Albany joins school-consolidation chorus

State Education Commissioner John B. King Jr. recently became the latest in a long line of education professionals suggesting Long Island, with its 124 school districts, could save a lot of money and distribute funds a lot more equitably via widespread consolidation. He's right.

But his specific idea, that countywide districts are the answer, is wrong. Nassau and Suffolk are so large and disparate that neither would function well as a single district. And the leap from 124 districts to two would be too large a transition for education on the Island.

What would make sense is consolidation into larger, but not immense groupings of schools, perhaps making each town one district. Twelve percent of Long Island school districts have fewer than 500 students. Twenty percent don't cover all the grades from K-12.

Studies show districts this small can reduce operating costs as much as 50 percent by consolidating, and New York State offers subsidies for districts willing to do so.

These subsidies, though, haven't proven to be strong enough incentives to convince any districts to combine. Each values its local control and identity, and no one, King included, can force a consolidation.

Small, local schools provide a central identity that communities and families cling to, often giving a center and sense of place that is lost in a tightly packed suburb. Generations share mascots, the traditions of athletic programs and marching bands, and a sense of continuity.

Ask superintendents what their most difficult task is and their response will be nearly unanimous: Closing a school. And schools do close and combine when districts consolidate; it's one of the ways savings are generated.

So Long Islanders have paid a premium for the local control that comes with small districts, and education here has generally prospered. What the setup on the Island has not done well is equalize opportunity for students and control costs. There are too many superintendents, too many administrators, and too many floundering, financially challenged districts, sinking even as they are surrounded by wealthy, well-funded districts.

But districts on Long Island have refused to even discuss consolidation. Last year Elwood approached five districts about a possible merger, but not one was willing even to be part of a feasibility study.

The state can incentivize such consolidations more by raising the subsidies offered. That's part of the answer. But the rest of the solution lies in making parents understand that as times get hard and the recently passed tax cap kicks in, the only way to save beloved programs threatened by tight budgets is efficiency. Taxpayers who really want to see kids get the best in education and activities may have to let go of their dedication to tiny schools and tiny districts.

As money gets tighter, things change. If the other choice is a drop-off in educational offerings, parents and taxpayers should demand that districts look hard at consolidation rather than fight it. Once they do, the process will be halfway home -- and everyone will be closer to a more efficient and equitable way to educate our children.