To the editor:

There is a lot of talk lately about school efficiency. Please note: Small neighborhood schools are more efficient than large ones when it comes to education. And that’s important.

Numerous studies show that small schools are hands-down-better for learning. And for “closing the achievement gap,” the district’s highest goal, small schools are the cutting edge. As a Cordley mom, I see small-school efficiency every day: Parent involvement is high, teachers are engaged and all the parents know each other and support each other’s kids.

Here’s an idea: Consolidate classrooms, not schools. To resolve the budget shortfall, classes will become larger any way you cut it because that’s where the savings are. But house these consolidated classes in small schools. Children will temporarily lose the benefits of small classes (that will happen anyway) but will continue to reap the educational efficiency of small neighborhood schools.

Finally, it is more efficient to use existing buildings than to build new ones later. Cordley, New York and Pinckney are sturdy, historic buildings that function well. And as neighborhood schools, they are efficient when it comes to maintaining property values across the community. While old buildings, like old homes, need updating and maintenance, it would be far less costly for the taxpayer to maintain them than to build new. Let’s not close our historic, educationally excellent neighborhood schools.