Consolidation Is Not Always Efficient
Consolidation is not always good for the community. Cape May is a case in point.
Cape May is part of the Lower Cape May Regional (LCMR) school district. This regional district was concocted decades ago joining Cape May, West Cape May, Cape May Point, North Cape May, and Lower Township (Erma, Town Bank, etc.) for a high school district. It costs about $12,600 to educate each student at LCMR. According to this article from The Press of Atlantic City, Lower Township kicks in $5300 per student. The taxpayers of Cape May pay $41,200 to send each of its students to a public high school!
That is correct: more than $41,000 to attend a public high school.
Interestingly, this is the same public high school that my folks refused to allow me to attend. We looked at The Lawrenceville School (I turned them down, ha!). Cape May could send each of its students to Lawrenceville (arguably, one of the finest high schools in the nation) and save $7000. That also includes room and board. The $7000 saved could easily pay for transportation to and from the school.
Obviously, the taxpayers of Cape May are getting jacked by consolidation. It is no wonder they are looking to dissolve their participation in the regional system.
Also blogged on this date . . .
- Project Wiki - 2008
- Welcome Fritz - 2007
- Corzine Continues to Add to State Payroll - 2006
- The People Have Spoken, Governor - 2006
- Cafeteria Catholics - 2006
- Today's Cacher: Not a Magazine for This Cacher - 2005
- Delegates to be Paid for Constitutional Convention Work - 2005
- Cyberlobbee News: Lacking Details - 2005
- Roadside Memorial - 2005
- Site Update - 2005
By Sharon GR on Mar 16, 2006
Wow, they are getting screwed, and they should look into the dissolution of their district or some way to appeal the way the funding is distributed.
Consolidation does often bring about savings, however; enough that municipalities should look into it and research their individual situations, not run away screaming “Home Rule! Home Rule!.”
By Paul Nelson on Mar 17, 2006
I don’t know the details, but apparently there are some crazy state rules about allocating costs when multiple towns share a regional school system. We have a similar problem with our regional HS, where the differences in allocated cost per pupil vary quite a bit from town to town. I think there’s some kind of link to property values regardless of pupils per town.
When we talk about consolidation or regionalization, we should also distinguish between at least two versions: (1) home rule plus regional purchasing pools/shared services or (2) centralized administration/consolidation that eliminates home rule. I am in favor of (1), but not (2).
By Bob on Mar 17, 2006
Property values are the key here. Cape May’s property is valued more than Erma’s.
Yet, the education a student from either community receives is the same. And it should cost the same!
By Paul Nelson on Mar 17, 2006
I just found this 1999 report which might interest you:
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/reports/school.pdf