News, Press Releases - Sunday, March 14, 2010 0:12 - 0 Comments

More school consolidations possible

Citing declining enrollments and slashed budgets amid state government’s financial crisis, several central Illinois school districts are considering consolidating.

“We are looking at all options that could possibly happen. There’s no one particular combination,” said Matthew Brue, superintendent of the Petersburg-based PORTA School District.

A feasibility study examining a possible merger of the PORTA and A-C Central school districts is planned, as is a study examining a potential Menard County school district that could encompass Athens, Greenview and PORTA, according to Brue.

The Virginia and A-C Central school boards also have sought a merger feasibility study.

Studies under way

Brue said the Menard County study is expected to be completed in July. Completion dates haven’t been set for the A-C Central-PORTA review or the A-C Central-Virginia study.

PORTA, with enrollment of 1,170, has seen a decline of 29 to 30 students each year for the last 10 years, Brue said.

“When we start losing students, we start losing programs,” he noted.

The PORTA board expects Tuesday to vote to eliminate pre-kindergarten, truancy and reading-improvement programs for the 2010-11 school year and lay off six teachers and eight classroom aides, Brue said.

Lynn Carter, superintendent of Virginia schools, said concerns over finances and declining enrollment similarly prompted the Virginia Board of Education to renew consolidation talks with A-C Central.

“We can offer more and better programs with more students,” she said.

While a referendum to merge Virginia and A-C Central failed in 2005, residents and students in both districts seem amenable to another look, according to Carter and A-C Central School Superintendent Becky Canty.

“I think there is interest. Full Press Release…