Area lawmakers are expressing their concerns this week about a proposal to regionalize school districts based on the current probate judge map, which means Amity Regional School District #5 would be broken up.
Under Senate Bill 454, proposed by Democratic President Pro Tempore Sen. Martin M. Looney, the Orange School district would be merged with Milford; Woodbridge would be merged with Ansonia, Derby, and Seymour; and Bethany would be merged with Hamden.
The current probate judge districts for Connecticut. A bill before the state Senate would combine school districts according to the same divisions.
“This proposal to mandate the regionalization of all Connecticut’s schools is completely misguided,” said House Republican Minority Leader Themis Klarides, whose district includes parts of Orange. “If you look at the current probate map, there will be students from around the state with impossible commute times to school. This plan doesn’t make sense. Left as is, the plan will break apart already regionalized school districts like Amity for example, which is made up of Woodbridge, Bethany and Orange. I believe that we should put our trust in the towns to decide what is best for their communities and schools.”
“This proposal would penalize a school district that already regionalizes,” said Rep. Charles Ferraro, whose district includes Orange. “I haven’t heard from local officials who believe that this is a good idea. You would think Democrat lawmakers would consult with their boards of education, first selectmen, and mayors before proposing something so ridiculous.”
“Amity Regional is an educational success story, we should hail, not eliminate. I will fight to defeat any bill which looks to end Amity current regional district,” said Rep. Kathy Kennedy, an Amity alum.
“This proposal will eliminate Amity Regional School District #5 and puts the educational services of Bethany students into great peril,” said Rep. Lezlye Zupkus, whose district includes parts of Bethany. “The current Amity School District provides a quality education to Bethany students who attend. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel; we need to support the existing school district.”
Amity Regional School District #5 currently is comprised of Bethany, Orange and Woodbridge. The towns don’t regionalize schools K-12 and the bill only excepts districts that do.
The bill is now before the Education Committee.