Sachem board votes to opt out of state regionalization plan; several consent items approved

The Sachem Central School District Board of Education on Wednesday adopted a resolution electing not to participate in the state'proposed regionalization plan and approved a series of consent-agenda items, including minutes, personnel actions and contracts.

Board members voted to opt out of the regionalization plan after extended discussion about unknowns in the proposal and a state-imposed decision deadline. The board'passed resolution directs district leadership to notify state officials of the district's election to opt out and preserves language in the district'resolution allowing the district the right to opt back in at a later date.

Board members and staff said the decision came amid continuing uncertainty about how the plan would operate. "We have to make the board has to make a decision by the fifteenth if you wanna opt out," Staff member Chris said, referring to the state deadline. Board members expressed concern that the proposal could centralize control over courses and pathways. "We're afraid that BOCES is going to be centralizing more school districts and taking…