Clarendon School Districts 1 and 3 issued a joint statement late Tuesday afternoon to address a State Senate bill that could see the districts become one as early as August 2020.
"As you may be aware, our state legislature is considering many important educational issues during this current session, including consolidation," reads the release. "Senate Bill 203 is being debated this week in the Senate. As it is written, it would require that Tier IV county school districts with less than 1,500 students consolidate with another district in the same county."
The bill also sets deadlines for impacted school districts to create consolidation plans for approval by the State Department of Education. Both districts meet these criteria, according to the release sent Tuesday.
"Fortunately, as Bill 203 is currently drafted, it provides much needed financial support for districts who take action and submit plans for consolidation to the State Department of Education by Aug. 1, 2020," the release continues "As we understand it, if Bill 203 passes, approximately $35 million will be set aside, collectively, for those school districts required to consolidate as long as their consolidation plans are submitted by the ... deadline."
School districts missing the deadline will not be eligible for this "critical funding," as the release calls it.
"To that end, this creates a tremendous financial incentive for these impacted school districts to work together to draft a consolidation plan no later than August 2020," the release continues. "However, Bill 203 does not require that these school districts, including Clarendon 3 and 1, consolidate by August 2020."
Rather, if the new legislation passes, the districts will be required to consolidate after Aug. 1, 2022, with no financial assistance from the state.
"As you know, the preservation of our unique and individual communities of both Turbeville and Summerton is important to our districts and local boards of trustees," the release states. "In that regard, we must balance the needs of our individual districts with the possibility that consolidation will be required. In anticipation of this, our districts will begin discussing how we can share administrative services; it is the desire of both districts to share services in such a way that does not impact the location of our schools or the number of our teaching positions"
The release said the administrative teams are prepared to work together to draft a consolidation plan by August 202, "to take full advantage of state funding provided for that purpose."
"It will be important that we collaborate and listen to one another during this process to ensure success for all of our constituents and our communities," reads the release. "As this legislation moves forward, we will keep the public informed and provide opportunities for you to engage with us during this process.. We are committed to putting our students and communities first and will do all that we can to ensure that any transitions required by the law are carried out in the best interests of our children, employees and their families."
