School districts learn to share?

Sonora Elementary School trustees have invited each Tuolumne County school district to join an advisory committee to discuss ways to share services like technology support, maintenance, transportation and food services.

The oversight committee — comprised of a board member and parent from each district — would provide feedback to their respective boards and administration, and receive feedback from district administrators, who will gather data and provide recommendations, the board’s invitation letter said.
   

Sonora Elementary School started its own shared services committee in June, board member Casey Littleton said.

“We can only do so much ... Other schools have to join in for a true cooperative effort,” Littleton said.

“The current financial conditions seem to be improving every day; yet our budgets still lag two to three years behind the recovery. For this we must look outside the standard protocols and look for new opportunities within our county to find success and funding,” the letter said.

Littleton said there has been a lot of talk about shared services, but not an abundance of action.

“We need to move forward,” he said. “Start the conversation, ‘What can we do together?’ Let’s start working on it.”

The letter, “essentially (is) just asking their interest in a countywide shared services summit in January,” Sonora Elementary School Superintendent Margie Bulkin said.

The summit does not replace  Sonora Elementary’s committee or the two committees Superintendent of Schools Joe Silva appointed, Bulkin said.

Sonora Union High School District Superintendent Mike McCoy is chairing a committee on sharing transportation and Jamestown School Superintendent Diane Dotson is chairing the food services committee to facilitate conversations on shared services.

The January summit is “a way to expand the conversation,” Bulkin said.

Countywide participation is essential, organizers say.

"We believe that our success depends on participation from all districts or there won’t be a successful shared services project,” said Glenda Sinclair, who will represent Sonora Elementary School parents at the summit.

“It’s going to require change and sacrifice on the part of staff, administration and families,” Sinclair said. “We hope that other district boards will take the long view.”

Sinclair said that although previous attempts at shared services have failed, like an attempt at countywide transportation in 1994, the 11 county districts should be able to collaborate through the multi-district advisory committee. This approach will provide for appropriate input, so the transitions from change will be smoother, she said.

“To us, it’s either this or unification,” Sinclair said. “We gotta make it work this time. Mike McCoy will likely develop a workable transportation plan, but if the boards can’t or won’t implement it, it doesn’t help anybody. We’re bleeding.”

Twain Harte-Long Barn Union School District and Summerville Union High School District Superintendent John Keiter feels both of his boards will be interested in the summit.  

“Obviously, both boards are already committed to doing that when it makes sense fiscally,” Keiter said, adding that “There are still areas we could make some progress in ... as long as it makes sense. It’s got to work for both school districts.”

McCoy said, while he can’t speak for the Sonora High board, the summit sounds like a good idea.

“I think all educators, parents and community members are looking for ways we can work smarter,” he said.