School Consolidation May Ease Money Woes in Custer County

Public school officials in western Oklahoma's Custer County may not cherish the thought of consolidation, but they say it may be one emerging alternative to mounting financial problems.

Monetary woes in the Thomas, Custer City, Arapaho and Butler school systems have administrators contemplating mergers, cooperatives and other "reorganization" efforts.

"All of us seem to be in a downward spiral," said Jim Sweeney, Custer City school superintendent.

Adds Thomas superintendent Dwaine Schneider, "Funding difficulties have made it hard to maintain the programs we have."

Since 1984, the Thomas school budget has decreased from $1.5 million to $1.3 million. Schneider says that five-year trend translates to $1 million the district has lost.

Drops in revenues from property taxes and gross production taxes have forced Thomas schools to cut custodial staff and postpone needed capital improvements, the superintendent said.

A merger with nearby Custer City "would save some money."

But such a move would have "a negative effect" on the two school districts, Schneider speculated.

"Size doesn't have a great deal to do with good academic programs," he said.

Arapaho superintendent Doyle Wilson said he and the superintendents in Custer City and Butler have talked informally about consolidation.

"There would be financial advantages, and possibly the three of us could offer more educational programs. But I don't know if the community would agree," he said.

"I think most patrons in Arapaho would be against consolidation.

There are too many unknowns."

Officials in the Arapaho, Custer City and Butler districts have discussed building a single high school to serve the three communities.

Elementary schools in those three towns would remain open.

"We're keeping all of our options open," Custer City's Sweeney said.

"Many of our people believe that consolidation is going to happen eventually," he said.

Custer City's annual budget has dropped in recent years from $1.2 million to $841,000.

Sweeney said the district has not purchased a new school bus since 1982, and has cut back support staff and teachers' aides.

Butler superintendent Larry Mills said, "We're looking at all alternatives for the future."

He says he faces a $100,000 cut in the district's budget for next year.

However, Mills said, his patrons don't think consolidation "is a favorable solution at this time."

"I've been raised in small schools, and small schools still have lower student-teacher ratios than larger schools," the Butler school chief said.

Hampering school consolidation in Custer County would be the size of the districts, Mills said.

The Butler district covers 185 square miles, and has one bus route which makes a 47-mile round trip.

Arapaho's Wilson said the county may need the Oklahoma Department of Education to conduct a feasibility study on possible mergers.

"We're friends and neighbors and we need to keep talking with each other," Wilson said.

Much of their future depends on funding measures taken by the Oklahoma Legislature, the four Custer County school superintendents said.

Currently, Thomas schools have 400 students; Arapaho, 320; Custer City, 200; and Butler, 180. BIOG: NAME:

Archive ID: 410502