MONTPELIER -- Citizens with opinions, either pro or con, on greater consolidation of school districts will have an opportunity to be heard by the legislature on March 10, Representative Anne Donahue of Northfield has announced.

The Senate and House Education Committees will host the hearing jointly from 5 to 8 p.m. that evening, she said.

"Unfortunately, this is one of the few issues being seriously discussed this session to address education costs in any way," Donahue said.

"There continues to be little momentum for serious restructuring of how we fund education. School boards as thifty as Northfield's are helpless to protect taxpayers under the current system, and Montpelier doesn't seem to want to listen."

The consolidation hearing was originally scheduled for February 24, but was postponed due to the snowstorm that day.

"The public had very little notice about the hearing the first time," Rep. Donahue said. "The snowstorm was fortunate, in the sense that there is much more advance notice."

She said that she hoped the opportunity for greater publicity would enable more people who wanted to express their opinion have access to the legislative committees that will be deciding whether to introduce a bill.

Donahue noted that there are potential advantages and disadvantages to greater consolidation, which must be carefully considered by the legislature.

"It could mean that more students have better access to enriched curriculum," she said, noting that economy of scale could present wider opportunities at all grade levels.

"On the other hand, our public schools are often at the heart of our communities," Donahue said. If schools are consolidated, many students may also face much longer bus rides.

She also pointed out, however, that consolidating districts was not the same as consolidation of schools.

"The theory of consolidated districts is to reduce the overhead cost of having many districts and superintendents," she said, "but it still would clearly reduce local control over education decisions."

"The cost savings would really need to be demonstrated," she said, pointing out that Northfield and Roxbury's current district is a part of the

Green Mountain Collaborative" that already shares resources such as purchasing and business office functions.

Donahue encouraged constituents to contact her directly on the issue at counterp@tds.net.

However, "speaking up at the hearing is the most effective way to be able to make a strong impact," she said.