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From: Kristen Gonzalez
Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2019 8:23 PM
Subject: Info from DESE
Good evening,
Please see below the information from DESE/overseer as it pertains to the
clarification requested from the last SC meeting.
Please do not reply all to this email and this item will be on the agenda for
discussion at the next scheduled meeting.
The special act allows the Commissioner to undertake a review that may result
in the closing of a school. The act also suspends Section III(B) of the
regional agreement that stipulates an elementary pupil must attend school in
their town of residence. Both of these pieces of the special act became
operative when the district issued the deficit bond. The DESE considers the
Commissioner's authority to close a school unilaterally to be a last recourse
and would prefer that the process evolve through a local process.
A study of the issue in terms of positive/negative impacts on pupils, cost
savings/financial impacts, and perform the appropriate due diligence by holding
public hearings and otherwise communicating with the various stakeholders.
Once this due diligence is done and presented to the School Committee, the
Committee will take a vote on the closure. If the vote is to close, then a
request, along with the appropriate documentation, is sent to the overseer.
The overseer will review the documents and prepare a recommendation to the
Commissioner. The DESE staff will then review the documentation and may ask
for more information. Once approved by the Commissioner, the District has the
legal authority to close a school.
Respectfully,
Kristen Gonzalez