Altoona Times

Legislation proposed by Representative Jesse Topper, aimed at encouraging Pennsylvania school districts to explore shared services and potential mergers, has been approved by the House Education Committee. The bill, known as House Bill 2386, was unanimously passed and is designed to modernize the educational system in the state.

"There are numerous steps we, as policymakers, should take to provide the educational opportunities students need and deserve," stated Topper, who serves as the Republican chairman of the House Education Committee. He emphasized that enabling districts to consider options such as resource sharing could create a more efficient educational system.

House Bill 2386 seeks to broaden the scope of grants available for administrative partnerships. This expansion will include instructional programming partnerships and studies on consolidation feasibility. The initiative arose from Topper's interactions with local schools where he listened to concerns from various stakeholders including administrators and educators.

Topper's involvement with the Basic Education Funding Commission (BEFC) allowed him to delve deeper into how districts currently share resources. Both minority and majority reports from BEFC suggested that improved collaboration and possible mergers among districts could enhance overall education quality.

"This legislation will be a tremendous benefit for schools, especially smaller, rural districts," Topper explained. He highlighted that it would help manage upfront costs related to service sharing and encourage a regional approach in delivering educational services. By collaborating, schools can potentially reduce costs and eliminate redundancies while improving service delivery for students.

The program outlined in House Bill 2386 also aims to fund feasibility studies for district consolidations or mergers. These studies are intended to help identify benefits and challenges so that informed decisions can be made by communities regarding their educational needs.

The bill now advances to the full House for further consideration.