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History: Approximately 40 years ago, Bridgewater and Raynham joined to form a Regional High School. Approximately
11 years ago, our District became fully regionalized K-12.
The reasons for fully regionalizing the system were simple...1. it meant more money
from the State and less money from each town to run the system and 2. It put the kids
from Raynham and Bridgewater on equal playing fields as they entered the High School, because the curriculum was now
aligned.
Q.: How do we benefit from being a Region?
A.: We benefit substantially, financially. We receive approximately 50% of our money
for schools from the State because we are a region (35% for Bridgewater and 15% for Raynham). As an example, Natick,
receives only 15% of its money from the State and they have to come up with 85% of their money from Town revenue. Natick
is not a region. We do get more money for transportation because we are a region, albiet that money has decreased over
the past few years, it is still more than non-regionalized Districts receive. We benefit educationally, because it allows
us to offer the type of curriculum and extra-curriculars that a smaller non-regionalized system offers. However,
we have to put up our share to do that and Bridgewater has failed to do that. The reimbursement on the new high school
and the renovations at the middle school were predicated on being a region - those reimbursements might not have been so high
and could possibly disappear should this District not remain a region. At this writing, the preliminary word from SBA
is that we probably would not lose reimbursement on the Middle School, but that word is not definitive at this point.
So, can Bridgewater afford the $25 million renovation at Williams Middle without reimbursement? We wouldn't pay for a $2.2
million override - how will we pay for a bill that is eleven times as much???
Q. Besides money that will decrease from the State, what other added costs can we expect to
incur by De-regionalizing, either K-8 or the entire system?
A. The committee that has been set up will be moving toward attempting to get exact figures
for you. Without the exact figures we can tell you what will increase and what will be affected, but we cannot tell
you the dollar amounts. There was an outside study done in 2001 that told us what the figures would be to de-regionalize
K-12. Three years ago, it would have meant an extra $2 million/year to Bridgewater and an extra $1 million to Raynham.
Again, we wouldn't pass a $2.2 million override, so where would that money come from?
Here are the key factors that will affect us financially should we deregionalize. Some of these factors
will come into affect if it is a K-8 Deregionalization and they are noted.
1. A separate Superintendent and three separate administrations for Raynham K-8, Bridgewater
K-8 and the Regional High School. (K-8 Deregionalization only). Please note that the opponents of the override were
very concerned about the amount of money spent on administration - this would be double what we are spending now, at a minimum.
2. Three separate school committees with three separate budgets (k-8 Deregionalization only).
Please note that the opponents of the override were complaining about the amount of the budget for the one current School
Committee.
3. Three separate bus contracts and less reimbursement from the State (K-8 deregionalization
only).
4. Every teacher or school employee who is on the District books for receiving unemployment,
healthcare or retirement benefits would now be transferred to the books of their respective towns and the towns would be footing
the bill, fully, without State reimbursement at a 50% level. Please note that the opponents of the override were complaining
about the cost of Healthcare and the split - the Town would have to absorb those costs, regardless.
5. Lawyer fees - need we say more?
6. Time - This is not a quick fix. Silver Lake has taken approximately 10 years to de-regionalize
and they are not completely separate. Those districts have reported to Citizens for Education/KIP that their costs were
three times what were originally anticipated and twice as long as anticipated...AT WHAT COST WAS THAT TO EDUCATION?
And while we are splitting, will Bridgewater fund the school system or continue to do what they did this year??
Q: I can see the benefits of deregionalizing the entire system, if both towns could afford it, but what do we gain
by deregionalizing only K-8?
A: The proponents would say we gain control. Control over a budget and control over educational decisions.
They argue that under the current regionalization plan, either Town can gift money K-8 if the other town fails to fund the
assessment (like you saw Raynham gifting $1.2 to Raynham K-8 and Bridgewater after finding some money year end, gifting $520,000 to
Bridgewater K-8.) They argue that it puts Raynham students on a better footing as they enter the Regional High School.
Of course, if we funded education properly and didn't vote down the assessement 8 out of the past 11 years, Raynham wouldn't
feel the need to gift and all kids entering the High School would be on equal footing. Also, the argument that deregionalizing
K-8 would eliminate this inequity ONLY HOLDS WATER if Bridgewater is willing to fund the schools at the same level as Raynham
- and if we are, what is the point of deregionalizing in the first place? But, the question remains, are we willing
to do that? Will the proponents of deregionalizing K-8 allow an override to be attached to the vote? We would
need a minimum of $2.2 million to bring back the 80 positions that were lost K-8 in Bridgewater over the past two years. That's
$2.2 before any other costs to deregionalize and only to bring us to a level where we were two years ago! Would Raynham
fund K-8 at the same rate that Bridgewater will? What does it solve ultimately? The only way to keep the kids
on equal footing is to remain a region, have the curriculum aligned and fund the system so that neither Town feels they need
to gift to keep their education system at an acceptable level!
After deregionalizing, if it were to happen, Raynham is so pro-education, couldn't you see them putting in a second
language program in the lower grades in a few years? Would Bridgewater follow suit? Where would that leave Bridgewater's
8th graders upon entering the High School? We aren't even funding language in 8th grade!!!!!
Q. What are some of the other factors or issues that we can expect?
A. There are things that we can expect that are in no way quantitative or objective because
we are dealing with human beings, children and education. Here are some things to consider:
Morale - teacher, student, parent, town.
Competition - which town will get which teacher?(K-12 deregionalization)
Division - teacher against teacher, child against child, parent against
parent, town against town - what an ugly place to be.
Education - how will it adversely affect the education of the kids?
Will we ever know?
Voting - Both towns need to vote to split and the DOE has to approve
it. (K-12 deregionalization).
Please email us if you can tell us how this will be better for education and for the Towns
and for our kids! We would love to hear from you!
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