Is bigger really better?

In a county with two school systems, there will likely always be talk of merger. The subject has been brought up various times and may well be brought up again in the future. While some feel strongly one way or the other, the truth is that there are advantages and disadvantages when it comes to merger. This article, the second in a three-part series on merger, will examine those pros and cons.

With around 3,600 students, the Logan County School District is in the top quarter of Kentucky schools when it comes to enrollment. Russellville Independent Schools has about 1,200 students, making it one of the smaller districts in the state.

Combining the two would create one of the larger districts in the state with almost 5,000 students. While some say bigger is better, those opposed to merger say creating one bigger district would be a disadvantage.

Russellville Superintendent Roger Cook said their small size is something that makes them stronger, not weaker.

“If bigger is always better, then why are all these schools chopping off the ninth grades and creating learning communities,” Cook said, referring to a trend in education to create a separate space for ninth grade students (such as the Freshman Academy at LCHS) and to divide other students into groups based on classes and interests.

“The big schools are trying to get smaller,” Cook said.

The Burgin Independent School District in Mercer County is one of the smallest in the state with only around 475 students in one school that houses preschool through grade 12.

Burgin Superintendent Richard Webb (coach of the LCHS boy's basketball team from 1989 to 1993) said that being so small works well for them.

“It comes down to knowing your students,” Webb said. “We have 475 kids in preschool through twelfth grade and I know every one of them.”

Russellville School Board member James Milam said that when the topic of merger came up a few years ago, he asked a couple of Russellville administrators to look into the impact district size had on education and they found that, in many cases, smaller is better.

Milam also said another disadvantage of merging the school districts would be that parents and students would no longer have a choice in the county. Logan Schools Superintendent Marshall Kemp agreed.

“Competition is not a bad thing,” Kemp said. “Presently we have a situation where parents do have a choice.”

Cook also said that competition is healthy and complimented Kemp and Logan County for having a good system.

On the opposite side of the competition coin, Kemp said that one advantage of a merger would be the creation of uniformity in what is done for and offered to every child in Logan County.

Lisa Gross, spokesperson for the Kentucky Department of Education, said that, in the end, most school districts consider merger because of resources and/or finances.

Cook admitted that perhaps some money could be saved by merging the two systems. After all, there would be a need for only one superintendent and perhaps fewer administrative positions. But Logan County schools couldn't possibly just take in 1,200 new students, so the Russellville facilities, teachers and most of the staff would still be needed.

As far as resources go, both Kemp and Cook said their districts are in good shape. Both have added many technological resources in recent years and are in the midst of building projects.

While merging a small system with a larger one may make sense on paper, that is not all that should be considered according to Webb.

“Education is about people,” Webb said. “The larger you are the less voice parents will have and the less voice the community will have.”

A disadvantage to merger would also be a lost sense of community, history and pride.

“There is that heritage and pride that goes into it,” said Milam who is a Russellville High grad. “There is that loyalty and I think that makes us do everything we can to keep it a good school.”

Cook said that he hears very few people that are Russellville grads ever say they want to merge.

Kemp, who served as superintendent of Russellville schools for two years, said those involved with the Russellville schools are proud of their tradition and accomplishments.

“Community schools are a valuable thing,” Kemp added.