High School Consolidation: Experience from the Trenches

To date, there has not been any widespread discussion of the benefits to be gained from regionalizing Aquidneck Island high schools. Beneath the radar, many people have indicated that they would support high school consolidation but, until there is more public interest, the idea of any form of school regionalization will continue to be an impossible dream or a distant nightmare, depending on your perspective.

It has been suggested that what is needed is a public forum. My experience is that the typical public forum is almost useless. There were a number of forums focused on the RIPEC Feasibility Study with no visible result. The recent meeting of Rep. Rice’s Regionalization Committee inspired no productive dialogue. The promised Educational Study supported by the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee is not likely to stimulate much more discussion if something doesn’t happen to pave the way.

I suggest that what is needed is not another forum, but rather a panel discussion that would allow those who are already doing it to describe their own experiences – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Wouldn’t it be interesting to hear what the principals of regional high schools have to say?

They wouldn’t talk about the tax burden, and they wouldn’t make promises of educational nirvana. They might just tell the public – and especially the parents of up and coming high school students - specifically what is actually to be gained and lost by high school consolidation. No opinion. Just fact. Exactly what is needed right now.

Imagine the attraction of four to six high school principals, each talking about his or her own regional high school and telling it like it is.

I’m tired of hearing from those who haven’t been in the trenches of regionalization spinning a mile of promises or projecting adult-related anxiety. I want to hear from those who are doing it about their experiences in integrating the students from different communities. Does it work? What are the challenges? Would you do it again if you had it to do over?

All the studies in the world are not going to convince anyone of anything. Give me real people in real circumstances with real students. That’s the way to find out what works and what doesn’t work. Otherwise, don’t waste my time.