GILL COMMISSION ON EDUCATION

Formed by Selectboard and Finance Committee

Began work January 2009

TASKS

Study public educational options for Gill Directed not to make recommendations Draft report for town meeting Identify ramifications of options

DEMOGRAPHICS – COMMUNITY TRENDS Town has seen growth since 1960 However, attendance in GMRSD has been

declining since the late 1990’s

DEMOGRAPHICS – CHOICE PATTERNS

Almost 30% attend out-of-District schools

Only 56% of students at Gill Elementary are Gill residents

Choice rates Where do they choice out to?

BACKDROP

Spiraling educational costs Flat state aid Loss of local control Declining enrollment Quality concerns

2007 State labeled GMRSD as underperforming

Troubling drop out rate Concerning MCAS scores

STATE BACKDROP

Pressure to collaborate, economize, or regionalize

Too many school districts FC school districts too small Warning to FC school districts: change or

state will mandate change

OPTIONS

1. Stay in GMRSD2. Stay in GMRSD with changes3. Join another district4. Pull elementary school out of district5. Tuition middle school/high school

students to area high schools

OPTION 1:STAY WITH GMRSD Will involve change

State mandate Towns’ inability to continue to sustain rate

of increase Opportunity to make innovative changes

improving education and addressing fiscal concerns

OPTION 2: POSSIBLE CHANGES WITHIN GMRSD Collaboration

Transportation, SPED, bookkeeping HEC, Greenfield

Superintendency union Consolidate with another district or

another system

OPTION 2:POSSIBLE CHANGES WITHIN GMRSD Innovative approaches

Expand role of school community council Readiness schools Horace Mann/charter schools

Change current agreement

OPTION 3:GILL JOINS ANOTHER DISTRICT Pioneer has capacity Pioneer geographically closest to Gill 24 Gill students currently choicing into

Pioneer

FINANCIAL RAMIFICATIONS OF LEAVING GMRSD Debt

17 years remaining on high School/middle School debt

Gill’s share principal + interest = $350,315 Equity

May negotiate sale of Gill interest in buildings to offset debt

District Agreement silent on division of District’s assets

UNKNOWNS OF LEAVING GMRSD Division of assets upon dissolution –

books to buildings Contractual obligations

Retirement/ health care obligations Other contractual obligations

FURTHER STUDYARTICLE 6

Form study group Study and propose changes to District

Agreement Apportionment of capital costs Alternative assessment methodology Changes to school committee structure and

function

FURTHER STUDYARTICLE 7

Form regional school planning committee Study options, join other towns to form

planning board Consider adding towns to GMRSD Consider consolidating GMRSD with another

district Consider Gill withdrawal GMRSD and Gill join

Pioneer

FURTHER STUDYARTICLE 8

Town Meeting request school committee study and draft withdrawal amendment Only way to quantify costs to withdraw Not a vote to withdraw – a vote to find out

costs associated with withdrawal If approved, both towns (Gill and Montague)

would need to vote to approve proposed amendments and state would have to approve reorganization