School Consolidation Help needed

[hungariankid]

I am looking for anyone who can give some advice on this matter. We are located in a small community in Harlan County, Kentucky and total poulation of the area is somewhere between 8,000 and 9,000. Our local school board 3-2 voted to consolidate three county schools into one school. By Kentucky KERA guidelines they were suppose to get a two thirds vote by a local planning committee to approve this. They could not get the two thirds vote as the vot was 9-7 as many community leaders and citizens came out against this proposal. However, our local board of education asked the state for a waiver to this guideline and the state granted it against the wishes of the populous who didnt want it. The problem lies where we have three of our five board members who live inside one school district and the other two high schools in the county are only represented by one board member each even though they represent half the county population they only get represention of two votes. Hence, we end up with three board members who graduate from the same high school and control the other two or all three. We would like to know if anyone knows how we could start our own public or private school as we dont want our kids sitting on a school bus for two hours a day to go to school. We have thousands of people behind us and we are looking for ideas. Thanks Billy Soloe

[Drammach]

How about just circulating a recall petition to have the school board dismissed, and a new election for school board members held?
Get to the root of the problem..

Also sounds like time to get your state legislators involved..

[Rockingham]

That is a tall order. Characteristically, people are full of protest talk and promises but quickly splinter into factions or drift away when it is time to act and put money on the table. Geographical resentments may be intense now but would seem to provide a thin basis on which to organize and sustain a nonpublic high school.

If you want to go forward, join or get a handful of like-minded and capable people together, with as much managerial and business experience as possible, and at least a prospect of deep pockets who are willing to help. You want positive, active types, but not necessarily the loudest voices, who often have never run anything more than their own mouths. Do some reading on community leadership if you do not have practical experience.

Most of all, find state and national experts for advice about setting up new schools and get one or more of them to do a written feasibility analysis. I am sure that some web research will turn up leads, and you and your group will soon have to put up money for a report and other expenses. Make sure that any experts that you consult are credible and are willing and ready to give a negative report if the effort is not feasible. If the project is feasible, then a business plan, fund raising, and other steps will logically follow.

[BigSkyFreeper]

You probably need to go to the Kentucky state government body that is in charge of overseeing the state's schools. They may be able to sort your mess out. It might not be the only solution, but it's something to consider. We're having sort of a similar situation here. We voted to close a local school down due to declining enrollment, but the board threw out people's vote and instead of closing down in August, they started up the 2004-05 school year. Voters in that school district (myself included) have gotten the Montana Office Of Public Instruction involved. Even the school that would absorb the few remaining kids in the school is appalled at what is going on over here. As far as everyone is concerned (aside from the school board of the school in question), the school is violating state laws and going against the will of the district residents.

[valkyrieanne]

1. Consult an attorney to see if you can file suit.

2. If you start a private one, incorporate as a not-for-profit and get a board with people with *financial* experience.

3. Can you start a charter school?