School board considers hiring consultant on district issues

Cape Girardeau School Board members said Wednesday they'd like a consultant's help answering questions about redistricting and the remodeling, closing or building of schools.

Educational consultant Jerry McCall outlined his services, which include evaluating existing facilities, analyzing demographics and developing long-range plans. Administrators want a plan in place by next fall.

"The biggest thing for us is time management. I have all the confidence in Neil Glass, but he has other things going on. I think a consistent focus on just facilities is important," said board president Kyle McDonald, referring to the director of administrative services.

The board did not vote Wednesday on hiring McCall. After the meeting, superintendent Dr. Jim Welker was ambivalent about whether any consultant would be hired.

"We're still looking at all our options," he said. However, he said McCall's experience and expertise could benefit the district. "He knows how to analyze and make sense of the data so we can make decisions for the future," he said.

For years board members and administrators advocated for a facilities plan, but none materialized. Since starting in July, Welker has moved quickly to begin development.

Depending on identified needs, the district could float a no-tax-increase bond issue in the April 2010 election.

McCall said he has more than 30 years of experience reviewing enrollment data, studying census and birth-rate trends, analyzing space utilization of buildings and reviewing programs and services. He interviews groups of teachers, administrators and community members before making recommendations.

He charges $100 an hour. McDonald said that if hired, the board would create a specific list of questions for McCall to answer to help rein in costs. Glass has already compiled initial data that saved the district $10,000, McCall estimated.

Two challenges the district faces are an increasing number of students opting to attend private school and an imbalance of minority and low-income students among the buildings, McDonald said.

For example, Jefferson Elementary has the highest percentage of low-income students in the district, 93 percent in 2007. It also is the only school where a minority racial group is the majority; 55 percent of students were black in 2007. In contrast, at Alma Schrader Elementary 18 percent of students were low-income and 10 percent were black.

Jefferson is also the district's only elementary school to fail to show adequate yearly progress two consecutive years under No Child Left Behind.

McDonald said issues of redistricting will likely arise. He acknowledged talk of redistricting or closing schools can evoke strong emotions. One reason he supports McCall is because he thinks McCall would be "unbiased" and not afraid to make sound but "unpopular" recommendations.

"People get so wrapped up in their neighborhood schools. He brings in an outside perspective," McDonald said.

lbavolek@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123

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