1 Golden Bomber Dr.
Ilion, NY 13357
Phone: 315.894.9934
Fax: 315.894.2716
Superintendent
Merger Questions & Answers
Residents have asked many questions about the proposed merger throughout the merger study and the lead up to the vote. Below you will find many of those questions and their answers broken into general categories. If you have other questions, please feel free to submit them via the Bomber Buzz.
Click on a category below to jump to questions on that topic
General Questions concerning the merger
Q: Why are we even considering a merger?
A. Beginning in 2009, the nation’s economic troubles left New York State without the money to provide promised aid to our schools. Over the past three years, Ilion lost more than $5 million in aid. Our taxpayers could not make up for those losses, so we began spending our savings and cutting our staff and programs. Our savings are nearly gone and further cuts will leave us unable to provide our students with a sound, basic education. Our board of education decided to look into a merger as a way to save money by using the combined resources of Ilion, Herkimer, and Mohawk to operate more efficiently. In addition, New York provides incentive aid to promote mergers and to help with any additional costs as districts transition from two districts to one.
Q: Are district finances as bad as we hear?
A: Yes. District officials project a $3 million budget gap in 2013-14. To make up that gap, Ilion would need to cut as many as 40 teachers or raise property taxes as much as 64 percent (or a combination of the two
Q: Won’t the state have to step in if things get worse?
A: No. Our legislators have made it clear that the state does not have the money or the political desire to rescue struggling school districts. The future of our local schools rests with our communities.
Q: Exactly how much “extra” aid would we receive if we merge?
A: In addition to regular school aid, the new district would receive an additional $58.9 million in merger incentive aid paid over the next 14 years. The first five payments are the largest and then they steadily decrease until the 14 years expires. Our regular school aid continues through the merger and after the incentive aid expires.
Q: Is that incentive aid guaranteed?
A: New York has always paid incentive aid as promised. While few things in life are guaranteed, New York State lawmakers have shown demonstrated their support for municipal and school districts consolidation by setting aside more money each year to fund merger studies such as ours. They have also set aside money for school districts that choose to consolidate (merger incentive aid).
Q: If the state has money for mergers, why not simply give it schools as regular aid?
A: The message from Albany is that it will no longer support small governments and schools, which it believes are inefficient. The state will commit money to promote change and this is the change the state wants.
Q: Will we wind up in the same financial hole when the incentive aid runs out?
A: No. The merger study provides a roadmap to fiscal security by using incentive aid to pay down existing capital debt, setting aside money in savings, and stabilizing the tax levy. After Year 5, the district will have to make up $400,000 each year to offset the annual decline in incentive aid. This could be done through:
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Increases in regular state aid to schools;
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Finding on-going efficiencies;
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Increasing the local property tax levy by 48 cents per $1,000 of true value each year; or
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Some combination of those options.
Q: Have the three districts looked at sharing more services instead of merging?
A: Yes. The three districts have saved money over the years by buying cooperatively and sharing selected services. Unfortunately, state aid reductions have created a funding gap so large that nothing as simple as sharing services will fix the districts’ fiscal problems. The financial difficulties the districts now face are so large that a complete merger is the only way to significantly increase efficiencies and lower the overall cost of operations.
Q: Are we in the current fiscal mess because the boards of education “blew it?”
A: No, our troubles are because New York State cut the amount of money we receive in state aid and instituted a tax levy cap that makes it difficult to make up for those cuts. This would be like your employer cutting your paycheck and then your creditors telling you that you spending too much. The problem is created by of your sudden change in income and not by irresponsible spending.
Without a merger
Q: What happens if Ilion, Herkimer, and Mohawk residents choose NOT to merge?
A: If there is no merger, the three would continue as three separate school districts. The districts would have no other choice than to dramatically reduce the programs and services they offer students.
Q: What programs could be cut?
A: As the boards of education have in past years, they would do their best to use every resource to preserve every opportunity for our students. Eventually—next year or perhaps further down the road—they would have to look at class sizes and all non-mandated programs—programs not required under the law. The list includes:
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elementary art and music
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elementary and high school library/media center
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high school electives
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extracurricular activities including interscholastic sports
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and even kindergarten.
Q: Why not just cut the extras?
A: Over the years, the districts have trimmed away anything that was not necessary to maintain a well-rounded education. There are no extras left to cut. All that remains are the programs and services that residents have come to expect as a regular part of school.
Q: Is there a plan if the merger proposal fails?
A: Not at this time. The boards of education know their districts’ finances and will address it if necessary. Instead, they are focusing on the proposed merger.
Facilities
Q: Will we have to build new buildings?
A: No, the study shows that we have adequate space at all of our buildings to accommodate our students. If we needed to perform repairs or renovations within 10 years of approving the merger—work that would need to be completed with or without a merger— the state provides enhanced building aid.
Q: Where would my child go to school?
A: Each community would have a PreK-4 elementary school. Students in grades 5-6 would attend upper elementary school in Mohawk’s current Jarvis High School. Students in grades 7-8 would attend middle school in the current Herkimer Junior-Senior High building. Students in grade 9-12 would attend high school in the current Ilion Junior-Senior High School.
Q: Why close Remington rather than other buildings?
A: Of Ilion's buildings, Remington is smaller and could house fewer students AND the plan attempts to be fair to all communities leaving two buildings in each. (Note: Remington will not be abandoned or closed - it may be rented to another program and/or house the new district offices.)
Q: Would Remington Elementary be sold?
A: No, it makes no sense to sell the building. First, the district would lose millions of dollars in state aid for recent renovations to the building. Second, it is unlikely the district would receive a sale price high enough to pay off the debt on those renovations. Third, Remington could earn revenue if rented to other education programs such as Herkimer BOCES. Fourth, the building provides additional space for classrooms or offices if needed.
Q: Our gymnasiums and auditoriums barely hold the parents and students who attend various events. How would we fit spectators and patrons in a larger district? When Mohawk plays Ilion in basketball, spectators from both communities pack the gym for the age-old rivalry. Would the same number of people turn out to see a merged team play Whitesboro? What about graduation and concerts?
A: The new district would likely wrestle with those questions for the first couple of years. Solutions may include moving graduation and major sporting events to Herkimer County Community College. Plays could be held on multiple nights. Concerts might be broken up into fewer groups performing on a given night.
Curriculum & extracurricular activities
Q: Why not make each elementary building at grades PreK-5 building and have a 6-8 middle school?
A: The educational and emotional needs of fifth and sixth graders are unlike those of younger and older students. The superintendents—and the CAC agreed—that the best configuration placed grades 5-6 together with a program that specifically met their needs.
Q: Would elementary families have the option to change schools?
A: Yes, families of elementary students could be allowed to choose which elementary school their children attend. However, the merger study recommends that students attend their community school during the first year of a merged district.
Q: What opportunities would exist for students in a merged district?
A: The plan greatly expands the programs and services the districts currently offer students. Each district currently offers different programs and electives, which would be combined in the merged district to expand student opportunities. This would increase high school offerings a minimum of 51 classes. Without a merger, however, students will see a loss of opportunities as the districts cut teachers and classes.
Q: What about new opportunities for special needs students?
A: State and federal laws require districts to provide very specific opportunities for special needs students. These opportunities would continue in the future.
Q: So who benefits from the new classes?
A: The greatest benefit would be for students who have been neglected because the districts lacked the resources to provide adequate programming. Borderline students would have access to extra help. Gifted students who went unchallenged would choose from a long list of college level courses. And every student whether destined for a trade or a college degree would have new and greater opportunities.
Q: Are the new high school course offerings cast in stone?
A: No, the district could review the list and add/remove courses based on student interest.
Q: Won’t larger class sizes translate into poorer student performance?
A: Research shows that smaller classes are critical for grades K-3 and that class size does not influence student performance in grades 4-12. (Research says the most important factor is the quality of the teacher.) The plan calls for class sizes of 24 for grades 4-6 and 25 for grades 7-12. This would allow the district to make best use of its buildings and faculty and still provide a better education for students.
Q: In a merged district, there would only be one soccer team, one valedictorian, one lead in the school play. How will we be giving our kids more opportunities?
A: It is true; there would be increased competition for “top” spots—i.e., starting point guard, class president—but a merged district could offer a greater variety of opportunities than each individual district alone. For instance, with a larger student body, each sport could potentially support multiple levels of competition—i.e., modified, JV and varsity. A merged district could also potentially offer different interscholastic sports that neither school district currently offers, such as boys volleyball. The same goes for extracurricular activities: A merged district could offer students a greater variety of clubs and after-school programs. In the classroom, a merged district could offer more enrichment opportunities, such as foreign language instruction at the elementary level and Advanced Placement and college-level courses at the high school.
Q: In what sports class would the new district compete?
A: With approximately 3500 preK-12 students, the district would compete as a Class A school. Locally, Class A includes Oneida, Camden, New Hartford and Whitesboro.
Q: Would the new district make more use of distance learning?
A: The new district may become a center for distance learning by offering classes to other districts that lack the enrollment or the funding to provide them. The ongoing challenge remains aligning class schedules across the region so that all students are available to take classes when they are offered.
Q: How do you respond to the fact that graduations rates are lower in larger schools?
This is true if comparing small schools to large, poor urban schools. The truth is that it is not size that lowers graduation rates; it is opportunity. Look at Shenendehowa near Albany. Despite having 9,800 students (three times the size of the proposed Herkimer-Ilion-Mohawk merged district), Shenendehowa graduates 92 percent of its students. Compare that to graduation rates of Herkimer – 71 percent; Ilion – 81 percent; and Mohawk – 77 percent. Shenendehowa’s success is tied to the opportunities it offers all of its students—from struggling to high achieving. A merged district may be larger, but combining resources would enable the district to offer more classes and expanded extracurricular activities to promote learning and to better engage students. Not only would that improve graduation rates, but it would heighten competition and open new academic and career paths.
Finances
Q: What would happen to taxes in Year 1 of a merged district?
A: Under the plan, taxes on a home with a market value of $100,000 in Herkimer and Mohawk would fall an estimated $328 and $385 respectively. Taxes in Ilion would remain unchanged.
Q: Where is the benefit for Ilion residents if their taxes are unchanged?
A: A merger provides Ilion’s children with more classes and extracurricular opportunities they have in the past. Without a merger, Ilion residents would continue paying the same—or steadily higher—taxes for a much lower quality education than offered under the merger.
Q: What would happen to taxes in Year 2 of a merged district?
A: Because there would be one merged school district, there would be one true-value tax rate that everyone in the district would pay – the same rate per $1,000 of true value regardless of which former district the property is located in. The merged district would be subject to the same legislation regarding school taxes as every other school district in the state, including the new tax levy “cap.”
Q: Won’t the new district be forced to use the majority of incentive aid paying for increased transportation and leveling up teacher contracts?
A: The merger study lays out a financial roadmap for the district. It shows that the district can pay down debt, meet existing costs (such as salaries), and save for the future. If the new board of education follows that plan, the district would remain fiscally stable for the next 15-20 years. The districts’ teachers currently have three separate contracts with three separate salary schedules. Although merged districts have traditionally negotiated new contracts that raise lower paid employees to the higher salary schedules, today’s fiscal challenges would force the new board of education to explore new ways of addressing salary differences.
Transportation
Q: How many more kids would ride buses as a result of the merger?
A: All children would eventually travel to a school in a different community from where live. That means they would either ride a bus, drive to school or be delivered to school by parents. At this point, we expect ridership to rise 50 percent. The additional cost of that busing is included in the plan.
Q: Ilion currently contracts for transportation while Herkimer and Mohawk operate their own buses. What would happen in the new district?
A: The new district would continue to operate owned buses and contract for service. This provides greater flexibility to add or drop buses as needed while the district works out busing details.
Q: Some kids in Mohawk already ride the bus almost one hour in the morning. How much longer will they be on a bus riding to their new schools?
A: The plan calls for no student to ride the bus longer than one hour. In fact, the goal is for no student to be on a bus longer than 45 minutes.
Q: Where will Remington students attend school?
A: The study used very conservative numbers when calculating the number of students that would comfortably fit in the various buildings. Based on past enrollment, the building capacity for Barringer’s capacity is actually 10 percent greater than the 584 students listed in the study—the number is closer to 635. Ilion’s combined K-4 enrollment is currently 594 students. The building would be full, but should hold all Ilion elementary students. If the additions of pre-kindergarten and new students push the enrollment beyond Barringer’s capacity, some student in eastern Ilion would then attend Fisher Elementary in Mohawk.
Q: What happens to students and staff at the elementary schools?
A: The board of education would likely leave elementary school students and staff unchanged, at least at the beginning. The obvious exception would be the staff and students at Ilion’s Remington Elementary, which would close under the plan. Most of those student and teachers would go to Ilion’s Barringer Road Elementary and the remainder would likely be transferred to Mohawk. It is important to note that the new board of education would have the authority to reassign students to avoid overcrowding or reassign teachers depending on district needs and teacher qualifications.
Q: Would there be bus runs for after school extracurricular activities?
A: Yes. The merger study includes provisions for late buses at 3:30 and 5:45 p.m. each day.
Staffing
Q: If the plan calls for fewer teachers, who decides which teachers stay and which go?
A: Under New York State law, those decisions must be made solely on the basis of seniority.
Q: How would the new district teach the same number of high school students with fewer teachers?
A: The new district would be more efficient than three separate districts. Due to scheduling and enrollment conflicts, each school currently has some teachers teaching classes with just a few students. The merged district could combine those small classes into classes with up to 25 students reducing the number of teachers needed. Some of those teachers would be laid off and others would be free to teach new courses.
Q: How would we merge our teaching staffs?
A: Under New York State law, current teachers would be appointed based on seniority within their certification areas. For example, the merger study calls for 14 science teachers, but three districts have 18 certified and tenured science teachers. By law, the 15 with the most seniority would be offered positions. The remaining four would be placed on a “call-back list,” meaning they would be the first offered a job if a position became available.
Q: Are there more administrators under the proposed merger?
A: No. The new district would have 20 percent fewer administrators—one less principal and 2.5 less district level administrators.
Q: How would a merger affect retirees?
A: The same laws that currently protect retirees’ benefits would continue in a merged district. Any changes would require negotiation with the collective bargaining unit and the new school district.
Q: What would happen to existing employee contracts?
A: Existing contracts would remain in effect until the new district and the collective bargaining units negotiate new contracts. As is the case with all negotiations, both sides would have to make a good faith effort to reach an agreement. Terms of existing agreements may or may not become part of the agreements with the new school district.
Q: Who would negotiate on behalf of the employees?
A: New bargaining units would be chosen by members of the union, just as was done with current bargaining units.
Q: How would the district choose a new superintendent?
A: One of the new board of education’s first responsibilities would be to hire a new superintendent. The board could hire an internal candidate or with help from the Herkimer BOCES District Superintendent, could seek applicants, review resumes, and ultimately hire the new superintendent.
The transition
Q: What happens to the school boards? Do they merge, too?
A: No. If all three communities approve the merger in a straw poll (non-binding advisory referendum), two questions about the school board of the new, merged school district would appear on the ballot when residents vote in the binding statutory referendum:
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Should there be 5, 7 or 9 board members on the new Board of Education?
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Should each board member’s term of office be 3, 4 or 5 years in length? Residents will elect new board members in a special election on Dec. 19.
Each board seat would be considered at-large, meaning there would not be a specific number of “Herkimer seats” versus “Ilion seats” versus “Mohawk seats.” The three separate school boards would continue operating until August 1, 2013 to settle all business of the individual school districts such as paying outstanding bills.
Q: Who can serve on the new board of education?
A: Anyone who is 18 years or older and a resident of the new district for at least 30 days prior to the vote, will be eligible to run for a seat on the new board of education.
Q: What can the new school board do? Does it have to follow the roadmap?
A: The new Board of Education would use the merger study as a blueprint and act in good faith regarding both staffing and the budget of the new district. It would, however, be up to the voters to choose board members who would best represent the communities’ wishes.
Q: How can residents ensure the new board of education follows a sound fiscal plan?
A: Just as they can with their current school districts, residents of the merged district will be able to attend school board meetings and review the public information made available by state law. Residents will also continue to vote for new school board members and the annual school budget every May.
Q: Who tackles the details of the transition to a merged district?
A: The state Department of Education will guide the districts through the merger votes. If the public approves the merger, SED will oversee board of education elections and remain as interim superintendent until the board hires a new superintendent. At that point, the board of education and the superintendent with help from the staff and community will set to work transitioning to a merged district.
Q: What can we do to preserve the small-town feel?
A: Our schools have a small-town feel—not because of our size, but— because our families and communities are actively involved in our schools. We have already shown in our merged sports teams that we are still a local community supporting our kids. As long as scouts use school facilities, patrons attend school plays and concerts and parents roll up their sleeves as members of our parent-teacher organizations, we will remain a small-town school. The vote
Q: How will we vote?
A: On Tuesday, Sept. 12, residents of three communities will vote on Statutory Referendum (or straw vote) asking whether the Herkimer, Ilion, and Mohawk central school districts should merge into a single district. More details are included in this newsletter.
Q: How do we get more information?
A: Please take time to read this newsletter. It answers many of the questions you may have. If you have further questions, please visit our school websites (herkimercsd.org, ilioncsd.org or moahwk.k12.ny.us) or contact the school superintendents or board of education members in the districts.
