Table of contents: Enrollment Research, Goals and Objectives, Join Our Committees, Timeline of important dates
Scotia-Glenville Central School District Overview
The Scotia-Glenville Central School District comprises six schools: four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school, and as of March 2025, caters to a total of 2,354 students, which includes:
- 2,114 on-campus students
- 113 homeschool students
- 81 out-of-district students
- 46 private/parochial students
Important initiative for elementary education at SGCSD
The district is currently engaged in a vital initiative concerning our elementary education program. We are evaluating several aspects, such as: enrollment, staffing, facilities, and a potential school closure. This analysis is essential due to ongoing financial challenges and related factors. SGCSD understands the significance of this issue and its potential impact on our community. We encourage you to take part in shaping informed decisions regarding our next steps. Your feedback and involvement are essential as we navigate these challenges together. Please fill out this form to express your interest, and we will reach out to you about how you can contribute to our mission.
Subcommittees Reimagining Our Schools
Each subcommittee will play a crucial role in guiding our district through this transformative period.
- Attendance Boundaries: redefining elementary school zones
- Grade Level Configurations: evaluating student needs and options
- Communications: keeping you informed on school reimagining efforts
- Human Resources: staffing strategy for fewer elementary schools
- Staff & Student Transitions: planning for a smooth school shift
- Potential School Repurposing: exploring new uses for extra facilities
A collaborative path forward
Considering the ongoing challenges posed by declining enrollment and fiscal constraints, the district is at a pivotal moment where rethinking our educational institutions is not just a choice but a necessity. The Reimagining Our Schools Committee (ROSC) is set to shape the future of Scotia-Glenville’s elementary schools. This initiative is being undertaken to address these pressing issues, ensuring that our schools can continue to provide quality education while remaining financially viable. Our community will collaborate to examine a new school arrangement, considering options such as repurposing, closure, or a solution that the majority can support – with a target date of March 1.
The district understands that change can be difficult, but it is with careful consideration and a commitment to our students’ futures that we embark on this journey. This initiative is about exploring innovative solutions and creating a sustainable framework for our schools.
Join us in this important endeavor. Your insights and participation are invaluable as we navigate these decisions together. Let us come together to learn, discuss, and shape the future of our educational community.
Goals and Objectives
- Review and consider results of two Cohort Survival Studies completed for the school district, including a review of current and projected enrollment.
- Determine the ramifications of closing a school including potential costs and savings as well as the potential to repurpose the school.
- Consider the type, age and physical condition of each school, maintenance and energy costs, recent or planned improvements (capital project work), and any special features of the school.
- Determine the effect of closing a school on personnel needs, costs of instruction, administration, transportation, and other support services.
- Determine the most equitable and efficient way to redraw the district’s attendance boundaries to achieve the best possible distribution of students across the remaining schools.
- Plan for the transition, including the reassignment and redistricting of students, student support during the transition, orientation for students, and special education and support programs.
- Plan for staffing and human resource considerations including personnel displacement plans (seniority, reductions in force, transfer rights, contractual obligations), needs and participation of collective bargaining group members, reassignment, and reduction in force procedures.
- Plan for updated bus routes including safety and travel time considerations.
- Plan for ongoing, frequent, and clear communication about the process and progress being made. This will include regular public meetings to share and gather information.
- Plan for honoring the legacy of the closed school.
The research that impacts Reimagining Our Schools
2010 study weighs enrollment vs. cost savings
In 2010, Michael Dutkowsky, Ed.D, conducted a study of the Scotia-Glenville Central School District’s elementary education program to evaluate the feasibility of closing one of its four schools. The study examined enrollment trends, class sizes, staffing, and facilities usage. It found that enrollment was stable at around 1,165 students and projected to remain around 1,200 over the next five years. Schools were operating at 70% capacity, and class sizes met guidelines.
The study gathered insights from key stakeholders who generally viewed the quality of education positively but expressed concerns about class sizes and program consistency. The analysis suggested maintaining all schools, emphasizing their importance for community engagement and the stable enrollment projection. However, closing a school could bring cost savings but also increase transportation expenses and require mothballing costs. The study concluded that the Board must balance financial considerations with community support and educational quality in their decision-making.
2022 study projects 465 student loss by 2032-33
In 2022, our district hired Enrollment Consultant Steve Zautner to carry out a study focused on projecting student enrollment until the 2032-33 academic year. It’s worth noting that the methodology used, the Modified Cohort Survival Method, has been accurate within +/- 2% historically. To read the enrollment report and projections summary, please click this link.
The results revealed a steady decline in overall enrollment, dropping from 2,212 students in 2022-23 to 2,127 by 2025-26, and further decreasing to 2,023 by 2032-33. This trend underscores a long-term reduction in student numbers, with the district facing a loss of 465 students since the 2011-12 school year. Contributing factors include declining birth rates, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the rise of alternative schooling options.
The report predicted a total district enrollment of 2,127 students for the 2025-26 academic year, distributed as follows: K-5 with 938 students, 6-8 with 512 students, and 9-12 with 677 students. The current breakdown, as of March 2025, is 930 students in K-5, 495 students in grades 6-8, and 689 students in grades 9-12. For a detailed breakdown of schools and enrollment information, please refer to this page of our website.
Schools facing long-term enrollment decline
At the Board of Education meeting on March 17, 2025, Superintendent Swartz noted that a significant number of school districts in New York—approximately 608 out of 640—are facing a decline in student enrollment.
