In response to the proposed dissolution of the joint Williamsburg-James City County school system, I provide the following thoughts. The idea that the joint school system should go its separate ways is not a novel idea. The division has operated jointly since 1955. Both jurisdictions — and local political parties — have pondered separation over the years. I would assert that education should not be a partisan issue and education decisions should be made by educators.
When separation was considered, the best interests of students, taxpayers and the broader community won out and that resulted in the affirmation that the system is stronger together. We are one community; I think most people who live in our community would agree that when asked by someone where they live, the response is “Williamsburg.” Folks do not respond James City County or the city of Williamsburg.
The dissolution of the joint school system will cost taxpayers in both areas more money, and it will not be in the academic best interests of students. The proposed timeline to create two separate school divisions is 2030. By that time, the Board of Supervisors and City Council members who proposed this idea will most likely be long gone.
This dissolution will require that current JCC students zoned in schools located in the city move out of and into a JCC school building. Likewise, city students currently zoned in JCC schools would have to move out of and into schools located in the city of Williamsburg. The “city” schools are James Blair and Berkley middle schools and Matthew Whaley Elementary School. City students will not have a high school; most likely, James Blair Middle School would be converted in the city’s high school for approximately 300 students. The city’s total student population would be approximately 1,000 students. Having only 300 high school students will limit and significantly impact academic curriculum and extracurricular options for those students. The city will need to build a transportation center, and the county will need to build central office space because the current central office is located in the city.
Consultants have determined that city residents will have to pay more for K-12 if the division splits. Likewise, the county will immediately need to build a middle school to the tune of $100 million. Both city and county residents will face tax increases in order to accommodate the dissolution.
Additionally, both districts will be forced to proceed with a K-12 district-wide redistricting. In 2017, when the school board created proposed high school redistricting maps to address overcrowding primarily at JHS and done in conjunction with the necessary redistricting of middle schools to accommodate the new James Blair, the community came out in droves to fight against the proposed high school maps that would have created economic parity in all three high schools and balanced capacity. That redistricting, which did not occur, would have impacted 800 students. This dissolution will impact all current 11,500 WJCC students.
I have not addressed the current school board. It had no say in the two governing bodies exploration of the joint dissolution. If that proceeds, it will function very much like a divorce. In order to redistribute the joint resources, the amount of unnecessary man hours required to account for every piece of computer equipment, desks, books, buses, athletic equipment, etc., will be an unnecessary drain on the current WJCC system where those man hours could be used to, say, address the achievement gap.
The proposed WJCC school division dissolution is not good for students, taxpayers or the community. I think both governing bodies should recognize that this exploration was a useful exercise in why the school system should remain a joint system. There are issues that can be addressed in the joint operating agreement regarding the financial and governing aspects of a joint system to make the system better without the dissolution of the current system. Our community deserves a premier school division, and that is WJCC. Throwing the baby out with the bath water is not apropos. We are WJCC.
Lisa Ownby is a former chair of the Williamsburg-James City County School Board. She lives in Toano.
