Taxpayers should want to see the state Board of Regents’ latest push for collaboration succeed.

But we fear the Regents aren’t seeing the big picture with the push announced by the Regents in September.

A proposed amendment creates a new section of state Education Commissioner’s recommendations regarding BOCES and a separate subsection for regionalization plans. Each school district that is part of a BOCES district will work with the BOCES superintendent to develop and implement a regionalization plan at least every 10 years. Plans have to include initiatives to increase learning opportunities and operational efficiency for local school districts.

It sounds good in theory. And, it sounds an awful lot like a more formal version of what many school districts are already doing. For example, school districts have had a hard time finding bus drivers and transportation supervisors. So, Jamestown, Southwestern and Frewsburg are sharing one. Cassadaga Valley and Pine Valley are sharing a transportation supervisor, while Cassadaga Valley and Clymer are sharing an occupational therapist.

These are just the recently announced shared services. There are countless more throughout Chautauqua County.

So what, exactly, is it the Regents want to achieve? Neither Regents members, nor the state Education Department officials who are proposing the commissioner’s recommendation, spoke about it during the September Board of Regents meeting. But if the Regents and Education Department don’t set a bigger goal, then the status quo will remain because school districts realize sharing services allows them to continue existing as separate districts. And each of these shared services can easily be said to be increasing learning opportunities. Money saved sharing an administrative position can pay for a teaching position or aide to work with struggling children.

That’s why it’s important to know the Regents’ true aim for its collaboration push. If sharing therapists is the goal, then the Regents push for collaboration isn’t needed. If the Regents wants to refocus the agenda on having fewer school districts or school buildings, then it will have to be more specific.