What's next

Last night's meeting revealed that this process, if it continues in this way will never result in a satisfying conclusion because too much time is spend on sharing data than discussing how to use this data productively. Share the data before the meeting folks and then use it! We heard for two hours that enrollment went down. That was it.


What we need:
We need a clear cost savings analysis for each of the potential consolidation plan that includes realistically:
1) the total number of classrooms needed (based on projected enrollment and a class cap for each grade - up through H.S., and a realistic count of the number of teaching classrooms -not art, music, esl, speech)
2) The reduction of teaching and non-teaching staff to match this classroom count
3) an analysis of how these total classrooms can be allocated into the five buildings - will they fit into four without construction? if not how much will that cost? Will they only fit if we shut out speech and PT? then what money do we lose from the state for no longer providing these services?
4) After this, we can add the correct amount under money saved and the correct amount under costs for a consolidation cost analysis.
5) Then, added to this spreadsheet we need to include other costs such as the mothball costs, insurance and increased transportation costs if a consolidation occurred.
6) Then we would know the TRUE savings and we can decide if this is enough to warrant a speedy decision.

New Paltz decided that the $200,000 savings was no enough. If our savings is also this small, the natural reduction in 3-4 teachers which would occur anyway without a closure would yield a greater savings than this.