L-N may withdraw from unified district

In keeping with the district’s standard procedure, notice has been published this week telling of a South Central Unified School District Board meeting scheduled for Wednesday.

Notice of school board meeting often generate little interest. However, after the Clay County News devoted more than half of its July 20 front page to a story reporting the Sandy Creek and Lawrence-Nelson school boards are learning toward not renewing the unification agreement that has united the two districts when it expires in 2024, board meetings may generate more interest.

The story was written by Rita Brhel, a member of the Clay County paper’s reporting staff.

She reported the current unification agreed expires in May of 2024 but the decision renewing the agreement must be made in advance to allow time for each school district to prepare. It is anticipated the two boards may make that decision this summer.

The two district boards have been considering four options including renewing as is, renewing with modifications, merging the two districts or not renewing,

The current unification agreement is based on an enrollment split of 65 percent Sandy Creek and 35 percent Lawrence-Nelson. The current split is 69 percent Sandy Creek and 31 percent Lawrence-Nelson, However the Lawrence-Nelson District is using about 36 percent of the budget which is upsetting some Sandy Creek patrons. To bring the expenses into balance would mean cutting approximately $420,000 annually from the Lawrence-Nelson budget.

Likely a merger of the two districts would result in the closure of buildings within the Lawrence-Nelson District. Splitting the two districts might result in a local property tax increase.

When formed the South Central Unified School District was composed of the Guide Rock, Superior, Nelson, Lawrence and Sandy Creek Districts. Since then the Guide Rock and Superior districts withdrew from the unification and merged and the Clay Center district has merged with Sandy Creek.

Agricultural land is large component of each district’s valuation and the quality of the land and subsequent valuation varies widely among the districts.