A Study Of Leadership In School District Reorganization PDF Download

School district reorganization has been an ongoing process in New York state as well as many other states for more than a century. Since 2007 two New York State Commissioners have made recommendations regarding the further consolidation of school districts to provide relief for taxpayers as well as greater efficiency. Given the economic climate as well as the call for schools to consolidate, school superintendents and boards of education may need to consider the options of school district merger or annexation to address these issues as they lead their districts through these difficult times. This study explored the system level leadership issues associated with leading and managing in a time of scarce resources. With reorganization as an option available to school districts in New York state and using Kotter's eight steps for long-term change as a lens, a qualitative analysis was conducted focusing on three reorganizational efforts that occurred in New York state during the past ten years. Methods of inquiry included interviews of superintendents and members of the board of education. Public documents were also studied to gain greater understanding of the reorganization effort in each of the selected districts. The data collected were useful in determining the extent to which the leadership role of the superintendent affects these reorganization efforts. The three reorganization efforts selected for this research were significant as each was unique and different. In each case, the size of the districts fit a pattern of one small district with an enrollment of between 200 and 500 students paired with a larger district with an enrollment from 800 to 1000 students. All the districts researched were in rural New York State. Two of the efforts were annexations and the third was a proposed merger. The leadership roles of the superintendent and boards of education were important throughout the process. At least one of the superintendents in each of the these studies played a pivotal role before, during, and after the reorganization. One of the findings focuses on the role of students in this process. In two of the efforts, students were instrumental in helping the district through the period of transition. System leaders in these districts worked with the students to pick new school colors and mascots. The effort was a unifying factor for the students of the two districts. The findings of this study are instructive for system leaders in school districts facing the issue of scarce resources. If school district leaders choose reorganization as an option to address these issues, then these leaders should consider using Kotter's change model as a framework for achieving this process. Merging two different school districts is one of the most significant changes that any district and community will encounter.