Topeka ? Two of the state’s largest school districts have formed an unusual partnership that saved some jobs and increases the efficiency of sharing data on such things as student performance.

The partnership between school districts in Topeka and Wichita is rare because it combines work from two districts that are not adjacent to each other, said Bob Winkler, the consultant hired to oversee the data and evaluation services for both districts,

The number of similar partnerships is likely to grow as more financially struggling school districts try to save money, said Dale Dennis, finance director for the Kansas State Department of Education.

“It’s growing in popularity due to efficiencies,” Dennis said. “Local school boards want what’s best for kids. It isn’t about ego. It’s what’s best for the best dollar.”

Before the current school year, the Wichita district agreed to pay the Topeka district $140,000 a year to cover salaries of six data staff members who worked for nine months.

The new money allowed the employees to work year round, analyzing data and producing reports for both districts.

The reports will include building-specific data not previously available, Winkler said. The data will help teachers, administrators and the two boards of education monitor student achievement and make more timely curriculum and instructional decisions, The Topeka Capital-Journal reported.

“It saves them a lot of time,” Winkler said. “They can focus on making plans instead of looking for a particular piece of data.”