NEWS ARCHIVE

(Area) -- Residents of Preston and East Central school districts will decide Tuesday if they want to merge into one district or remain as two separate districts.

Results will be on-the-air tonight on KROS, sponsored by Clinton National Bank

A public vote is scheduled Tuesday with polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. There are two polling places for East Central - one in Sabula and one in Miles at the town halls. Preston voters cast ballots at the Preston Town Hall.

Residents of the districts will be asked to vote a simple yes or no whether the two districts should be merged into one, called Easton Valley. Each district needs to approve it by a 51 percent simple majority in order for the merger to go forward.

The issue has been bounced around for 20 years between the two schools. Sometimes East Central and Preston have shared classes, superintendents and athletic activities. Some years, they have not. Currently, East Central has a whole-grade sharing contract for seventh- through 12th-graders to attend classes at Northeast High School in Goose Lake. Preston has an agreement with Maquoketa School District to send high school students there for some classes. Both districts maintain a complete elementary program.

The new combined district could have about 600 students, which proponents say would improve school finances overall and educational offerings for students. Opponents say the new district is not planned out and little information on what it will look like has been announced.

The path to get to the special election was paved with lawsuits. The East Central board has opposed a merger since the community group began its proposal. The issue went to the Iowa Supreme Court, where judges said a public vote was legal.

If the merger passes, the next step will be a special election in January to pick school board members who will hire a superintendent and begin setting up the district.

Easton Valley must be open by August, 2013.

If the merger fails, the two existing districts will remain as they are.

Written 9/11/2012 by Station Staff

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