Commentary: Mid-pandemic is the wrong time to consider school consolidation

Eric Marcus

Eric Marcus

As Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District Governing Board president, writing as a private citizen, I recommend a “No” vote at this time on consolidating the Mingus Unified (MUHSD) and Cottonwood-Oak Creek (COCSD) school districts.

As a COCSD Board member I voted in favor of bringing this decision to the voters of our districts as I trust our community to make the right decision.

While I continue to place my trust in our voters, COVID-19 has caused me to recognize that the timing for this election is wrong. It is clearly irresponsible to consider consolidation when our schools face the crisis of our generation in safely educating our children during COVID-19.

I continue to support the importance of giving our voters the right to make a reasoned and well-thought out decision on district consolidation, but let’s not distract attention from the current crisis, especially considering the uncertainties of school funding combined with years of state funding cutbacks.

The proponents of this measure may be well-meaning but they have brought it forward at the worst possible time for our children.

COCSD will even be required to pay for this election with its tight budget as it struggles to find funding for all of the new requirements necessitated to safely educate our children in this pandemic.

Bringing this measure forward during this crisis dilutes administrative and faculty attention, disrupts schools, and is not in our children’s or our community’s best interest.

Research on consolidation from across the nation is mixed on both financial savings and impact on education. One study states that it found that actual student performance in high schools from K-12 districts were inferior to schools from non-K-12 districts.

Another study concludes student achievement is higher in small schools and higher still in small schools operating in small school districts.

Getting into a battle at this time over which experts are right and which are wrong does not serve our students in light of the unprecedented challenges COVID-19 has brought.

Simply put, there are too many unanswered questions for us to risk our children’s educational quality.

In the midst of dealing with the consequences of the pandemic, this is not the time to be compelled to make decisions on how to consolidate pupil transportation services, special education services, curriculum/instruction, administration, fiscal services, food services, changes to pupil-teacher ratios, school budgets, district policies and procedures, extra- curricular and co-curricular activities, health services, technology, facilities, human resources, and alternative education.

In fact, the Districts do not need to be legally consolidated for our students to benefit from collaboration.

Both MUHSD and COCSD already work closely together. including:

• Continuous Superintendent collaboration

• Formal and informal discussions between respective teachers and administration on individual student transitions from district to district.

• Social and emotional supports including Kids At Hope (MUHSD) and Capturing Kids Hearts (COCSD).

• Alignment of district calendars including shared in-service and professional development days.

• Transition programs including freshman course selection and Algebra 1 student recruitment and planning.

• Collaboration and alignment on math and science.

• K-12 student data information systems sharing.

• Special education transition, placement, and special education teacher meetings.

• Sharing of facilities as needed Placing COCSD and MUHSD teachers on the same salary schedule will increase expenses by at least $250,000 and as much as $400,000 every year which may not be offset by any potential reduction in administrative costs.

The secondary tax rate will likely increase with future bonds and overrides spread among a smaller taxing area. Operating costs at COCSD and MUHSD are among the lowest in the state when compared to peer schools.

Clarkdale-Jerome taxpayers may pay an unknown amount of high school tuition to the consolidated district.

As Deana DeWitt, the assistant superintendent of the Sedona-Oak Creek School District, said in her article supporting consolidation on July 19, 2020: “The financial projections that have been made (by both sides) are largely speculative, educated guesses at best.”

This is simply not the right time to leave the education of our children to speculation and guesses.

Our community maintains separate, dedicated funding, programs, and focus for high school and elementary school students.

Unification can lead to cuts in unique programs, especially in elementary districts serving students at risk, such as special education and English-learning students. Let us keep the focus on our children.

Looking thoughtfully to our moral compasses, our children’s’ needs at this time of crisis calls for a “No” vote at this time on district consolidation.

Eric Marcus is a Cornville resident, the president of the Cottonwood-Oak Creek District Governing Board, and the opinions stated here are his own. He has more than 45 years professional experience including business management, education, law, speaker, author, and public service as an elected leader and a judge.


Donate Report a Typo Contact
Most Read
Event Calendar
Event Calendar link
Submit Event