Hamilton County has approximately the same number of students as Rutherford County (Murfreesboro) at 40,000+. Yet we have 79 school buildings. Rutherford has only half as many buildings at 40. Not only do we have twice as many buildings, ours are old at an average age of more than 45 years.
As far back as 2009 a citizens panel convened by HCDE identified this issue. A later group reached the same conclusion. The solution exists; it just requires tough decisions by the school board to close and merge under-utilized schools. The number we were given in 2009 was $1,000 for every vacant seat and there were many schools operating at less than half capacity.
Fiscal conservatives among us scratch our heads and wonder how we ever received quality public school educations 1-2 generations ago without all the soft, extra positions schools have today. Without even touching personnel (which I would personally also do), however, the school board can close this deficit gap with an urgent plan to make the tough calls on school consolidations.
It's unfortunate the school board does not have taxing authority. But in the meantime, the County Commission is not unreasonable to sit pat until the school board does its part to put difficult decisions over its desire to get reelected. Show the Commission a firm plan. It cannot happen overnight. Maybe even right-size some of these soft positions. And only then ask the Commission for more money.
Kurt J. Faires
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Wow, you were doing really well there, right up to that last paragraph. Then you blew it with just one unfortunate word. I read it again and again, giving you the benefit of the doubt, thinking it might be a typo, but there's no getting around it.
Sorry, sir, but it is not unfortunate the school board does not have taxing authority. The only people who would think the school board should have taxing authority are those on the school board.
It is extremely fortunate the school board does not have taxing authority because experience shows the school board's reaction to any problem is to throw more money at it, and there's only one source of more money. And don't expect them to change their ways voluntarily, any more than any other government agency or bunch of bureaucrats will change voluntarily.
If you want to reduce the schools' expenses, start where the big money is and work down. Eliminate those 'soft, extra positions' you mention. The school board ain't gonna do it on its own.
But that's another rant for another day; I have more needful things to do right now.
In the meantime, good old Mark Twain had an incisive opinion on school boards; you can look it up.
Larry Cloud