By Sue Kiesewetter
Enquirer contributor

OXFORD - Dividing the Talawanda Schools into two districts would put most of the special-needs students in the larger Talawanda district and most gifted students in the new Oxford district, school officials say.

It would also make the Oxford district more racially diverse while Talawanda would become significantly less diverse.

Those points were part of a 90-minute presentation administrators and board members will take to Columbus on Sunday when they appear before a subcommittee of the Ohio Board of Education to oppose the split.

The state board is considering a request from a citizens group, the Talawanda Schools Reorganization Committee, to form a new Oxford District that would include students from Oxford, Oxford Township and 2 acres of Hueston Woods State Park now in Eaton Schools. Committee members have said Talawanda schools are in poor shape and Miami University has had problems attracting top staff because of it. They seek a vote by district residents on the proposed split in November.

"We are not a broken school system. ... We are performing better than 75 percent of the schools in Ohio," said Bob Huff, board president.

Huff said the board is united in its opposition, citing the district's "excellent" rating on the state report card.

"I am totally against the split into two districts," said parent Jane Barnes, of Milford Township. "My children are receiving a wonderful education. I don't think the (pro-split group) has students in mind. I believe they are elitists."

Data presented Thursday shows the new Oxford district would have about 1,320 students, including 169 minority students. Talawanda Schools would be left with 1,776 students, including only 28 minority students.

About 65 percent of the students with special needs, but only 21 percent of the gifted students, would attend classes in the Talawanda Schools.