For the first time in 20 years, the Lincoln Community High School Board Monday decided to make serious overtures to its four public school feeder districts about possible reorganization.

 

 

 

 

 

It's not a call for consolidation, just a feasibility study of the possibility, high school officials said.

The board has directed Superintendent Dean Langdon to contact the feeder districts to see if any or all are interested in a study, which would be coordinated by a consultant. The board's directive was unanimous, minus LCHS board member Tony Barr of Beason, who was injured in a recent accident and not present for Monday's meeting.

Board member Keith Snyder raised the possibility of holding reorganization talks , with President Rick Hobler commenting, "It's prudent to see if any feeder schools are interested in a study. We're studying only."

The district last explored reorganization in 1986, LCHS officials said.

The Illinois State Board of Education in July issued a 42-page reorganization guideline for Illinois schools. The guideline allows new options for school reorganization not previously available and standardizes the reorganization process from petition requirements to referendum voting.

Under a new school reorganization law that also became effective in July, schools in a possible reorganization study area could have up to five years to decide to participate.

"It's a weird little quirk," in reorganization law, Snyder said.

Regional Superintendent Jean Anderson said today the study would look at high school and feeder school demographics and financial data.

LCHS is a high school district, while Lincoln Elementary, West Lincoln-Broadwell, Chester-East Lincoln and New Holland-Middletown are all grade school districts.

The West Lincoln-Broadwell School Board also met Monday.

"I think the board would have a neutral position at this time," WL-B Superintendent Bailey Climer said this morning, pending receipt of information indicating the high school board's reorganization interest. "We haven't had a chance to look at it."

Chester-East Lincoln School superintendent Victoria Childs said the C-EL board has not discussed reorganization.

The Lincoln Elementary school board will meet Wednesday.

Participation in a study is not a very long process, ISBE spokesman Michelle Heninger said this morning.

"Most studies are completed in three to six months," depending on the consultant, she said. "To access our (feasibility funding) for 2007, it would have to be completed by June 2007."