The Herald’s recent call for a comprehensive review of the county school situation aimed at improving their quality and addressing the underperformance of our children is both timely and vitally important. This initiative seeks to better prepare our students and the county for the evolving challenges of the 21st century.

Looking at successful examples, such as the Rose Tree Media School District in Pennsylvania, we can see that school mergers and reforms can lead to significant improvements in education without causing job losses or major tax increases. The children in Media benefited from a higher quality education as a result of this voluntary merger, demonstrating that such initiatives can indeed be a “win-win” situation.

Our young people are our greatest resource, and it is crucial to prepare them for an ever-evolving, complex world. Other nations recognize this and continually strive to improve their educational systems, often working to undermine ours through various means. Therefore, it is essential to lend our expertise and experience to these reform efforts. I request that others interested in improving our schools contact the Herald.

These necessary reforms can be achieved despite resistance from local interests. Effective reforms need not cause tax increases but can optimize the use of current school tax revenue. It is better to pursue these changes under local control before potentially being forced by the state, which could result in higher taxes and loss of local control. The needs and welfare of our children in the 21st century should take precedence over local traditions.

ED. NOTE: The author is a seasoned educator and administrator with extensive experience in K-12 education, college professorship, and museum education. He has worked in top school districts and has been involved in statewide curriculum revisions and district reorganizations. He also has a background in national intelligence and security. He writes from Cape May Beach.