Rendell Wants to Elimiante 400 School Districts

Although many of the ideas in his budget plan had already surfaced prior today's address before the Pennsylvania General Assembly, Governor Ed Rendell did manage to include at least one surprise. The governor called for eliminating 400 of Pennsylvania's 501 public school districts. Rendell said that would help make public education more efficient. Rendell is suggesting that the legislature create a commission that would recommend an optimal number of districts and a plan to merge them. However, House Republican Leader Sam Smith says Rendell's idea would not save as much in educational administrative costs as the governor thinks.