The tone wasn't testy, but the message was tough.
Three Camden County school districts were given an ultimatum by their county schools superintendent at a meeting last week:
Come up with a plan by Dec. 1 to share administration and possibly a superintendent, or face having your 2010-11 budgets cut.
And what if the districts - Collingswood, Oaklyn, and Woodlynne - can't?
"You're going to be forced into some kind of shared-service agreement," Executive Superintendent Peggy Nicolosi told the school officials.
It was the kind of talk that may be heard more often as New Jersey school districts are urged or directed to share services, staff, and even leadership in a trend toward regionalization.
Driven by 2007 legislation aimed at property-tax reform, county superintendents have asked districts to work on shared-service agreements and other efficiencies.
"Some are being a little bit more forceful than others," said Frank Belluscio, spokesman for the New Jersey School Boards Association.
By the end of March, county superintendents are required to give the state education commissioner proposals for consolidating some of New Jersey's more than 600 school districts.
The push is to eliminate elementary-only and high school-only districts in favor of districts that offer kindergarten through 12th grade. County superintendents work for the state and, under the 2007 law, were given greater authority over local boards.
In June, Gov. Corzine signed a bill that created a process to eliminate 26 districts that have no schools and merge them with larger districts. But while many applauded that measure, consolidation of operative districts is controversial.
Some communities fear it will weaken their control over schools and school policy. Others question whether consolidations save money.
For example, if two districts merge, one superintendent could be let go, saving an administrative salary. If the districts had different pay scales, however, the state would require that the higher scale become the uniform rate, possibly raising overall expenses substantially higher.
The state is looking into carrying out feasibility studies on proposed consolidations, likely to be conducted by higher-education institutions, said Richard Vespucci, a state education spokesman.
Some districts have started their own studies. Rowan University has been contracted to study the pros and cons of consolidating the Sterling, Stratford, Magnolia, Laurel Springs, Hi-Nella, and Somerdale districts.
"We would rather develop our own plan than to be told what we had to do," said Jack McCulley, superintendent of Sterling, which already does extensive service-sharing.
By law, individual consolidations will be subject to voter approval, possibly next fall. But even if outright consolidations are rejected, Belluscio said, "county executive superintendents have the right to require shared services."
Many districts already cooperate, sharing services and purchasing. Though they would not consolidate, having districts share leadership - as Collingswood, Oaklyn, and Woodlynne have been told to consider - is a step further.
Some districts already are doing it.
In Gloucester County, Delsea Regional Superintendent Frank Borelli also serves as Elk School District superintendent via a service agreement. Delsea business administrator Kathy Mastran has a similar dual role.
"We created that pilot, and it's been working," Borelli said.
The relationship has led to Delsea's getting the services of Elk's school psychologist. Delsea is involved in other service-sharing, too.
Albert Brown is superintendent of the Stratford and Laurel Springs districts in Camden County. Speaking at least week's meeting with Collingswood, Oaklyn, and Woodlynne officials, he said the arrangement had not saved significant money. The districts share specialty staff, however, and that has benefited students, he said.
Nicolosi said in an interview that she believed sharing services could result in future savings. She said she had encouraged schools that already send students to other districts or receive students to consider further sharing or consolidation. If they were not happy with existing relationships, she told them to look toward other districts.
"I'd rather it come from the ground up, rather than me imposing it," she said.
Collingswood, Oaklyn, and Woodlynne, she said, are reasonable candidates for administrative sharing. Oaklyn Superintendent Tommy Stringer is due to retire in December, and Woodlynne has an interim superintendent, Walter Rudder. Collingswood Superintendent Scott Oswald is established and well-regarded. Oaklyn and Woodlynne students attend Collingswood High School.
Still, judging from last week's meeting and talk from the sidelines, such an arrangement may not come easily.
"A person could say there's some animosity among the districts," Oaklyn School Board President Ed Lally said.
Collingswood says it's owed tuition from Woodlynne. Sources say some Oaklyn and Woodlynne residents believe that Collingswood residents think they and their schools are superior to the other districts.
Some members of the districts were concerned that administrative sharing was, as one attendee told Nicolosi, "a way station" on the road to consolidation.
"It probably is," Nicolosi replied.
In addition, people from all three districts expressed concern that overseeing 10 schools - a job now done by three people - was too much for one person.
Oswald, at the meeting, said he wouldn't rule out running two districts but wasn't interested in three.
"Scott does not have a life now," he quipped.
He encouraged the boards to work together, however. Service-sharing may not trim costs, Oswald said, "but for the same amount of money, you might be able to provide better services for your kids."
Contact staff writer Rita Giordano at 856-779-3841 or rgiordano@phillynews.com.
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