Schools that should consolidate

bop said:
Columbiana County only needs 3 or 4 school districts. It will have happen eventually with the continued loss of population/revenue. Nobody is going to push it locally, it has to happen at the state level.
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EP, Crestview and Columbiana. Would make a D3 school with the combined actual enrollment, minus the OE counts. All three schools are within 10 minutes of each other.
 
dhsdog06 said:
Thoughts I've had. Leipsic isn't in a terrible spot by themselves. Grove is fine.

Continental/Miller City
Kalida/Ottoville/Fort Jennings
Pandora-Gilboa crosses County lines and tales on Cory-Rawson

Could also send MC to Leipsic and let Kalida go with Continental.
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All of these schools operate on a lesser per pupil cost than the bigger schools around them, and their academic achievements are top notch. I know consolidation sounds like a good cost saving move, but not sure that would actually be accomplished. Consolidating some services should always be considered.
 
ShoelessJoe said:
All of these schools operate on a lesser per pupil cost than the bigger schools around them, and their academic achievements are top notch. I know consolidation sounds like a good cost saving move, but not sure that would actually be accomplished. Consolidating some services should always be considered.
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I've stated multiple times here that I agree and there's no real need. Just playing the hypothetical game here and seeing what a consolidated Putnam County would look like.

I'm way more in favor of co-ops and giving kids more athletic choices that way over needless consolidation.
 
Mahoning County:

- Lowellville, Campbell and East Youngstown
- Springfield & South Range
- Poland
- Boardman
- Sebring, West Branch and Western Reserve
- Jackson Milton, Austintown and Chaney
 
Lynus24 said:
Years ago there was talk of East Canton dissolving and those kids getting split between Canton South, Minerva and Louisville. Not sure what happened to that? Fracking maybe.
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In the late 90s East Canton had a do or die levy to save the school district. The levy passed and the district was able to survive. I don't think there has been any real talk of the district breaking apart since then.
 
Sykotyk said:
Mahoning County:

- Lowellville, Campbell and East Youngstown
- Springfield & South Range
- Poland
- Boardman
- Sebring, West Branch and Western Reserve
- Jackson Milton, Austintown and Chaney
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Lowellville, Campbell and East Youngstown would never happen, same with Milton, Austintown and Chaney.
 
BDBW said:
Indian Hill and Madiera. Save the taxpayers millions in new building costs.
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Actually both schools do a decent job sports wise for the leagues they are in and academically they are not even close to a watch list.
Very good student outcomes.
 
BGFalcons86 said:
West Branch and Sebring (mostly because Sebring Local is very small and is almost completely surrounded by West Branch Local).
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I'm pretty sure Sebring is completely surrounded by West Branch. When I lived in the West Branch district I read an article once about the consolidation that formed West Branch. Sebring was originally part of the consolidation but pulled out at the last second. I don't remember the reason why.

Sebring has to be home to the worst football program in the state of Ohio. Their record over the last 20 years is incredible and the lopsidedness of the games in staggering.
 
Monroe County still has Monroe Central, Beallsville, and River. They are in one district, and this could be combined easily.

There are seven schools in Belmont County--Shadyside, Bellaire, Martins Ferry, Bridgeport, Union Local, Barnesville, and Saint Clairsville. They could be consolidated into Belmont East and Belmont West.
 
Literally the entire Mahoning Valley needs reviewed for consolidation.

Mahoning County could easily be down to 6-7 HS’s which would each be D1 or D2. If people would be open-minded and not caught up in current/past district boundaries this could be possible.

It would be better for academic, athletic and arts offerings for students in the county and also cut overhead costs.
 
OBIE-WON-PIEROGI said:
Massillon has built a new high and middle school in the past 30 years.

Perry High School opened during the Eisenhower administration.

I'll take a guess that Massillon will build two new elementary schools before Perry builds any new schools.
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I am guessing that’s because Massillon’s new schools were predominantly state funded whereas Perry probably has to fund any new schools through local funding/bonds only.

Same thing here in Ytown area where Boardman has a 100 year old 3rd-6th school and all other buildings are 50-70 years old but will never be able to pass a bond issue requiring 80%+ local funding. While just about every other district here locally has all new schools which were 50% or more funded by the state.

Hopefully something changes in future on the building state funding because the current funding system is not logical. I’m all for helping out districts not as well off more than wealthy districts. But it’s also a disservice to kids in these districts considered to be “wealthy” if they are in buildings with sub-standard conditions. And the reality in a case of Boardman is it’s not really that wealthy of a district as far as the general population, which is more average to slightly above average. It’s “wealthy” mainly due to commercial property value. But that doesn’t get you new schools.
 
EagleFan said:
I would not suggest high school's should be Mason sized, but I think schools can offer better options when a school is large enough to have the varied staff and teachers that allows.

A 1,000 seat high school would be better than 100, but 2,000 may be too much.
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Various research has suggested that the ideal student population for learning in grades 9-12 is somewhere between 600-900 students. Data suggests that schools smaller than 600 students learn less and that schools with enrollments over 2,100 see similar results. Schools do reach a point of diminishing returns.

The school I teach and coach in is a tick over 2,000 students in 9-12. When I first started here we were a trick over 1,000. This was 17 years ago.

One thing people fail to realize with big schools is a segment of your students will get lost in the shuffle. Believe me I see it every day, week, month, school year, graduating class, etc... The "small schools" initiative that began back in the early 00s was designed to create schools that fostered healthier relationships among teachers and students who by design of a smaller school create greater teacher / student connections and as a result create greater degrees of student learning.

People often times scream that consolidation will reduce costs. In fact, getting rid of a superintendent will only save that cost but create a need for more custodians, food service workers, bus drivers, teaching staff, etc.... Athletically combining schools would possibly result in greater opportunities, but with those opportunities comes the need for additional athletic funding.

Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, SC just two years ago had an enrollment of over 4,000 students but still only fielded a football roster similar to schools in the Charleston area whose enrollments were half that. There is no proven statistical correlation between school size, offerings and increased participation.

Lastly, large schools like mine do not have an overall identity. We have multiple cliques within the school that sometimes do foster division among the student body. It gets worse when you begin talking about consolidating different communities. My school represents 7 different zip codes and communities. The older / original community I know has felt push aside over the years as the school has grown and changed demographically.

Lastly, as a teacher, with each passing year a few of us "old guard" have a running gag that we work with people who if you put a gun to our head and said "who is this?" you'd have to shoot us. TBH I work with people who I don't even bother to even know their name for a variety of reasons.
 
SteelValley said:
I am guessing that’s because Massillon’s new schools were predominantly state funded whereas Perry probably has to fund any new schools through local funding/bonds only.

Same thing here in Ytown area where Boardman has a 100 year old 3rd-6th school and all other buildings are 50-70 years old but will never be able to pass a bond issue requiring 80%+ local funding. While just about every other district here locally has all new schools which were 50% or more funded by the state.

Hopefully something changes in future on the building state funding because the current funding system is not logical. I’m all for helping out districts not as well off more than wealthy districts. But it’s also a disservice to kids in these districts considered to be “wealthy” if they are in buildings with sub-standard conditions. And the reality in a case of Boardman is it’s not really that wealthy of a district as far as the general population, which is more average to slightly above average. It’s “wealthy” mainly due to commercial property value. But that doesn’t get you new schools.
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No, you are wrong. Both school districts have/will receive state aid for their new schools. In addition, Massillon City hasn’t built any schools for over 15 years.
 
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scbuckeye99 said:
Various research has suggested that the ideal student population for learning in grades 9-12 is somewhere between 600-900 students. Data suggests that schools smaller than 600 students learn less and that schools with enrollments over 2,100 see similar results. Schools do reach a point of diminishing returns.

The school I teach and coach in is a tick over 2,000 students in 9-12. When I first started here we were a trick over 1,000. This was 17 years ago.

One thing people fail to realize with big schools is a segment of your students will get lost in the shuffle. Believe me I see it every day, week, month, school year, graduating class, etc... The "small schools" initiative that began back in the early 00s was designed to create schools that fostered healthier relationships among teachers and students who by design of a smaller school create greater teacher / student connections and as a result create greater degrees of student learning.

People often times scream that consolidation will reduce costs. In fact, getting rid of a superintendent will only save that cost but create a need for more custodians, food service workers, bus drivers, teaching staff, etc.... Athletically combining schools would possibly result in greater opportunities, but with those opportunities comes the need for additional athletic funding.

Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, SC just two years ago had an enrollment of over 4,000 students but still only fielded a football roster similar to schools in the Charleston area whose enrollments were half that. There is no proven statistical correlation between school size, offerings and increased participation.

Lastly, large schools like mine do not have an overall identity. We have multiple cliques within the school that sometimes do foster division among the student body. It gets worse when you begin talking about consolidating different communities. My school represents 7 different zip codes and communities. The older / original community I know has felt push aside over the years as the school has grown and changed demographically.

Lastly, as a teacher, with each passing year a few of us "old guard" have a running gag that we work with people who if you put a gun to our head and said "who is this?" you'd have to shoot us. TBH I work with people who I don't even bother to even know their name for a variety of reasons.
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Excellent post.

I have taught in both large and small schools. I have taught in a building over 2000 and the smallest was about 550 or so. Like you said, they both can definitely have their strengths. As another poster said, if a large building is done right, there is literally something for everyone with any club, sport, extracurricular or course elective you could possibly imagine; however, all that stuff isn't cheap. And as you pointed out, you still get kids lost in the shuffle. In the small schools, you get that personalized attention and knowledge. You literally know everyone in the building, even students. But, this definitely can also create division and cliques too as it seems everyone is labeled as soon as they walk in based upon their family or what neighborhood they live in. Some kids just want to go to school and nothing else. They want to essentially be anonymous, and just go about their business and graduate. They don't want to be "bothered" by all the personal attention..... they want to be lost in the shuffle, and sometimes that's ok. That's nearly impossible in the small building.

There is no 1 size fits all, and I think we need to understand that. I also think that we need to understand that many counties in Ohio have WAY too many public schools and these conversations need to had.
 
In Hamilton County (Cincy) a few have already been mentioned that I agree with........
Colerain & Northwest (same district, shrinking enrollment)
Turpin & Anderson (Same district, weird neighborhood issues that cause conflict. Should combine but never will.)
Lockland Schools into Princeton (Wyoming would be easier, but that will never happen..... those 2 school are only 1.5 miles apart.)
St. Bernard Elmwood Place into Cincinnati Public (they are building a new school for some reason??)
Norwood Schools should be absorbed into Cincinnati Public also (so many budget issues it'll make your head spin)
Mt. Healthy Schools and North College Hill Schools (2 high schools are 2 miles apart)
Reading, Deer Park could all merge with Sycamore (Again, never would happen)
Madeira, Mariemont, and Indian Hill all as 1 (Hell would freeze over before this happened)
Finneytown could merge with either Winton Woods or join the Mt. Healthy & North College Hill consolidation
Lastly, I think Three Rivers could easily merge with Oak Hills. Oak Hills enrollment has declined a great deal and could handle the extra students.
 
cincifbfan said:
There is no 1 size fits all, and I think we need to understand that. I also think that we need to understand that many counties in Ohio have WAY too many public schools and these conversations need to had.
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So no one size fits all, but some are definitely too small and need consolidated?
 
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