Board says no to compelled regionalization surveys; approves resolution to withdraw from mandated participation

Board members on Jan. 8 discussed and then approved a resolution withdrawing the Harrison Central School District from compelled participation in a state-level regionalization survey process.

Members said their objection to the original proposal centered on a requirement that districts be forced to participate in collaborative surveys even when collaboration would not make fiscal sense for a given district. The transcript records that the Commissioner of Education, after local lobbying and pressure from other districts, withdrew the statewide mandate; the board said the resolution gives the district flexibility to choose collaborations that are in its taxpayers’ and students’ best interests.

The discussion occurred during the administrative report before the consent vote. Board members emphasized the district’s long history of voluntary collaboration — the district participates in a regional sharing consortium — and said the goal is to avoid a compelled, one-size-fits-all mandate. The board voted to approve the resolution regarding regionalization as part of the administrative consent agenda.

The transcript does not include the full text of the resolution. The motion on the administrative report that included the resolution was approved by voice vote during the Jan. 8 meeting.