Alabama amendment would authorize county school board mergers

Voters next month will decide whether to approve a constitutional amendment that would give county school boards the option to consolidate.

HB 380, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, passed the House of Representatives 96-2 and unanimously in the Senate this spring. The measure would give two or more county school boards the opportunity to merge should voters approve it.

Collins said in an interview Tuesday that the board could explore consolidation to save money.

“What this would allow them to do is not to lose their system, it would allow them to combine their board with other county boards, particularly some of our small counties that are less than 1,000 students in the whole county,” Collins said in an interview Tuesday. “Therefore, they could put less money in administration.”

Lawmakers approved a separate bill that applied the same principle to schools within a city. A constitutional amendment is needed to allow consolidation of school boards outside municipalities.

If two county boards of education wanted to merge, each would approve merger resolutions, with details of consolidation — such as debt obligations, timelines and operations — left to the boards.

At least 30 days before the county school board votes on the consolidation, the State Board of Education would publish the results of a study that evaluates its impact on students, families, programming staff and the different operations of the school district at least 30 days before the resolution is adopted. Under the bill, the Board would not have any other powers on consolidation.

If 25% of registered voters submit a written protest within 30 days of the school boards authorizing the merger, then the affected districts will convene a referendum.

In that situation, a consolidation could take place if a majority of voters in each county approve it, as well as an overall majority of voters in the affected counties.

Two education groups have declined to take a public position on the amendment.

“I think if there was not the local decision-making in the process, we might have a stronger position one way or another on that, but the parameters are in place only to allow that to happen if it is in the best interest of the local area, and that would have to involve several entities agreeing that is what is in their best interest before that would happen,” said Allison King, government relations manager with the Alabama Education Association.

The Alabama Association of School Boards is also staying neutral on the proposal.

“We are not aware of any county school system that is currently considering consolidation,” said Chad Holden, executive director with the Alabama Association of School Boards.

Holden said consolidation could reduce administrative costs, but other expenses should also be considered.

“Things like transportation costs might actually increase,” Holden said. “Whereas you might save money on one hand, but there could be increased costs for others. All those costs would have to be taken into consideration.”

The League of Women Voters of Alabama opposes the amendment, citing the high threshold to set a referendum.

“The threshold is 25% of electors, which many times, you don’t even have that many people come out to vote,” said Kim Bailey, president of the League of Women Voters of Alabama.