New York State Education Department Office of Counsel School District Centralization Files
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Overview of the Records
Repository:
New York State Archives
New York State Education Department
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230
Summary:
These files contain proposals for central school districts that were approved or rejected by voters. Files include: applications
including statistical, financial, and narrative information; memoranda from the Bureau of Rural Administrative Services summarizing
local sentiment and expressing the bureau's opinion on proposed centralization; petition requesting a special meeting to vote
on the proposal; minutes of the special meeting laying out a central school district; and correspondence concerning the proposal.
Creator:
Title:
School district centralization files
Quantity:
Inclusive Dates:
1935-1980
Bulk Dates:
1944-1962
Series Number:
B1104
Sponsor:
This series' description was enhanced as part of the States' Impact on Federal Education Policy Project (SIFEPP), in March
2009. The New York Community Trust - Wallace Special Projects Fund provided funding for this project.
Arrangement
Arranged by year in which centralization was proposed, then alphabetically by name of proposed school district.
Administrative History
The legal process of organizing a central school district is described in Chapter 820 of the Laws of 1947 (Article 37, Sections
1801-1808 of the new Education Law which replaced the earlier compilation of 1909).
The consolidation of small rural school districts into larger central school districts was first enacted into law in Chapter
55 of the Laws of 1914, which provided for the formation of "Central Rural Schools." The first rural central school district
was created in 1924. In 1925, the Cole-Rice Law (Chapter 673 of the Laws of 1925) was enacted, which provided state financial
aid for transportation and school construction in order to encourage rural school districts to consolidate. The pace of centralization
increased in the 1930's, but the process of centralization was criticized as piecemeal by the Regents' Inquiry into the Character
and Cost of Public Education in 1938. In response, the Bureau of Rural Administrative Services was created in 1943 to facilitate
the process of school district centralization, and a master plan for school consolidation was created by the Joint Legislative
Committee on the State Education System in 1947. By 1959, the number of school districts in New York State had fallen to under
2,000, down from around 10,000 in 1925. Overall, the movement toward centralized school districts was reflective of a national
trend towards greater involvement by state governments and state education agencies in the administration and funding of public
schools.
The Education Department has responsibility for supervising all educational institutions in the state and the Commissioner
of Education exercises a quasi-judicial authority by which he may review actions of local school boards and officials. Applications
for forming central school districts are reviewed by the State Education Department, and the orders laying out such districts
are issued by the Commissioner of Education.
Scope and Content Note
The series consists of files related to proposed central school districts, including files for centralization proposals approved
and rejected by voters.
Centralization files contain the following: application for laying out central school district, submitted by the district
superintendent of schools; memoranda from the Bureau of Rural Administrative Services of the State Education Department offering
its opinion on the proposed centralization and commenting on local sentiment for or against centralization; tally sheet of
the number of voters in each district who are for or against the proposed centralization, prepared by Bureau of Rural Administrative
Services; petition of the qualified voters of the proposed central school district for a special meeting to decide whether
a new district should be organized (petitions are on separate forms for areas within and without incorporated villages); border
issued by the Commissioner of Education laying out the new central school district (usually with multiple copies for posting);
certificate by district superintendent of schools stating that copies of the order were received and filed and copies posted
in public places; notice (in the form of a poster) of special meeting of the voters to vote on proposed central school district,
with affidavit of publication of same; minutes of special district meeting giving result of vote on centralization and, if
the new district was approved, result of election of a new board of education; and correspondence of district superintendent
of schools, village superintendent of schools (if any) and various State Education Department officials and private citizens
relating to the proposed centralization.
More specifically, the applications for laying out a central school district include: district number; town(s) in which the
district is located; whether union free, village or common school district; enrollments in grades 1-6, 7-9, 10-12; number
of teachers; current expenses for preceding year; amount of bonded indebtedness; assessed valuation; full valuation; tax rate
on assessed valuation; a narrative description of the program of the proposed central school district; estimated cost(s) of
new building(s); estimated annual cost of transportation; estimated annual budget; a map of the existing and proposed districts;
and other "information and remarks" (usually blank).
The series contains many maps which were submitted as part of the application process for laying out a rural central school
district. The application form specifically asked for a map of the proposed district, preferably on a U.S. Geological Survey
topographic map showing contours, railroads, and highways. Consequently the bulk of the maps are annotated versions, usually
in color, of the relevant quadrangle section of such print maps. These maps show the following requested information: boundaries
of the proposed central rural school district in heavy outline; boundaries of each existing district in light outline; location
of present school buildings; adjoining district boundaries; locations of the nearest high schools on all sides; and improved
and unimproved highways.
Other maps are blueprint or whiteprint copies of standard highway maps, or other hand drawn maps that are also annotated,
usually in color. These are apparently in response to another question on the application for an outline of the proposed central
rural school district's organization. These maps typically show requested information on the location of central rural schools
and branch schools, and routes and facilities for transportation of pupils.
Title, legend, and scale information is present for only some maps, and the size ranges from 30 x 40 cm to 86 x 71 cm.
The records span close to two decades; a few files appear to be missing, as they are marked by "out" cards.
Related Material
15672 School District Centralization and Reorganization Files 1948-1975, contains correspondence related to the applications located
in this series
11120 Files of Master Plan Studies, contains documentation related to the revision of the Master Plan for School District Reorganization
in 1958
11121 Correspondence with District Superintendents, contains a great deal of correspondence on school district reorganization
B0476 Certification Files Regarding State Aid and Reorganization, documents the adherence of school district building practices
to reorganization plans
15671 Bureau of School District Organization, district superintendent county files relating to appointments and organization orders
Series B0472, School District Centralization and Reorganization Files 1924-1974
Access Restrictions
There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.
Access Terms
Corporate Name(s):
Geographic Name(s):
Subject(s):
Genre(s):
Detailed Description
Dates |
Contents |
Box |
Folder |
Accretion: 1981 |
1943 October-1944 June |
Angelica |
1 |
1 |
1944 May-August |
Belmont |
1 |
2 |
1944 February-July |
Boonville |
1 |
3 |
1944 March-1977 May |
Central Square |
1 |
4 |
1944 March-October |
Canajoharie |
1 |
5 |
1942 May-1944 August |
Colton |
1 |
6 |
1944 May-August |
Cooperstown |
1 |
7 |
1942 February-1944 June |
Franklinville |
1 |
8 |
1940 February-1944 June |
Greenwich |
1 |
9 |
1943 December-1944 August |
Middleport |
2 |
1 |
1944 March-July |
Orchard Park |
2 |
2 |
1943 March-1944 June |
Sodus |
2 |
3 |
1944 January-1946 September |
Warwick |
2 |
4 |
1945 May-July |
Addison |
2 |
5 |
1941 December-1945 June |
Alexandria Bay |
2 |
6 |
1945 February-July |
Beaver Falls |
2 |
7 |
1945 April-July |
Canton |
2 |
8 |
1945 June-October |
Fallsburg |
3 |
1 |
1938 September-1945 June |
Hammond |
3 |
2 |
1937 October-1953 September |
Moravia, Locke, Sempronius, Venice and Summerhill |
3 |
3 |
1944 February-1947 October |
Morristown Central School District |
3 |
4 |
1945 April-July |
Portville |
3 |
5 |
1944 October-1945 July |
Moreau, South Glens Falls Central School District |
3 |
6 |
1944 March-1947 March |
Wayland |
3 |
7 |
1945 November-1946 May |
Westfield |
3 |
8 |
1944 March-1946 October |
Cattaragus |
4 |
1 |
1945 August-1946 July |
Bliss-Castile-Gainesville-Pike-Silver Springs |
4 |
2 |
1946 April-July |
Brewster |
4 |
3 |
1946 June-July |
Clarence |
4 |
4 |
1943 May-1946 December |
Ellicotville-Great Valley |
4 |
5 |
1944 September-1948 August |
Falconer |
4 |
6 |
1945 April-1947 May |
Homer |
4 |
7 |
1946 May-December |
Little Valley |
5 |
1 |
1944 December-1947 October |
New Hartford |
5 |
2 |
1945 September-1946 June |
North Creek |
5 |
3 |
1944 March-1946 July |
Philmont |
5 |
4 |
1945 September-1946 July |
Oswegatchie |
5 |
5 |
1945 September-1958 July |
Pittsford |
5 |
6 |
1938 August-1946 April |
Saratoga |
5 |
7 |
1944 October-1946 October |
Monroe County |
5 |
8 |
1945 March-1946 June |
West Seneca |
5 |
9 |
1945 November-1947 August |
Allegany |
6 |
1 |
1947 June-August |
Coxsackie-Athens |
6 |
2 |
1947 June-1976 March |
Frewsburg |
6 |
3 |
1944 April-1947 June |
Geneseo |
6 |
4 |
1947 January-May |
Honeoye |
6 |
5 |
1944 February-1947 September |
Busti |
6 |
6 |
1947 February-June |
Lewiston & Porter |
6 |
7 |
1946 September-1948 July |
Edwards Center |
7 |
1 |
1948 May-August |
Grand Island |
7 |
2 |
1948 March-May |
Hewelton |
7 |
3 |
1957 October-1958 October |
Kingston Enlarged City School District, Ulster County |
7 |
4 |
1944 November-1948 August |
Ludlowville |
7 |
5 |
1946 November-1948 May |
Olive-Shandaken |
7 |
6 |
1943 November-1949 May |
Ontario-Walworth |
7 |
7 |
1948 May-1954 July |
Penfield C.D. Pending |
7 |
8 |
1947 March-1948 August |
South Dayton-Cherry Creek |
8 |
1 |
1948 May-August |
Stillwater |
8 |
2 |
1946 October-1948 June |
Webster |
8 |
3 |
1948 September-1950 March |
South Colonie |
8 |
4 |
1947 February-1948 August |
Wellsville |
8 |
5 |
1946 October-1948 June |
Williamsville |
8 |
6 |
1949 April-June |
Akron Central School District |
9 |
1 |
1947 October-1949 June |
Akron Central School District |
9 |
2 |
1944 November-1949 June |
Baldwinsville Central School District |
9 |
3 |
1949 May-July |
Brasher Falls Central School District |
9 |
4 |
1949 May-1957 February |
Canastota Central School District |
9 |
5 |
1949 June-October |
Chittenango Central School District |
9 |
6 |
1948 June-1949 June |
Clarkstown-Congers Central School District |
10 |
1 |
1949 April-September |
Coeymans-Ravena Central School District |
10 |
2 |
1949 April-June |
Galway Central School District |
10 |
3 |
1949 May-September |
Hannibal Central School District |
10 |
4 |
1948 March-1949 June |
Hilton Central School District |
10 |
5 |
1949 May-July |
Holly Central School District |
10 |
6 |
1948 January-1949 June |
Honeoye Central School District |
10 |
7 |
1948 August-1950 March |
Lisbon Central School District |
11 |
1 |
1948 February-1949 June |
LeRoy Central School District |
11 |
2 |
1945 September-1949 July |
Manchester-Shortsville Central School District |
11 |
3 |
1946 May-June |
Norfolk-Norwood Central School District |
11 |
4 |
1946 May-1949 June |
North Collins Central School District |
11 |
5 |
1949 May-1978 April |
North Syracuse Central School District |
11 |
6 |
1949 May-July |
Oakfield Central School District (Oakfield-Alabama) |
11 |
7 |
1947 October-1949 June |
Spenceport Central School District |
12 |
1 |
1944 March-1949 May |
Walton Central School District |
12 |
2 |
1948 October-1949 June |
Warshaw Central School District |
12 |
3 |
1949 January-1950 July |
Amherst Central School District |
13 |
1 |
1948 November-1950 April |
Angola Central School District (Evans-Bryant) |
13 |
2 |
1945 August-1950 December |
Bath Central School District |
13 |
3 |
1949 October-1950 June |
Binghamton-Conklin Central School District |
13 |
4 |
1950 June-July |
Calidonia Central School District (Calidonia-Mumford) |
13 |
5 |
1945 February-1950 June |
Chateaugay Central School District |
13 |
6 |
1950 March-June |
Churchville Central School District (Churchville-Chili) |
13 |
7 |
1950 October-1953 July |
Ellenville Central School District |
13 |
8 |
1950 March-August |
Glenville Central School District |
13 |
9 |
1946 October-1950 August |
Gouverneur Central School District |
14 |
1 |
1950 May-August |
Guilderland Central School District |
14 |
2 |
1950 March-May |
Horseheads Central School District |
14 |
3 |
1947 February-1950 August |
Jamesville-Dewitt Central School District |
14 |
4 |
1949 December-1950 July |
Jordan Central School District (Jordan-Elbridge) |
14 |
5 |
1948 December-1962 July |
Lake George Central School District |
14 |
6 |
1949 June-1950 June |
Marbletown Central School District (Rondout Valley) |
15 |
|
1948 October-1950 June |
McGraw Central School District |
15 |
2 |
1949 September-1954 August |
North Colonie Central School District |
15 |
3 |
1949 December-1950 June |
Palmyra-Macedon Central School District |
15 |
4 |
1946 January-1950 June |
Pawling Central School District |
15 |
5 |
1948 December-1950 June |
Perry Central School District |
15 |
6 |
1950 June-August |
Phelps Central School District (Phelps-Clifton Springs) |
15 |
7 |
1950 May-July |
Phoenix Central School District |
15 |
8 |
1949 September-1950 June |
Liverpool Central School District |
15 |
9 |
1946 October-1950 June |
Port Dickerson Central School District |
16 |
1 |
1950 January-December |
Seneca Falls Central School District |
16 |
2 |
1950 April-June |
Sherril-Vernon-Verona Central School District |
16 |
3 |
1946 January-1950 June |
Skaneateles Central School District |
16 |
4 |
1943 December-1950 June |
Waterloo Central School District |
16 |
5 |
1949 January-1950 May |
Watkins Glen |
16 |
6 |
1949 December-1951 November |
Arlington Central School District |
17 |
1 |
1947 November-1951 July |
Blasdall-Woodlawn |
17 |
2 |
1950 January-1951 June |
Byron-Bergen Central School District |
17 |
3 |
1951 February-August |
Cammilus Central School District |
17 |
4 |
1950 February-1951 October |
Castleton Central School District |
17 |
5 |
1951 May-June |
Cornwall Central School District |
17 |
6 |
1947 January-1951 July |
Dryden-Freeville-McLean Central School District |
17 |
7 |
1950 April-1951 May |
Fairport Central School District |
18 |
1 |
1951 February-April |
Fayetteville-Manlius Central School District |
18 |
2 |
1950 January-1952 January |
Hamburg Central School District |
18 |
3 |
1949 February-1976 January |
Hermon-DeKalb Central School District |
18 |
4 |
1950 August-1951 November |
Monroe-Woodbury Central School District |
18 |
5 |
1951 May-October |
Fort Plain Central School District |
18 |
6 |
1951 May-June |
Duanseburg Central School District |
18 |
7 |
1951 December-1952 January |
Babylon Central School District |
19 |
1 |
1952 May-June |
Ballston Spa Central School District |
19 |
2 |
1951 July-1953 March |
Elma-Marilla-Wales Central School District (Iroquois) |
19 |
3 |
1944 December-1952 November |
Hudson Falls Central School District |
19 |
4 |
1950 December-1952 June |
Lowville Central School District |
19 |
5 |
1952 August-October |
Mount Morris Central School District |
20 |
1 |
1952 April-June |
Penn Yan Central School District |
20 |
2 |
1950 May-1970 June |
Spring Valley Central School District (East Ramapo) |
20 |
3 |
1955 June-July |
Antwerp-Evans Mills-Philadelphia-Theresa Central School District |
21 |
1 |
1953 June |
Attica Central School District |
21 |
2 |
1953 March-1959 May |
Bedford-Mount Kisco Central School District (Bedford) |
21 |
3 |
1950 February-1953 June |
Corinth Central School District |
21 |
4 |
1952 March-1953 August |
Albion Central School District |
21 |
5 |
1952 January-1953 September |
Elmira Heights Central School District |
22 |
1 |
1950 May-1953 August |
Fonda-Fultonville Central School District |
22 |
2 |
1953 October-1954 February |
Fort Covington-Bombay Central School District (Salmon River) |
22 |
3 |
1953 February-September |
Irondequoit Central School District (West Irondequoit) |
22 |
4 |
1952 February-1953 December |
Little Falls Central School District |
22 |
5 |
1952 February-1953 September |
Medina Central School District |
22 |
6 |
1953 November-December |
Millerton-Amenia Central School District (Northeast) |
22 |
7 |
1952 June-1953 June |
Niskayuna Central School District |
23 |
1 |
1950 September-1953 February |
Norwich Central School District |
23 |
2 |
1953 April-1979 October |
Pendleton Central School District (Royalton-Hartland) |
23 |
3 |
1953 June-September |
Sea Cliff Central School District (North Shore) |
23 |
4 |
1954 May-July |
Beekmantown-Plattsburgh Central School District (Beekmantown) |
24 |
1 |
1953 July-1954 March |
Canandaigua Central School District |
24 |
2 |
1953 December-1954 July |
Cornwall Central School District |
24 |
3 |
1952 October-1954 May |
Frankfort Central School District (Frankfort-Schuyler) |
24 |
4 |
1953 April-1979 April |
Highland Falls Central School District |
25 |
1 |
1953 August-1954 June |
Hills-Melville Central School District (Half Hollow Hills) |
25 |
2 |
1954 April-May |
Ilion Central School District |
25 |
3 |
1954 January-December |
Kinderhook-Valatie Central School District (Kinderhook) |
25 |
4 |
1953 January-1954 May |
Lancaster Central School District |
25 |
5 |
1953 November-1954 March |
Norwich Central School District |
25 |
6 |
1952 June-1954 June |
Old Forge-Inlet-Otter Lake Central School District |
25 |
7 |
1954 May-July |
Owege Central School District |
26 |
1 |
1954 May-July |
Pine Island-Warwick Central School District |
26 |
2 |
1954 May-June |
Port Jervis Central School District |
26 |
3 |
1948 October-1959 June |
Potsdam Central School District |
26 |
4 |
1952 March-1954 February |
Salamanca Central School District |
26 |
5 |
1953 September-1954 July |
Scottsville Central School District (Wheatland-Chili) |
26 |
6 |
1952 October-1954 May |
Warwick Central School District |
26 |
7 |
1953 January-1954 January |
Carthage Central School District |
27 |
1 |
1955 April-July |
Brighton Central School District |
27 |
2 |
1951 July-1955 August |
Brunswick Central School District |
27 |
3 |
1955 January-August |
Chatham Central School District |
27 |
4 |
1955 January-1980 April |
Gates-Chili Central School District |
27 |
5 |
1954 March-1955 July |
Herkimer Central School District |
27 |
6 |
1955 February-April |
Lake Ronkokoma-Holbrook-Holtsville Central School District (Sachem) |
27 |
7 |
1955 February-August |
Massena Central School District |
27 |
8 |
1954 January-1955 June |
Mechanicville Central School District |
28 |
1 |
1955 April-September |
Millbrook Central School District |
28 |
2 |
1954 May-1955 September |
Newark Central School District |
28 |
3 |
1954 November-1955 August |
Niagara-Wheatfield Central School District |
28 |
4 |
1954 April-1955 August |
Saugerties Central School District |
28 |
5 |
1955 May-1956 August |
Selkirk-Ravena-Coeymans Central School District (Ravena-Coeymans) |
28 |
6 |
1954 March-1975 December |
Smithtown Central School District |
28 |
7 |
1954 November-1955 April |
West Rotterdam-Princetown Central School District (Schalmont) |
28 |
8 |
1956 May-June |
Bellport Central School District (South Country) |
29 |
1 |
1955 August-1956 August |
Centerport-Greenlawn Central School District (Harborfields) |
29 |
2 |
1955 November-1956 August |
Cheektowaga Central School District |
29 |
3 |
1953 February-1956 June |
East Irondequoit Central School District |
29 |
4 |
1955 October-1956 June |
East Rotterdam Central School District (Rotterdam-Mohonasen) |
29 |
5 |
1955 August-1956 June |
Elwood-Commack Central School District (Elwood) |
29 |
6 |
1956 April-June |
Hoosick Falls Central School District |
29 |
7 |
1956 May-1957 July |
Marbletown-Kerhonkson Central School District (Rondout Village) |
29 |
8 |
1954 February-1956 April |
Liberty Central School District |
30 |
1 |
1955 December-1956 February |
Minelto-Scriba-Volney Central School District |
30 |
2 |
1956 January-May |
Monticello Central School District |
30 |
3 |
1954 February-1956 August |
Riverhead Central School District |
30 |
4 |
1948 January-1956 June |
Silver Creek Central School District |
30 |
5 |
1953 November-1957 January |
Brushton-Moira Central School District |
31 |
1 |
1954 November-1957 June |
Catskill Central School District |
31 |
2 |
1957 January-February |
Centereach-Selden Central School District (Middle Country) |
31 |
3 |
1957 March-July |
Grahamsville Central School District (Tri-Valley) |
31 |
4 |
1951 November-1957 May |
Granville Central School District |
31 |
5 |
1956 September-1957 May |
Haverstraw-Stony Point Central School District |
32 |
1 |
1935 April-1967 November |
Locust Grove-Syosset-Woodbury Central School District (Syosset) |
32 |
2 |
1955 August-1957 July |
Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District |
32 |
3 |
1956 October-1957 May |
Orangetown Central School District (South Orangetown) |
32 |
4 |
1956 February-1977 September |
Waverly Central School District |
32 |
5 |
1958 May-June |
Cherry Road-Onondaga Hill-Onondaga |
33 |
1 |
1958 March-October |
Cold Spring Harbor-Lloyd Harbor |
33 |
2 |
1958 December-1959 January |
Fredonia-Chautauqua |
33 |
3 |
1957 April-1958 July |
Jeffersonville-Youngsville |
33 |
4 |
1951 January-1958 July |
Montgomery-Walden-Maybrook |
33 |
5 |
1958 October-December |
Mount Pleasant-Westchester County |
33 |
6 |
1958 July-October |
Poestenkill-Rensselaer County |
33 |
7 |
1957 January-1958 July |
Whitehall-Washington County |
33 |
8 |
1955 October-1959 May |
Endicott-Broome County |
34 |
2 |
1958 November-1961 June |
Elbridge-Jordan |
34 |
3 |
1958 January-1960 June |
Gorham-Middlesex Valley |
34 |
4 |
1960 September |
New Lebanon |
34 |
5 |
1959 December-1960 June |
Oakdale Bohemia-Islip |
34 |
6 |
1959 August-1960 August |
Oyster Bay-East Norwich |
34 |
7 |
1961 March-May |
Bainbridge-Guilford |
35 |
1 |
1961 May-1962 June |
Armonk-Bear Ridge-Middle Patent |
35 |
2 |
1959 December-1961 May |
Constableville-Glenfield-Lyons Falls |
35 |
3 |
1961 December-1962 February |
Hyde Park-Straatsburg |
36 |
1 |
1961 January-1962 April |
Lansingburg |
36 |
2 |
1962 May-July |
Lansingburgh |
36 |
3 |
1947 May-1969 March |
Long Lake |
36 |
4 |
1962 April-July |
Marlborough-Ulster |
36 |
5 |
1962 March-May |
Mineville-Moriah-Port Henry |
36 |
6 |
1960 March-1962 February |
Old Forge-Herkimer & Hamilton |
36 |
7 |
1962 January-July |
New South Berlin |
36 |
8 |