The Hicksville Union Free School District has decided to opt out of the state’s regionalization plan.
The district’s Board of Education called for a special meeting last Thursday to discuss the topic. The board spent roughly 40 minutes in executive session before voting 7-0 against regionalization.
“We understand and acknowledge the Department of Education’s representations and communications,” Hicksville Superintendent Theodore Fulton said in a statement released after the meeting. “Due to language in the State Register regarding regionalization, the district remains concerned regarding the implications it may have on the board’s authority and local control. As always, we will continue to work collaboratively with all of our educational partners to serve the best interests of our students and community, and we trust the state Education Department will continue to do the same.”
Over 100 people attended the district’s regionalization meeting with a number of them making public comments in favor of opting out of the state’s initiative. Board members said that they believed opting out was the proper choice with multiple members saying their decision was based on the district’s financial and staff resources.
“There are so many unanswered questions that we have,” one board member said. “I think it would be very foolish as a district.”
The Regionalization Initiative is intended to close regional gaps between districts through collaboration in teacher recruitment, advanced course offerings, and funding and aid, according to its website. The language of the plan was then changed on Monday, Dec. 10, by the state’s Board of Regents to state that regionalization would be voluntary and that districts would have the option of not participating in the planning process. Many other Long Island school districts have already opted out of the initiative.
The district initially sent out a statement regarding regionalization Oct. 29.
“While Hicksville works in partnership with Nassau BOCES, we can assure you that our continued focus is to ensure the outstanding education of our students within Hicksville Public Schools,” it said.
The board has until Jan. 15 to submit a formal letter regarding the district’s decision on the initiative, according to the state Education Department.
