(Cylinder)– Two northern Iowa Area Education Agencies are talking about a possible merger.
The boards of directors for the Arrowhead A-E-A, based out of Fort Dodge, and the Lakeland A-E-A, based out of Cylinder, met in a joint session last week to talk about consolidating. The two will meet again September 19th in Pocahontas when they’ll review input received from superintendents and staff members. After that, a vote will be taken on whether or not the two AEAs want to develop a reorganization plan that would be submitted to the Iowa Department of Education.
The two A-E-A’s are looking at a possible merger as a cost-saving measure. The Arrowhead A-E-A says it would save 300-thousand dollars a year.
The possible merger is drawing fire from opponents who say it would defeat the purpose for which AEAs were formed: to assist rural school districts.
