Brownsville Area School District - Consolidation and Enrollment

Consolidation and Enrollment

In 2011, State Representative Tim Mahoney, of South Union Township, pushed a proposal to consolidate the administration of Fayette County's six school districts into one administration. A study was done, by The Education Management Group, LLC., that demonstrated millions would be saved by consolidating just the administrations into one central administration. Several counties in Pennsylvania have just one school administration including Philadelphia County, Juniata County School District and Sullivan County School District. In August 2011, Fayette County Judge Ralph Warman barred placement of a voter referendum regarding school administration consolidation, on the November 2011 ballot.

Over the next 10 years, rural Pennsylvania school enrollment is projected to decrease 8 percent. The most significant enrollment decline is projected to be in western Pennsylvania, where rural school districts may have a 16 percent decline. More than 40 percent of elementary schools and more than 60 percent of secondary schools in western Pennsylvania are projected to experience significant enrollment decreases (15 percent or greater). Statewide, there are 187 districts that are projected to have an enrollment decline of 15 percent or greater. Geographically, these districts are clustered in western Pennsylvania and in the state’s northern tier.

Pennsylvania has one of the highest numbers of school districts in the nation. In Pennsylvania, 80% of the school districts serve student populations under 5,000, and 40% serve less than 2,000. Less than 95 of Pennsylvania's 501 school districts have enrollment below 1250 students, in 2007. A study was done examining consolidating Sto-Rox School District with neighboring Cornell School District. The study noted that consolidation could significantly decrease administrative costs for both communities while improving offerings to students.

In March 2011, the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants Fiscal Responsibility Task Force released a report which found that consolidating school district administrations with one neighboring district, would save the Commonwealth $1.2 billion dollars without forcing the consolidation of any schools.