Study: School consolidation can cost more

IDAHO FALLS (AP) - A study done for school districts in Idaho Falls found consolidation would cost taxpayers more, a blow to proponents of combining districts in a bid to reduce costs.

The Oregon-based Education Northwest, an education research laboratory, said consolidation of Idaho Falls School District 91 and Bonneville Joint School District 93 would have upfront costs of up to $2.4 million, while generating between $582,000 and $2.4 million in additional annual costs.

"I thought it would be cost-neutral," District 93 Superintendent Chuck Shackett told the Idaho Falls Post-Register. "I didn't realize it would cost more."

The results of the study were presented early Wednesday to the boards that govern the two southeastern Idaho school districts. About 40 people attended a public meeting on the proposal later that day at Hillcrest High School in Idaho Falls.

Barb Wright, who lives within the Bonneville school district, said she expected the study to show that consolidation would save the districts money.

"I was really curious to see what the numbers would be," Wright said. "I was kind of surprised by the high cost."

Terri Akey, who headed the Education Northwest study team, said there are still opportunities for savings within the districts.

For example, the districts might try sharing more services, much like they do now for their professional and technical coordinator, a technology backup system and some purchasing agreements. The study found that even when combining the current cost of running both districts today, the Idaho Falls schools still spend less money than Boise schools and Meridian schools in southwestern Idaho, Akey said.

A consolidated Idaho Falls and Bonneville school district would be comparable in size to those two districts.

But the proposed consolidated district of Idaho Falls and Bonneville schools would face a constant need to update aging buildings. The districts also serve two unique communities, Akey said, and residents may resist a proposed plan to merge the schools.

"People here are used to two separate identities," Akey said. "It would require a huge paradigm shift."