By CRAIG FREILICH

Creating a county-wide school district is not realistic, according to the St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES superintendent, and one state representative is suggesting “tuitioning” to help school districts can deal with diminishing financial and academic resources.

“There are pros and cons to any of these modes of operation,” said St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES Superintendent Tom Burns.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been promoting the school district mergers idea as a cost-cutting measure, but in October Canton and Potsdam school district voters vetoed that idea by a two-to-one margin.

The vote followed a serious year-long look by school officials and consultants at the benefits and disadvantages of a merger.

“Everyone was waiting to see what would happen with the Canton and Potsdam merger,” said Burns. “That went down pretty resoundingly, I think, and we’re looking for other options.”

Other options that have been discussed are setting up regional high schools in the population centers in St. Lawrence County while local districts maintain their lower-level schools.

That would require legislation from Albany. A Senate bill aimed at helping two school districts in Allegany County has been approved there, but so far has gotten nowhere in the Assembly.

Another option might be creating a county-wide school district, but Burns thinks that would be “a bridge too far.”

Assemblywoman Addie Russell, who represents both districts, has suggested that school districts can, in effect, merge by employing “tuitioning,” such as in schools that are now taking students from another district and charging back the cost to the other district.

Another scenario could involve one district operating a high school while the another district pays to send its students there. Both districts could continue to operate elementary schools.

The contracts involved would be complex, but it could be done, she said.

“People are passionate about their schools and have a vested interest in their children’s future and as taxpayers,” Burns said.

As they prepare for college and the job market, Burns believes the students in St. Lawrence County schools today are working with a diminished ability to compete with better-funded districts, which have not suffered the same level of staff and program cuts.

“We keep a spreadsheet of course offerings, and the list gets smaller and smaller, and that’s of concern to us,” he said.

As for Russell’s seeking input broadly, Burns said “I applaud her for that. I hope it will include superintendents, teachers and other practitioners. It needs to be looked at immediately. It needs to start right away.”