Which is Best: Consolidation or Separation?

I think almost everyone would agree that quality education and economic opportunity go hand in hand. You cannot have strong economic growth without a well trained and educated work force. The better educated and trained you are the better your chances are of obtaining a good paying job. Companies that offer good paying jobs are looking for the best qualified and best educated workers to fill those positions. Does the fact that a school system is consolidated has any bearing on quality education? It is believed that Companies make decisions about whether they will locate or whether they will expand to a given area on the basis of whether the system is consolidated or not. The Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber Board has made it a top priority to find out if this is so and if so how much of a factor it actually is.

The Chamber has set up a Task Force to Study the issue and I am priviledged to be a member of that Task Force. I have had several opportunities to talk about the purpose of the study before civic clubs, in radio interviews and on two television stations which serve the Valdosta broadcast area. The study is to be an independent objective and unbiased study conducted by experts who have done a number of these studies in similar areas across the state and across the country. Upon the Task Force’s recommendation the Chamber signed a contract with the Carl Vinson Institute and the Fanning Institute of the University of Georgia to conduct the study. Completion of the study is expected in mid-2008 and the results will be shared with the community at that time.

Consolidation is a hot topic in Valdosta and Lowndes County for several reasons not the least of which is the concern about the loss of a great football legacy at Valdosta High school which would cease to exist under consolidation. I have posted a link to WALB TV's website and a recent interview that I did along with Rusty Griffin the Chairman of our Task Force. Please click on the link below to view the video.
http://www.walb.com/global/video/popup/pop_player.asp?ClipID1=2387416&h1=Is%20one%20school%20system%20better%20than%20two%3F&vt1=v&at1=News&d1=112333&LaunchPageAdTag=News&activePane=info&playerVersion=1&hostPageUrl=http%3A//www.walb.com/Global/story.asp%3FS%3D8170725%26nav%3Dmenu37_2&rnd=28766068