PRINTER'S NO. 628
No. 97 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY LESCOVITZ, CALTAGIRONE, DeLUCA, GEIST, LEACH,
SAINATO, SOLOBAY, TANGRETTI, YOUNGBLOOD, SHANER, STURLA AND
WHEATLEY, FEBRUARY 16, 2005
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 16, 2005
A RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Standing Subcommittee on Basic Education of the
2 Committee on Education to conduct a study of a countywide
3 system and a regional system of school districts for this
4 Commonwealth.
5 WHEREAS, This Commonwealth currently has 501 school
6 districts, including several school districts with fewer than
7 500 students; and
8 WHEREAS, This large number of school districts may cause
9 fiscal inefficiencies due to the overlaps in school district
10 administrative positions, purchasing, transportation and other
11 areas of high cost to school districts; and
12 WHEREAS, Many other states in the nation have school
13 districts which are organized on a countywide or regional basis;
14 and
15 WHEREAS, There could be significant financial and
16 administrative benefits to reducing the number of school
17 districts in this Commonwealth; and
18 WHEREAS, The taxpayers and students of this Commonwealth may
1 benefit from potential financial savings; and
2 WHEREAS, There may also be significant transitional costs
3 related to a consolidation of school districts into countywide
4 or regional districts; and
5 WHEREAS, Changes in current State law or changes in the
6 Constitution of Pennsylvania may be required to effect a
7 consolidation of school districts in this Commonwealth; and
8 WHEREAS, There is a need to study the benefits and detriments
9 of changing to a countywide or regional system of school
10 districts that exists in other states; therefore be it
11 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the
12 Standing Subcommittee on Basic Education of the Committee on
13 Education to conduct a study to determine the efficacy and
14 potential costs and benefits of consolidating school districts
15 in this Commonwealth into countywide or regional school
16 districts; and be it further
17 RESOLVED, That the Standing Subcommittee on Basic Education
18 of the Committee on Education determine any current legal
19 impediments to school district consolidation and ways in which
20 State law must be changed to effect a consolidation of school
21 districts in this Commonwealth.
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