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Representative Collins presents constitutional amendment to allow multi‑county school boards for small counties
Summary
Rep. Collins told the Education Policy committee HB380 would let contiguous small counties form a joint school board and administration after local approval and an impact study; senators raised questions about elected superintendents, board composition and budget consolidation. The committee gave the bill a favorable report.
Representative Collins told the Education Policy Committee that HB380 would let contiguous, smaller counties form a single, multi‑county board of education and share administration in order to achieve economies of scale.
Collins said the proposal would not abolish county systems but would allow counties with small enrollments to consolidate governance voluntarily, and that the state board would produce an impact study for counties that sought to combine. "We have about ten different counties that have less than a thousand students," Collins said, arguing a joint superintendent and shared administration could redirect money into classrooms.
The bill would require county boards to adopt a resolution describing how consolidation would work, address indebtedness and plan transportation and governance details. Collins said any consolidation would then be placed on the November ballot in affected counties; she described the change as a constitutional amendment to permit, but not force, this option.
Committee members asked for specifics. Senator Stuts called the idea "a really good concept," noting similar arrangements exist in other states. Senator Price asked how the bill would treat systems with elected superintendents; Collins said the draft allows counties to set their own procedures and that enabling legislation would be needed to adjust statutory requirements. Senator Smith raised concerns that boards with different membership sizes could create imbalances in representation and influence over budget priorities; Collins responded that participating boards would have to work out governance details and that participation would be voluntary.
Senators also pressed on budgets, asking whether funds would be pooled and how indebtedness would be handled. Collins said budgets would be decided by the cooperating boards as part of their resolution and emphasized that no county would be compelled to join.
After questions and brief debate about potential pitfalls and local control, the committee moved and approved a favorable report on HB380. The committee recorded its action and gave the bill a favorable recommendation to the next stage.
The committee adjourned after completing the agenda.
