Thursday, February 25, 1999
Business aims to help schools as area grows
BY ANDREA TORTORA
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Northern Kentucky business community wants to work with the region's school districts to ensure that increased population, spurred by new industry, does not outgrow existing classrooms.
For the first time in the 15 years since Northern Kentucky's business boom began, members of the Chamber of Commerce, the Tri-County Economic Development Corp. (Tri-ED) and the Home Builders Association are sitting down with educators to find out what they can do to help schools keep pace.
After years of strained relationships, business decided it would be better to view schools as a necessary utility that needs to be planned for, like new roads and water lines for a subdivision.
“Growth is going to happen,” said Shawn Cox, Home Builders Association spokesman. “We can either ignore it, which is silly, or we can try to do something about it.”
Members from the three business groups met with Bryan Blavatt, superintendent of Boone County Schools, to find out what they can do to help one of the area's fastest growing districts.
Mr. Blavatt said business leaders must realize that good education is the responsibility of the entire community.
Land appreciated
“And that includes just being willing to provide some space for new schools in the bigger developments,” Mr. Blavatt said.
The Erpenbeck Co. donated land for a new school near the Plantation Pointe subdivision in Florence. Erpenbeck Elementary opened last fall. The school district is now consider ing an offer of 14 acres from Arlinghaus Developers, which wants to build a subdivision in Hebron.
Although this newfound cooperation is still “kind of like an octopus,” Mr. Cox said the result will be a stronger community.
“GE Technologies is bringing 1,000 jobs. There's Toyota and Fidelity. Where are these folks going to go?” Mr. Cox said. “These are all great assets, but what do you do once the people get here?”
Tri-ED Director Danny Fore, charged with bringing new industry to Northern Ken tucky, said all levels of education, from kindergarten to adult classes, are one of the most important planning issues for growth.
State's role
“Anytime a community is growing as fast as this one, we must work out an effective mechanism that can adjust so schools can grow accordingly,” Mr. Fore said.
Cooperation between business and schools doesn't stop with offering land for buildings. Educators in growth districts say they need changes to the state's funding formula, which puts growing school systems at a disadvantage. Schools receive money from the state based on enrollment figures from the year before. The formula doesn't account for growth, leaving districts to play catch-up.
Steve Stevens, Chamber of Commerce spokesman, is lobbying legislators for changes.
“We think it is very positive to keep the dialogue going between school superintendents and business,” Mr. Stevens said. “It only takes two years (of growth) and we're ready for another school.”
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