Millstone input makes sense

Giving those elected to represent Millstone residents on the township school board better access to the Upper Freehold Regional School District makes sense.

Hopefully, UFRSD and Millstone school officials will follow through on plans discussed at last week’s regional school board meeting to form a committee to help Millstone’s voice be heard on issues that have an impact on Millstone students who attend classes at UFRSD’s Allentown High School.

Although more than half of Allentown High School’s approximately 1,000 students hail from neighboring Millstone, Millstone representatives are limited to one seat on the UFRSD board. As would be expected, that representative can only vote on issues related to the high school.

A committee such as the one proposed could lead to greater communication between the board members and administrators in both school systems.

Every year, Millstone pays UFRSD millions in tuition to educate its high school students. The cost is among the most expensive items in Millstone’s school budget and is among the largest sources of revenue for UFRSD.

A two-year study completed in June 2002 found that a regional school district encompassing all area municipalities would save Millstone taxpayers money, but cost Allentown and Upper Freehold taxpayers more.

Although Millstone’s board voted to endorse regionalization last fall, UFRSD’s board voted in favor of maintaining the status quo. Since all the school districts involved would have to agree to regionalize, the plan was dropped.

In order for Millstone to separate from UFRSD, the state would have to determine that the pull-out would not have an adverse impact on offerings at UFRSD. Since Millstone provides more than half the students at AHS, terminating the current agreement would most certainly decrease opportunities at the high school if those students were to attend school elsewhere, as well as cause a shortfall in UFRSD’s funding.

Although the send-receive relationship is not perfect, both districts are stuck with it for the present time. Therefore, they should do whatever they can to address some of the grievances that have presented themselves in the past.