As budgets tighten, school districts looking at variety of alternatives

ARCOLA – In late August, Arcola Superintendent Reggie Clinton mailed letters to four area schools about an emotionally charged topic: consolidation.

None of the four districts – Arthur, Mattoon, Oakland and Tuscola – has yet to express interest in starting informal, long-term discussions on merging. But their cold shoulder does not mean those districts are oblivious to the issue during this tight-budget time.

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