School District Studies Privatization

KENTWOOD —Exploring privatization in a deliberate, systematic fashion is the goal of school officials in this west Michigan community. In March, the school board approved the recommendation of a committee for moving ahead on privatization.

The committee, formed in July 1996, developed a process for evaluating the cost and scope of services offered by private companies, as well as those provided by existing staff. According to a story in the March 11 Kentwood Advance, an administrative recommendation to privatize a particular area or service will initiate the decision-making process created by the committee. After job descriptions and procedures are reviewed, the district will analyze current internal costs and estimated internal/external costs. Analyzing costs will include contacting other school districts for cost comparisons. The school board will make the final decision to privatize or not.