Warsaw, IL – Two West-Central Illinois school districts are now exploring a seldom-used method of school reorganization.
The Nauvoo-Colusa and Warsaw School Boards have each voted to move forward with school deactivation talks.
When a district deactivates a facility, such as a middle school, it pays another district to take on the students who were housed in that building.
Warsaw Superintendent Kim Schilson says the proposal calls for her district to deactivate its middle school and send its 7th, 8th, and possibly 6th grade students to Nauvoo-Colusa.
At the same time, Nauvoo-Colusa would deactivate its high school and send its students to Warsaw.
The Illinois State Board of Education's website lists just 2 deactivations among the 20 most recent reorganizations.
That includes Dallas City's decision in 2001 to deactivate its high school and pay for its students to attend Nauvoo-Colusa.
Deactivation does not require a special petition, contiguous borders, or a committee of Ten.
It does require each community to approve the measure through a public vote.
Schilson expects a formal proposal will be worked on later this summer.
She says Warsaw and Nauvoo-Colusa have been working with the Regional Office of Education and have obtained a legal opinion that says deactivations can be pursued.
The two districts had been talking with the Hamilton School District about other reorganization options.
The Hamilton school board favors consolidation, which creates one school district.
Hamilton Superintendent James Jackson was unavailable for comment.
You can hear more on the deactivation talks between Nauvoo-Colusa and Warsaw by clicking the audio link above.
Additional Information
* Schilson says the public vote could be held this spring.
Hamilton, Nauvoo-Colusa, & Warsaw have already conducted a feasiblity study.