts do it?
“This is a question about revenue, not about expense,” Pole said, explaining that merged districts receive incentive operating aid from the state over and above the combined aid of the two original districts. In the first year, that incentive aid is equal to a 40 percent bonus. This is stepped down according to a 15 year schedule.
Prudent financial planning is required, he said, to make sure that money carries them past year 15.
“That’s where we are now,” commented Unadilla Valley Superintendent Bob Mackey. The district he heads was formed in 1996 from the merger of the New Berlin and South New Berlin school districts and the incentive operating aid they have been receiving has now run out.
The state offers other financial incentives as well, including an additional 30 percent on top of the highest of the two district’s building aid ratio for 10 years after the merger. Also, existing debt is aided at the higher of the district’s aid ratio.
“This is what is getting people’s attention,” Pole said.
If merged districts are more expensive to run in the long run, why is the state essentially paying them to combine? According to Pole, it is because the theory in Albany is that in the long run, it will be cheaper for the state to have 300 school districts, rather than 700.
“I’m not selling the idea, but that’s the thinking behind it,” he said.
Pole stressed that he wasn’t recommending any of the above actions for area schools without careful study.
“All I’m saying is, it’s time to have the conversation,” he said.
Former DCMO BOCES Superintendent Alan Pole, now an education consultant, was the keynote speaker at the event, which was part of a series of educational forums hosted by the cooperative education organization.
“Education has got to be different in New York State in the future,” Pole said, as he launched into his presentation, “The New Normal for Schools in New York State: Sharing, Regional High Schools and School District Reorganization.”
According to Pole, three factors are contributing to the crisis he calls the “perfect storm” facing education: greater expectations for students, declining enrollment and the current fiscal crisis.
Districts are “trying to do more with fewer kids” and less money, he explained, and these pressures are proving to be too much for the current education system.
“We can’t confront the perfect storm without change,” he said. “Things are going to have to fundamentally change in New York State.”
Bringing about change won’t be without its challenges, Pole warned.
“These conversations within our schools and in our communities are not going to be easy,” he said. “It’s going to take courageous leadership.”
Pole discussed three possibilities for change, from sharing services to the creation of regional high schools and, lastly, district reorganization.
He identified a number of areas where districts can share - including sharing administrators, management functions and facilities. He acknowledged, however, that this was nothing new for those in the audience.
“There is not a region in this state that has as many shared services as the 16 schools in this BOCES district,” he reported, describing their inter-dependence as “unique” and ahead of their peers across the state.
He next described a number of scenarios for restructuring high schools, sharing findings from a study he and his firm conducted in Wayne County.
The study identified a four opportunities for sharing for the county’s 11 high schools, he said. Those options included a student exchange program which would allow schools to continue offering elective courses; a New Vision program for seniors which links academic learning to a career field, such as the one currently offered by DCMO BOCES; greater use of electronic learning to expand elective offerings; and “thematic” high schools which would allow students to focus their studies to their area of interest.
“Without crumbling the high school walls, ... these are the four things we looked at,” he said.
They also explored the option of creating regional high schools. While this model creates more opportunities for students, he said, their findings showed only a minimal cost savings - a 3 percent reduction in expenses for 4 regional schools as opposed to the 11 existing facilities.
There were also other challenges - such as the fact that no state legislation currently exists which allows for regional high schools. Nor are financial incentives available.
There is, however, a model for this type of regional high school already exists - BOCES.
One of the things which was reinforced by the study was the emotion people in the community have about their school system.
“While people understand that education has to change, they like their high school just the way it is,” he said. “It’s a real, significant emotion people have.”
He then turned the discussion to the “M” word.
“I’m not pushing this,” he said, but Albany is.
Why would districts want to merge? According to Pole, as a rule, districts who combine are able to offer more courses, teachers who teach only in their specialty areas, have better facilities, more cost effective administrative structure, eliminate duplication of services and facilities, and reduce taxes.
But merger talks often meet with resistance from the community, which may fear losing its identity or worry about being represented on the board. Other concerns may be the busing time for students, and larger class sizes. Staff may worry about job security. There is also a natural resistance to change, Pole said. “I think it’s part of the human condition.”
The merger process is a complex, requiring an in-depth study and votes in both communities. It also takes an average of 1 1/2 to 2 years to complete.
According to Pole, research on merged districts indicates there are plusses and minuses. Both curricular and extracurricular opportunities are enhanced, he said, but student achievement does not necessarily improve.
“At the same time as opportunities increase, so does the competition to participate,” he reported, such as for spots on sports teams.
Class sizes do in fact increase, and bus rides are longer. And the new, combined district is not cheaper to run.
“School districts who merge spend more money than the other two districts did combined,” he stated.
So why do districts do it?
“This is a question about revenue, not about expense,” Pole said, explaining that merged districts receive incentive operating aid from the state over and above the combined aid of the two original districts. In the first year, that incentive aid is equal to a 40 percent bonus. This is stepped down according to a 15 year schedule.
Prudent financial planning is required, he said, to make sure that money carries them past year 15.
“That’s where we are now,” commented Unadilla Valley Superintendent Bob Mackey. The district he heads was formed in 1996 from the merger of the New Berlin and South New Berlin school districts and the incentive operating aid they have been receiving has now run out.
The state offers other financial incentives as well, including an additional 30 percent on top of the highest of the two district’s building aid ratio for 10 years after the merger. Also, existing debt is aided at the higher of the district’s aid ratio.
“This is what is getting people’s attention,” Pole said.
If merged districts are more expensive to run in the long run, why is the state essentially paying them to combine? According to Pole, it is because the theory in Albany is that in the long run, it will be cheaper for the state to have 300 school districts, rather than 700.
“I’m not selling the idea, but that’s the thinking behind it,” he said.
Pole stressed that he wasn’t recommending any of the above actions for area schools without careful study.
“All I’m saying is, it’s time to have the conversation,” he said.
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