Chamber pushes for fewer school administrators

The push to consolidate administration of Mahoning Valley school districts will begin in a friendly fashion but may not end that way.

The Regional Chamber will invite area school superintendents and board members to meet in small groups to discuss consolidation, said Tom Humphries, chamber president.

An effort to change state law to force the merger of school administration would come only if persuasion doesn’t work, he said.

State legislators are divided on the chamber’s proposal. Some think it’s too drastic, while others say it’s worth studying.

Humphries said, however, that he’s hopeful that local school officials will   agree that too much money is being spent on school administration.

Enrollments have fallen in the region since the 1970s, but the number of school districts is about the same. His goal is to create one central administration office in each of Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.

Each large district would spend less by having just one superintendent and   fewer other administrators, he said.

The plan, however, calls for school districts to remain their own identity, with their own school boards and sports teams.