District 24 says no to consolidation

Fifteen years ago, it was the District 30 Board of Education that held back a plan to consolidate the four Valley Stream school districts. This year, it was the District 24 board that said no.

District 24 board members voted 4-2 against even exploring the cost of a consolidation study during a work session meeting last week. The board members who voted against it cited the cuts to education funding from the state and federal government, saying they do not want to use taxpayer money to fund a study.

“I can’t see putting money into a consolidation study when it’s not going to go anyplace,” said Tony Iadevaio, who voted on Feb. 2 against exploring a study along with Carole Meaney, Paul DePace and Donna LaRocco.

The District 13, 30 and Central High School District boards of education have already approved the idea of a study, but needed the go-ahead from District 24 to be able to solicit bids for a study to be done. All four school districts have to be on board for consolidation even to be looked at.

Meaney and other board members said their vote would likely have been different if the state was offering money to pay for the study, as was done the last time consolidation was looked at in Valley Stream in 1996. That time, a study was done but the District 30 Board of Education voted against putting the idea up for a public vote, which killed the plan.

But board trustee Larry Trogel said that the Valley Stream school districts should at least go out and get a price for a consolidation study, to see if the state would fund it. “If they don’t want to do it,” there’s our out,” he said.

Trogel and board President Ian Wraith voted in favor of getting cost proposals for a consolidation study. Wraith noted that there is talk at the New York State Education Department encouraging districts to explore consolidation, and said Valley Stream school officials should be proactive. “There’s a good chance we’re not going to have a choice at some point,” Wraith said, adding that he would rather consolidation be approached within Valley Stream than having it forced by officials in Albany. “Sometimes change comes whether you want it or not, and it’s better to be ready for it.”

Wraith said he at least wants to know what a consolidation study would cost before making a decision of whether or not to go ahead with one. He said to his fellow board members that they were arguing one step ahead by considering the merits of consolidation before even looking into the price of a study.

But DePace said that once the district starts heading down the road toward consolidation, even if it’s partnering with the other districts to find out the cost of a study, it’s hard to turn back.

DePace said he does see the benefits at the elementary school level, because all students in Valley Stream would, for the first time, have the same programs and be using the same instructional resources. Educational opportunities are already equal at the high school level, he noted. But DePace said that wasn’t enough to convince him to vote yes. “I don’t see a big improvement by us consolidating,” he said.

Meaney said that consolidation might be a change that people aren’t ready for. She also expressed her concern about the initial cost of a school merger. She wondered how much money would need to be spent to have all students using the same programs and books. And, referring to some information provided by Superintendent Dr. Edward Fale, the consolidated district would still incur the cost of up to four superintendents for at least the first few years.

The consolidated district, Fale said, would be obligated to pay any existing superintendent contracts, even though it would only have one schools chief. Only when those contracts expire, he said, could the district shed those salaries. However, he explained that the addition of curriculum coordinators and directors for a large district — a consolidated Valley Stream would have about 9,500 students — would likely offset the savings from reducing superintendents and assistant superintendents.

In addition to finances, Iadevaio cited the wishes of the school community as a reason for his no vote. He said at a meeting late last year, many residents in District 24 came to the board and said they were against consolidation. As their elected school officials, Iadevaio said, that should mean something. “They’re the people that put us here,” he said, “to do what’s right for their kids.”