Audit: Merged districts could save Kan. millions

(AP) — Consolidating public school districts in Kansas could save millions of taxpayer dollars, although not enough to solve the state's budget crisis this year, according to a new report released Monday.

Kansas has 293 school districts and last forced consolidation in the 1960s when the state overhauled education governance. Since then, legislators have relied on districts to decide for themselves when it's time to merge, offering a few financial incentives to ease the process.

In its report, the Legislative Division of Post Audit looked at methods that would reduce the number of districts to either 266 or 152.

The first scenario — in which the state would have 50 fewer public school buildings and 230 fewer teachers and administrators — would save $18 million. Auditors said the consolidation could happen among districts that already split grade levels, such as one that has the elementary school and the other the high school.

The second scenario would close 304 schools and reduce the number of teachers and administrators by roughly 1,500, saving $138 million. The audit said this would be accomplished by eliminating all districts with fewer than 1,600 students.

Sen. Terry Bruce, chairman of the Legislative Post Audit Committee, said the information was helpful but noted the political difficult of forcing districts to merge.

"We're just not going to see a huge consolidation effort that we saw in the 1960s," said Bruce, a Hutchinson Republican.

Also auditors noted that the savings wouldn't be immediate and would not help the state resolve a projected budget gap of $416 million. In addition, the state and districts would face additional costs for transportation and to expand or build new high schools. The audit didn't examine the impact on elementary or middle school buildings.

Bruce said additional costs for building construction were likely to temper any enthusiasm for consolidation, given state revenues.

State education officials say Kansas has averaged one to three consolidations a year over the past decade. Most consolidations happened because a district was unable to survive financially or provide enough education opportunities.

Interim Education Commissioner Diane DeBacker said any document that lists districts that should consider consolidating isn't helpful for schools worried about their futures.

"This will make districts more nervous than they already are now," DeBacker said.

The last major audit on consolidation was conducted in 2001.

Bruce said he would be meeting with the leaders of other legislative committees to discuss the audit's recommendations, adding that more incentives for voluntary consolidation were worth pursing.

To encourage districts to consolidate, the Legislature agrees not to reducing their funding until the merger is complete. Mergers often result in a loss of additional state aid based on enrollment and overall district property wealth.

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On the Net:

Kansas Legislature: http://www.kslegislature.org

Kansas Department of Education: http://www.ksde.org