Southampton school district again exploring possible merger with Tuckahoe district

Southampton school officials are once again exploring the possibility of merging with the Tuckahoe school district.

The Southampton school board on Tuesday approved a feasibility study that will consider the educational and cost impact a merger would have on both communities. The Tuckahoe school district and Eastern Suffolk BOCES must also sanction the study, officials said.

"The purpose of this study is to explore the potential academic, athletic, financial and operational benefits of merging the two school districts," Southampton school board president Zach Epley said in a statement. "We are hopeful that the results will provide a clearer understanding of the feasibility of a potential merger. Community input will be a driving force throughout this process and will play a critical role in any future decision-making."

If approved, a community vote on the merger could take place in the fall of 2027, according to the study proposal. The target date for a potential reorganization is July 1, 2028.

Doreen Buckley, the Tuckahoe Common School District superintendent, said in a statement that the district's school board agreed last February to move forward with the study after being approached by Southampton officials about a possible merger.

"The Tuckahoe Common School District has long expressed its readiness to participate in such a study," Buckley said. "Any determination or action related to the feasibility study will be considered and made at a duly noticed public board meeting."

A spokesman for Eastern Suffolk BOCES did not comment on the proposal itself but said in a statement that the agency is tasked with "assisting with merger studies such as this ... on behalf of the Commissioner of Education."

Meyer Merger Studies & Consulting, of upstate Plattsburgh, was awarded the contract for the study, with a price tag of about $110,000, according to the proposal. The cost will be shared equally by both districts. Additional in-person visits by the firm will cost $3,000, while additional work will be billed at $500 per hour.

The proposal states that the study will be guided by a central question: "Would instructional opportunity be enhanced for all students at a similar or reduced cost to taxpayers by combining Southampton UFSD and Tuckahoe CSD into a single school district?"

The Southampton school district has enrolled 1,152 students this school year, district officials said. There are currently 221 students attending Tuckahoe School and 397 total students in the district, Buckley said.

The study will look at enrollment and demographics, educational programs, class sizes, transportation and staffing, among other items. It will also analyze both districts' finances and look into what the school board structure might look like in a merged district, according to the proposal.

The consulting firm has recommended creating a 15-member community advisory committee, comprising community members and staff from both districts.

The Southampton and Tuckahoe districts explored a possible merger more than a decade ago, with votes in 2013 and 2014. Tuckahoe voters supported the proposal but it was voted down by Southampton residents.

At the time, Tuckahoe officials cited shrinking tax revenue and rising costs as main reasons for a merger. But critics said the merger would cause a financial burden on Southampton residents.