The News Journal du lieu suivant : Wilmington, Delaware • Page 11

www.delawareonlinc.com JUNE 7, 2009 SUNDAY NEWS JOURNAL All Consolidation: Advocates say money would go to classrooms Superintendent costs, by of education," Savini said. Wagner argues that the adult education programs don't "change the equation" and are a general function of the high schools. The Christina, Red Clay and Appoquinimink school districts also provide the Groves program. While the state's funding formula, which is based on the total number of students in a district, would provide more administrative positions in a consolidated vocational district than the 56 that Wagner's plan suggests, the state auditor argues that just because the formula would allow for more administrators doesn't mean the districts should hire more. "The funding formula creates more positions than we really need," he said.

Appoquinimink Superintendent Tony Marchio said smaller districts are better able to identify the needs of their communities. If Appoquinimink was part of a larger district, the residents of southern New Castle County a community that has experienced rapid growth in recent Number 2009 2009 fiscal Salary cost District of schools enrollment Superintendent year salary per student Appoquinimink 11 8,653 Tony Marchio $167,762 $1938 Brandywine 18 10,217 Jim Scanlon $170,417 $16.68 Caesar Rodney 13 7,279 Kevin Fitzgerald $19.94 CapeHenlopen 8 4,519 George Stone $159,656 $3533 Capital 11 6,161 Michael Thomas $147,854 $23.99 Christina 26 17,200 freeman Williams" $163,737 $9.52 Colonial 13 10,465 George Meney $193,000 $18.44 Delrnar 2(1 building) 1,158 David Ring Jr. $114,566 $98.93 Indian River 13 8,485 Susan Bunting $138,720 $1635 Lake Forest 6 3,877 Daniel Curry $140,831 $3633 Laurel 5 2,092 John McCoy $118,872 $56.82 Milford 5 4,109 Robert Smith $165,258 $40.22 NCCo Vo-tech 4 4,379 Steven Godowsky $169,286 $38.66 Polytech 1 1164 Dianne Sole $152,946 $13140 Red Clay 28 17,488 Robert Andrzejewski $171,543 $9.81 Seaford 6 3392 Russell Knorr $149,888 $44.19 Smyrna 7 4,657 Deborah Wicks $135,054 $29.00 Sussex Technical 1 1251 Patrick Savini $140,489 $11230 Woodbridge 3 2,032 Kevin Carson $68.15 Note: 'Salaries do not include additional pay that varies by contract In fiscal year 2008, the 19 superintendents had a combined $109,714 In pay, ranging from state stipends for professional development to car allowances, "acting superintendent district Last year, Polytech's graduation rate was 99 percent, with 100 percent of its black and special-education students graduating. "Delaware is considered a national model for its vo-tech system," said Steven Godowsky, superintendent of the New Castle County vo-tech district. "Why reinvent the wheel for something that is clearly successful?" All three argue that Wagner's plan does not include the almost 15,000 adults the vo-tech districts serve through the Groves Adult Polytech salary costs Superintendent Principal Bruce Business Manager Wmissions Director Supervisor of Bldgs.

TOTAL: $576,001 Note: education students included Sussex Technical administration salary costs Principal Curt Bunting $110,606 Asst Principal John LDemby $95,883 Asst Principal Kevin Dickerson $105,200 Asst Principal Jason Peel $86,063 Dean of Students William W. Collick $100,266 Supervisor of Student Srvs. Steven F.Persolio $76,583 Supervisor of Transportation Joe Thomson $66,748 administration Dianne Soles $152,946 Curry $116,540 Anne Nutter $116,112 Macky Trabaudo $89,216 and Grounds Mike Kelley $101187 or $494.85 per student benefits costs not included; Adult and administrators' salaries not Superintendent Patrick Savini $140,488 Support Services Dir. Allen F. Lathbury Jr.

$124,785 Facilities Operations Dir. Terry B. Little $100,993 Business Director Edward B. Seibert $121549 TOTAL: $1129,164 or $902.61 per student Source: The Delaware Department of Education; state payroll records FROM PAGE Al Wagner plans to release a report in the coming weeks that will outline how the state's other 16 school districts could be consolidated. He said the simplest way is to create countywide districts.

"There's got to be a way to get more of the money down to the level of the kids," said Kathy Thomas, a Caesar Rodney High School teacher. "The money isn't getting to the kids when you've got so many people making so much money at the district level." Sen. Karen Peterson, D-Stan-ton, has introduced a bill that calls for the creation of three countywide school districts and one vocational district. "We don't need 19 superintendents and 19 deputy superintendents and 19 human-resources directors. That's just silly and wasteful spending," she said.

Earlier mergers District consolidation isn't a new idea for the First State. In 1968, the Educational Advancement Act consolidated Delaware's 50 districts into 26. Then in 1978, the 10 suburban districts in New Castle County and the Wilmington Public School District merged into one district under a desegregation order. In 1981, the New Castle County district split into Christina, Red Clay, Colonial and Brandywine giving the state 19 districts. Since then, further consolidation has been discussed.

But competing interests, and sympathies, have produced vastly different economic projections. For instance, in 2002, then-Secretary of Education Valerie Woodruff studied the feasibility of establishing county districts in Kent and Sussex. While she found that consolidation would bring about $1.37 million in savings, her report suggested that the savings would be overridden after "leveling up" salaries of administrators, teachers and other employees to those of the highest-paid district in each county. Such a process would cost more than $8.54 million annually, she found. Leveling up, though, is not a prerequisite.

In 2007, five years after Woodruffs report, the Leadership for Education Achievement in Delaware Committee, established by Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, identified between $46 million and $71 million in savings from consolidating services such as transportation, purchasing, energy and human resources. The 2007 LEAD study found about 70 percent of the administrative staff in district offices could be shared without sacrificing Sen. David Sokola quality or customer service. "With the size of the districts we have, we have too much in administrative costs.

We don't need that many levels of administration," said Sen. David Sokola, D-Newark, chairman of the Senate education committee and a LEAD committee member. Earlier this year, Gov. Jack Markell and Education Secretary Lillian Lowery announced the creation of four regional service centers two in New Castle and one each in Kent and Sussex counties that will consolidate district and charter school services such as human resources and purchasing, as well as centralizing those who provide student support services, such as speech pathologists. While most superintendents oppose district consolidation, many favor sharing services.

Marvin "Skip" Schoenhals, chairman of the LEAD commit- '4 kmt ftht. i I if is a to to 7 Marvin "Skip" Schoenhals John Mackenzie tee and WSFS Bank, said consolidating services is much less politically sensitive than combining districts. "When you eliminate a school district, you eliminate a school board, which elected by local residents, and that sense of local control is a very important tradition in our form of government," he said. John Mackenzie, a Christina School Board member, said projected cost savings from consolidation are fictional. "People will pay taxes to support local institutions that they see performing well and that they feel a sense of ownership for.

But they won't pay taxes for large, bureaucratic, remote institutions," he said. But local control need not vanish, said Seaford School Board President John Hanen-feld, who supports combining and eliminating some districts. To keep local control, he suggests creating countywide school boards with members elected by geographic areas. Markell said he will study Wagner's plan next year and determine what, if any, savings opportunities exist. "There's not a taxpayer that wouldn't want to save money and move money into the classroom.

And there's very good argument that we have a significant opportunity move money from too much administration into the classroom," he said. Salary issues While Wagner's plan points millions in savings, it does not address leveling up of salaries, which the state's largest school employee union says is imperative. While the state pays about 70 percent of salaries, districts provide 30 percent. The local portion varies from district to district. "If they try to consolidate districts without leveling up salaries, it's not fair for our educators," Delaware State Education Association President Diane Donohue said.

Seaford Superintendent Russell Knorr agreed: "Consolidation may not be the savior that some people think it might be in terms of economics." Mike Sampere, a civics teacher at Polytech High, said he favors consolidation only if salaries are leveled up: "I think it's been inconceivable that we do not have the same scale for everyone in the state." And some residents are afraid huge districts Would create a barrier. Claymont resident Melissa Kunz doesn't want her children's district to change. "The reason why we live where we live is because I like the Brandywine School District," StOS OF GREATNESS lieu CHURCH am liU Study ftv. it WMOUY MUUVMD, HOI CMTU, Df 1 ten i The News Journal High School and General Equivalency Degree program, as well as apprenticeship and career training programs. Savini and his administrative team frequently visit local businesses and the chamber of commerce to make sure their district is fulfilling the community's needs.

"Anyone believing that someone other than a local superintendent should do these things is really insulting me, judging without knowledge, and really naive at what it takes to be successful in the business Variable rate as low as said Kunz, whose three children attend Forwood Elementary. Kunz worries that if districts are consolidated, she wouldn't have a say in the schools by voting in local referenda and would have to navigate more red tape if she had a problem. Ultimately, any consolidation plan would have to be approved by the state Legislature and the governor. Many of Delaware's superintendents in Kent and Sussex counties argue that their school districts are just the right size. "Bigger is not better," Sussex Tech Superintendent Patrick Savmi said.

Savini fears a larger district would bring less parental involvement and more bureaucracy. "Students thrive in educa Dianne Sole tional settings where they are treated as individuals and not as a bulk commodity," Polytech Superintendent Dianne Sole said. "Historically, larger districts across the nation have higher drop-out rates and lower graduation rates." 1I7J0 years would have been at a disadvantage V. because larger districts tend to have more bureaucracy, he said. Consolidation is more about efficiency than 7'M Tony Marchio quality of education, said Schoenhals, also chairman of Vision 2015, the wide-ranging plan to revamp Delaware's public school system.

"We could have a high-quality education system with 19 school districts or with four school districts," he said. "Obviously, a lot of us want our education system to be as efficient as possible, but that efficiency doesn't directly really affect student performance." Rebecca Smith disagrees and thinks the caliber of education at Polytech High, where all three of her children graduated, will change if the districts are consolidated. "You can't gather the same results by adding more eggs in the basket," she said. "The auditor needs to focus on the end result and not worry about the dollar amount." Coritgd ennier Price at 324-2855 orjpricedclflwareonIine.com. PNC LEADING THE WAY A50Q and vary Inai APR? on he Va'iafrp Rate for single-'amity owner-occur'pr r-ropffies wri loan appdeat'on.

L'W ard rpcr-t ue eatyed '-ate A strong rate from a strong bank. That's what we call strength in numbers. (p)(p) )n APR CHOICE HOME EQUITY LINE OF CREDIT Starting at $75,000 0.74 above the prime rate for the life of the line of credit. km This Is the place to purchase! 12, 13, 14. This weekend only you will find the Parking Lot best deals on Personal Watercraft to These days, it's smart to strengthen your finances.

That's why PNC continues to lend, and provide strong financial footholds when you need them most. So take advantage of our great rate to consolidate your debt and get a fresh start. With a rate this good from a bank you can trust, you'll build the financial muscle you need to reach your goals. fLnnyj-frtfiii -vir-tf-vtfifffir mm" Cruisers iium 1 -n PHONE 1-877-CALL-PNC VISIT ANY BRANCH VISITpnc.comchoicelin -r:" and everything in between .1:11 i i i uiiiuitMit luuai ueaieis 11 1 sr- TAYLOR k. A mmmm Mnnual Peaentaoe Rate (APR) shown is for the Variable Rale Part, is acetate as o' Part for the Principal and Interest Payment Option currently ranap from 3 -'i1 LJLl value (LFV! up 80 The actual initial w-t he based on a review th? based on line; of i'b POO or mce with a automat payment from a hnC checking account Manmum Apw is Othtr Coiti artd Fees.

No closmfj costs aoplicabie on lines up to OlX1 hoidmi owner -occucea as coilate'ai w- atvf $41 OC'C mav LENDER IWWMEflfax Short's Marine require title insurance For properties tn VA anc! Mj, (he ToMaaqe record inq tax may he squired ic be rppad 'he line is cinseo 'Nn rhp st 3t auer account opening oi properties in NY mortgage recording tan must b-1 paid TQrdiess ot me ze in ntner tha y'A V- and W3stvnotr-n DC there is an annual fee ol $J0 The annual fee is waived in ail markets 'or customers with Performance ana Penr-mance Kt acrnants Property insurance required Q'fer is subject to crdit approval, may he minified Of discontinued at any ttmg and may vary by marnet CtOuV The PNC Pinsnc! Services Group Inc. Ail nghts reserved PNC Bank Mtmber FDIC.