JACKSON SCHOOLS: NEXT MOVE WILL BE CRITICAL

For the second time in five months, voters in the Jackson School District have spoken. Once again, what they had to say wasn't what school officials and most Board of Education members wanted to hear.

In the wake of the second round of defeats for district funding proposals, the district's leadership has important decisions to make regarding the district's future. Despite the setbacks, Jackson's schools remain among the best in the area, and their position as a source of community pride is unlikely to change.

On Tuesday, 55 percent of voters rejected a 40-cent property tax levy increase for faculty salaries and other expenses. A $6 million bond issue to finance renovations at R.O. Hawkins Junior High School and technological upgrades won 55 percent approval, but the measure required a 57 percent super-majority to pass.

In the district's first attempt in April, voters shot down similar proposals with 60 percent opposing a levy increase and 50 percent rejecting a bond issue. Although the margins of defeat narrowed somewhat in the latest try, the district should carefully weigh the pro and cons of third attempt before going back to voters.

Until this year, Jackson had enjoyed a sterling run at the polls with voters signing off on six of seven funding proposals over 16 years. The only failure during that period was in 1992.

Leading up to the April elections, a group of district patrons began expressing concern about some previous board decisions, particularly those related to land acquisitions. Not used to dissent after years of smooth sailing, the board dismissed the dissenters as a small band of vocal troublemakers.

Following the first defeat, the board for the most part seemed to learn its lesson. As a result, unified opposition to the funding proposals was absent the next time around.

Still, while the district had a strong case for why the funding proposals are needed, it may not have been entirely effective in communicating that to voters, leading to Tuesday's disappointment.

The district's needs remain with increasingly crowded classrooms and obsolete technology among the concerns. However, before trying again school officials need to consider a couple of things: First, what can be done to clearly convince voters to approve new funding? Second, will immediately putting the measures back on the ballot anger voters who have twice told the district no?

The district shouldn't rush into anything. Though Jackson's schools remain strong, they can't afford another defeat.