Morristown Central School District
Alternatives
Alternatives
Reorganization– Reasons for Reorganization
Extend Subject offerings Teachers serve in specialized fields Upgrade facilities and equipment
– Why Reorganization is Difficult Fear of losing local identity Incompatible communities Larger student enrollment More time spent on buses Fear of losing jobs
Forms of Reorganization
Centralization Annexation Consolidation Tuitioning
Other Alternatives
Sharing of Resources Do Nothing
Morristown Central School District
Qualitative Studies
Board of Education Member Profile
Member 1 – Male, Member for 5 years Member 2 – Male, Member for 8 years Member 3 – Male, Member for 7 years Member 4 – Male, Member for 3 years Member 5 – Female, Member for 5 years
Q1 Awareness of Prior Studies
Board Member 1– Talk of a merger with Hammond– Shared services with Hammond – 1 year– Open discussion - merging Morristown,
Heuvelton, and Lisbon
Board Member 2– Possible talks considering consolidation
No study conducted
Q1 Awareness of Prior Studies
Board Member 3– Talks of studies in past, conducted before tenure
Board Member 4– Believes no studies have been conducted
Board Member 5– Merger study with OFA (already acquired)
Q2 Impact on Students, Staff, and Community
Board Member 1– Students would merge tomorrow– Staff is against any change – Community is aware of possible future options
No bias towards any decision
Q2 Impact on Students, Staff, and Community
Board Member 2– Students do not want closing, merging, or
consolidation Would adjust and manage any change
– Staff content with current situation– Community supports a merger with a similar
school
Q2 Impact on Students, Staff, and Community
Board Member 3– Students will be affected by any option– Staff open to any positive changes– Community (Parents) not as open to changes for
their children Close minded mentalities
Q2 Impact on Students, Staff, and Community
Board Member 4– Students affected immediately by any change– Staff will be against any changes– Community would be for any changes
Tax base would decrease
Q2 Impact on Students, Staff, and Community
Board Member 5– Pro-merger
Increase pool of teachers & students
– Currently a general feeling of instability 3 or 4 principals in 5 years
– Reorganization could increase stability and consistency
Q3 Most Important Goals
Board Member 1– Raise standards of the school and drop “school of
need” title– Remain independent– Increase number of jobs
Q3 Most Important Goals
Board Member 2– Raise standards of school– Justify costs
Board Member 3– Give students the best opportunity possible
Q3 Most Important Goals
Board Member 4– Change public perceptions to a more positive
view– Improve scores and standards
Lose the “school of need” title
– More curriculum introduced
Q3 Most Important Goals
Board Member 5– Financial survival– Raise standardized test scores– Increase public relations
Create interest so parents want to send students
Q4 Future Alternatives
Board Member 1– Consolidation is the best option, but won’t happen
State would have to force consolidation
– Sharing services is feasible– Tuitioning is an option
Morristown to OFA
Q4 Future Alternatives
Board Member 2– Merger with Lisbon and Heuvelton is best option– Sharing of resources as much as possible– Against consolidation
Board Member 3– In favor of consolidation – Centralized high school is best option– Sharing of resources as much as possible
Q4 Future Alternatives
Board Member 4– A merger would be beneficial to students
Rivalry among students
– Sharing of resources as much as possible– Consolidation is not an option
Loss of Morristown School District
Q4 Future Alternatives
Board Member 5– A merger is the best option– Sharing of resources provides financial benefits
and is a good option– Annexation is not as appealing
Loss of identity
Focus Groups
Summary– Strengths– Weaknesses
Important Features of the School Principles for Future Decisions Alternatives Discussions
Strengths of Morristown
Strong Community Few Discipline Problems Generations of Families Close Relationships Small Classes Dedicated Teachers Tight Group
Weaknesses of Morristown
Narrow Minded Cliques Poor Area Coarse Parental Support Money
Principles for Future Decisions
Students Money Time
Alternatives
Centralization Annexation Tuitioning Resource Sharing
Centralization
For– Increased Funds– More Resources– Consolidation of Professional Resources– Diversity– Easier Transition to College
Against– Loss of Identity– Limited Sport Opportunities– BOCES– Student Opposition
Annexation
For– (Centralization)
Against– Increased Student Anxiety– No Change in Taxes– Jobs
Tuitioning
For– Special Needs Students
Against– Costly– Transportation– Student Anxiety– Student Isolation
Resource Sharing
For– Savings to District– Increase Access to Resources– Increased inter-scholastic Communication– More extra-curricular Activities
Against– Time Constraints on Teachers– Job Security– Communication Difficulty– Possible Inconsistencies in Policies
Morristown Central School District
Future Demand
Forecasting & Cohort Survival Ratios
As each class moves through their school career the number of students in the class changes yearly at an observable rate.
The average of this rate for several years is then used to estimate enrollment for following years.
Projections of Cohort Survival Study
Enrollment projections by Cohort ratios
98-99 99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06Kindergarten 38 36 36 26 32 20 25 24First 32 40 35 37 29 39 33 38Second 37 29 37 31 38 32 37 36Third 33 35 27 36 29 39 36 37Fourth 36 35 33 32 36 27 40 40Fifth 26 35 34 34 33 36 25 41Sixth 28 29 36 33 37 33 35 23Seventh 42 30 32 42 37 37 34 35Eighth 31 38 33 28 44 38 37 34Ninth 28 30 37 31 32 46 39 37Tenth 31 20 27 36 31 34 49 41Eleventh 24 29 17 27 32 32 36 51Twelfth 28 24 26 21 37 30 33 38
Total 414 447 410 420 447 443 459 476
Total Enrollment
Total Enrollment Projections by Cohort ratio
97-98 98-99 99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06Total Enrollment 396 414 447 410 420 447 443 447 476
% Change 4.35% 7.38% -9.02% 2.38% 6.04%
Average % change: 2.23%
Total Enrollment
396414
447
410 420447 443 447
476
y = 7.4967x + 395.92
300
350
400
450
500
'97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05
# o
f S
tud
en
ts
Vital Statistics for Morristown
Projected Kindergarten Enrollment
Births Kindergarteners % Enrolled
1993 11 98-99 38 245.45%1994 19 99-00 36 89.47%1995 21 00-01 36 71.43%1996 19 01-02 26 36.84%1997 24 02-03 32 33.33%1998 10 03-04 201999 13 04-05 252000 24 05-06 24
Average 17.6 95.31%
Projections by Linear Ratios
Enrollment projections by Linear ratios
98-99 99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06Kindergarten 38 36 36 26 32 29 39 32First 32 40 35 37 29 39 33 38Second 37 29 37 31 38 32 37 36Third 33 35 27 36 29 34 33 37Fourth 36 35 33 32 36 36 40 36Fifth 26 35 34 34 33 37 34 44Sixth 28 29 36 33 37 34 44 35Seventh 42 30 32 42 37 48 39 43Eighth 31 38 33 28 44 35 39 47Ninth 28 30 37 31 32 35 43 48Tenth 31 20 27 36 31 38 42 38Eleventh 24 29 17 27 32 36 32 36Twelfth 28 24 26 21 37 33 37 33
Total 414 447 410 420 447 464 490 503