Granholm calls for financial incentive for school districts to consolidate, share services

This is a sound proposal. The first step should be to adopt common financial software to start the process of consolidating small districts that could be more administratively efficient. This will be a long journey but this is a great first step.

Grand Rapids Press Article on School Consolidation

Today's feature on school consolidation describes the Wake County (Raleigh) North Carolina countywide school system. Colin Armstrong, Superintendent of Schools in Muskegon and Practitioners Summit member shares his views as a former superintendent in North Carolina.

For those of you who know me, you know I can go on for hours on the need for implementing a common financial software system and a statewide teacher salary schedule. All I can say is if we want to have the administrative structure in place in North Carolina then we need to emulate what they have done to get there. There are NO SIMPLE solutions to COMPLEX problems.

Consolidation Discussion is Pushed to the Front Burner by Booth Newspapers

The Booth Newspapers (GR Press, Kazoo Gazette, Flint Journal, Saginaw News, etc.) has initiated a Michigan State University study and discussion concerning school consolidation or the consolidation of administrative and support services.

The lead article in this series began today. And can be reached by clicking on the title to this article.

Five Kent County Districts Consolidate Services at KISD

Interesting! It's unclear in the article if the price quoted, $149,500, is the cost for all FIVE districts or the cost to each district. If this is for all five, then it would appear that this would equate to about 3 full time positions. Seems really tight for covering the scope of the work normally performed by these positions unless there is some kind of subsidy from KISD. If this is the bill back for each district, the cost seems high for this kind of work. I'll be interesting to follow this initiative to see how it goes.

Deal expected to avert new cuts for Michigan schools

Teachers Generous Benefits Under Fire

From the Detroit News - June 2, 2010