County Solutions?

Springfield Massachusetts, in its current fiscal crisis, is laying off
specially trained teachers - an investmet in Federally and state funeded
professionals for its magnet schools. That city cannot now afford them.
Holyoke Massachusetts -- the poorest area school system has a chronic
teacher shortage and the lowest pay.
Certainly the prospect of a larger school district, perhaps a county
option (with optional town inclusion-exclusion) can attract resources
and produce economies with more Federal and State monies.   Enrollment
can also be by parent-student preference (subject to space available)
with the student arranging transportation where not directly available
-as an option to the magnet school (a big resource drainer).

While on the county subject - HAMPDEN County ... Holyoke Massachusetts
now also faces a firm Federal deadline to reduce its storm water
drainage (a consequence of combined storm-water & sewage systems) into
the Connecticut River - a matter it must face itself with Federal and
State help. Again, surely the county option if used can bring in more
money and aid the planning and costs affordance which Connecticut River
& Westfield River watershed communties need. Sewage treatment plants are
a modern necessity - centralizing and addressing siting costs and sewage
& drainage planning are cheaper in greater size.

Massachusetts, as many New England states uses its county jurisdiction
only for courts, jails & land recordings ... expanding that option makes
a little more sense ... and the county political accountability when
done - should be locally electorally accountable -- not a bureaucratic
sub-administration.