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NH SAU study committee debates separating academic and business functions; legal and cost questions raised
Summary
Committee members debated whether to split academic oversight (local school boards/principals) from business functions (larger consolidated SAUs), with members raising concerns about local control, capacity of principals, labor contracts, and possible constitutional issues if consolidation affects existing contracts.
The Committee to Study Reducing the Number of School Administrative Units in the State spent substantial time debating proposals to separate academic functions from business operations and to consolidate SAUs.
Chair discussion papers and a proposal from an outside analyst prompted a range of views. The chair framed a possible model that would shift “business” tasks—payroll, purchasing, accounting, benefits and other administrative services—to larger consolidated SAU entities while moving academic leadership and classroom oversight closer to school boards and principals. The chair noted the proposal used the term “chief education administrator” for a business-focused role separate from an academic superintendent.
Several members questioned whether principals and local school boards have the capacity to assume supervisory…
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