HARRISBURG – State Sen. John D. Wozniak (D-Cambria) said that he plans on asking a legislative bi-partisan commission to investigate the cost-effectiveness of school or administration consolidation.
“My proposal asks the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to look at the potential cost-savings associated with either school district or school administration consolidation,” Wozniak said.  “My belief is that more taxpayer money can be saved if bureaucratic obstacles are removed.”
Wozniak said his request will be in the form of a Senate resolution that he hopes will garner bi-partisan and quick support.  Specifically, the resolution asks the committee to examine costs savings of school district consolidation and whether:
- consolidating, smaller and more rural districts could save money through increased purchasing power of supplies and services; and
- services could be consolidated, much like many municipalities are doing on other levels.
The resolution also seeks an analysis that will include:
- the effects of consolidation on transportation issues, logistical issues and other situations that may not be immediately considered;
- whether the pooling of state money would yield better services for cash-strapped school districts; and
- if school districts at the county, intermediate unit or other level are better positioned to provide more services, like extensive special needs programs, afterschool programs and other means that poorer districts traditionally cannot provide or afford.
“I want to give lawmakers key information on the depth of the cost-savings involved in school or administrative consolidation,” Wozniak said.  “I am asking for a study to determine the cost-effectiveness of reducing the number of administrators and creating county administration of all schools.”
The resolution also asks the committee to determine whether consolidating superintendents, business managers, solicitors, bus, food and beverage contractors would save money.
In 2006, Wozniak successfully shepherded Senate Resolution 208 through the legislative process. That resolution asked the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study the cost-effectiveness of consolidating Pennsylvania’s school districts.  The LBFC report was completed in June 2007.
Wozniak said this follow-up study would refresh the data on school consolidations but also gather data on the consolidation of school administrative offices.
“We need to know how much this could save for taxpayers and how consolidation could drive new investments in our children,” he said.
