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Illinois School Board Journal
July/August 2004

Superintendents have voice, not vote in restructuring

by Frances Karanovich and Michael Lane

Frances Karanovich is superintendent of Macomb CUSD 185 and Michael Lane is superintendent of Virginia CUSD 84.

Superintendents have a role to play in working with boards of education as they consider reorganization options. The superintendent is a voice to the board and for the children. That voice is one of experience and expertise provided to the board and the community for decision-making. If the decision is made to "do something," the superintendent will be looked to for advice, information and a recommendation.

The superintendent of schools is the leader - a decision influencer - but not the decision maker.

So, what does the superintendent do? First, the superintendent works for and with the school board, providing leadership and direction. That leadership may include more than facts and figures.

Sometimes the best thing a superintendent can do is provide the encouragement, support, nurturing, cajoling and, sometimes, even the prodding needed to help the board, and ultimately the community, to decide whether to restructure the district or maintain the status quo.

More than anyone else, the superintendent must remember that restructuring is an issue of the head, the heart and the pocketbook! Some combination of knowledge, emotions and dollar-related incentives will govern the board's decision, and, in time, the community's decision about the educational environment. That environment impacts both curricular and extracurricular opportunities children will experience.

As the district's chief executive officer, the superintendent is responsible and obligated to address a variety of issues and give information, background material, and recommendations that will impact the board's decision on reorganization and, perhaps, the community's ultimate vote.

Change via restructuring will come slowly, if at all. It will be difficult, at best, and painful to many. The focus must remain on the success of the students while the superintendent arms the board with information, especially on finances.

No change will occur until a need for change is identified. And, in today's climate, the lack of adequate funding generally pushes the "need" button.

Funding troubles currently plague school districts throughout the state. Of Illinois' 887 school districts, 150 are on the financial watch list, an additional 140 districts are on the financial early warning list and 77 percent are involved with deficit budgets. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) offers several strategies to districts on the financial early warning and watch lists. One suggestion is a district reorganization and incentive study.

The superintendent must keep the board informed of not only the current district financial status but the recent financial history as well as a three-year projection based on facts and figures from a number of sources. These sources include the district audit, ISBE reports, input from the district's bookkeeper/financial manager, and/or possibly contracted professional school financial advisors.

If the district appears to be moving toward the ISBE financial "review" designation, the superintendent and board should begin to consider their choices. In many cases, based on this information, the superintendent will initiate the consideration of reorganization.

Once the decision to study reorganization has been made, the following areas should be addressed:

Choices: After assessing the district's current financial situation, the superintendent should inform the board of available options and the implications of each. Board members should know early on that the most feared choice - the "C" word: consolidation - is not the only choice to consider for survival.

Resources: Once the board decides action is necessary, the superintendent and board do not have to face possible district reorganization alone. ISBE funds are available for feasibility studies. The superintendent should contact the regional superintendent of schools, who can give a professional, succinct overview of restructuring options at a board meeting, as well as help accessing feasibility study dollars.

Constituency: The superintendent must have a feel for the "pulse" of the district constituency. Knowing what they truly value, not just what they "say" they value, is a must for the superintendent. Board members may say they want to provide the best academic experience for their children. Yet, reorganization with a less academic or less financially stable district may be more attractive for some board members, especially if they have children in competitive sport programs and are concerned their children may be cut from teams in a larger school. Being guaranteed a spot in a smaller district may be more important than having access to a robust curriculum or more academically competitive school district. Therein lies a fundamental challenge for the superintendent: educating the public as to the priorities involved with the students' education.

The superintendent must remember that tax rates and the inherent power of the taxpayer are important in influencing both board and community support for a reorganization effort. Money does talk, and it may talk louder than the strong academic program or extracurricular offerings a reorganized district could offer.

As much as we may hate to admit it, bad blood and history among communities sometimes exist that will never allow serious reorganization dialogue between them. The superintendent and board are a team responsible for knowing their constituencies and their histories.

In a perfect world, the decision to reorganize a school district would be based on what is best for the students. Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world. It is better to address the question early in the process as to whether or not the communities have a high compatibility quotient. Much time and energy can be wasted on what may prove to be a doomed marriage from the start.

Communications: The superintendent should do the grunt work essential to keeping communications open among board members, school communities and citizens involved in school district reorganization. Communication should be honest, forthright and ongoing. The superintendent may be asked to design fliers, schedule site visits, prepare press releases, work with the media, schedule town meetings, and possibly speak at both regular and special board meetings.

The superintendent may work with the regional superintendent and will have a voice in the reorganization study, but, in the final analysis, that superintendent will not have a vote at the table.

School district reorganization is about improving educational opportunities for students. The superintendent of any district discussing reorganization has a voice. But when it comes to the final decision, the board of education and the community vote.