DEMOGRAPHIC STUDY LACKS REALITY


On January 21, 2007 a joint meeting of the Enfield Board of Education and the Town Council was held to hear the final report from Ross Harbor Associates, the company contracted to perform a demographic study for the Enfield schools system.

The report showed a steady decrease in enrollment over the next five years and pointed out some saving options. These options are now being looked at by the Board of Education and a financial analysis will soon be done to determine their impact.

The options discussed in the report include reconfiguring the current boundaries for the elementary schools, which according to the report, could open up 29 classrooms. Another scenario would reorganize the elementary schools with some schools being just K-3, and others would be grades 4-6.

A couple of other options have everything included from redistricting and reorganizing, to the closing of Alcorn Elementary School. All of these would have cost saving benefits, and meet the need of a declining enrollment.

Let me say from the start that closing Alcorn School is an option that no one elected seems to be embracing. I agree that Alcorn closing could save money, but I believe the loss of this school would be detrimental to education in Enfield.

After reading the report and listening to the presentation I have some concerns with what the final analysis presents. The report itself is good in theory, but it lacks in reality. The opening of classroom space on paper looks like a possibility, but after researching if there are real open classrooms in the elementary schools I have concluded that most classrooms are being used.

The report would lead to increased class size, which is where the cost savings come to reality. However, I believe that larger classrooms will lead to less teaching, and more chaos management.

In my opinion the report is flawed and does not have enough accuracy to be taken seriously. The company that was commissioned to do the study failed to get into the schools and seek the knowledge of the administrators and teachers, who have first hand information about such items as spare rooms and class size.

The report also has mathematical problems. In the report you will find calculations that actually state that one school has 135% student population. The report also gives flawed information about savings with transportation if one of the scenarios are implemented. Although there would be fewer runs to elementary schools, the buses must still stay on line to service our Secondary schools.


At the joint meeting of the Town Council and Board of Education the Board of Education was encouraged by the Mayor to pick a plan, do a financial analysis, and implement the plan to create cost saving.

I appreciate the desire of the Mayor to find savings in this budget year, but there is no way to do all that is needed in the short time before the school district submits its budget to the town.

My view is that the report is so flawed that the Board of Education should set it aside and move on to things that can be done to better the education of our students. I am not faulting anyone for this report. The idea of having a demographic study was a good idea. The simple fact is the company hired did a bad job and handed us a worthless report.



Greg Stokes