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Kenai Peninsula Borough School District administrators are proposing to launch a third-party economic impact study to underscore the contributions the school system makes to the peninsula.

District superintendent Steve Atwater announced at Monday's board of education meeting that the McDowell Group, a research based consulting firm in Anchorage and Juneau, estimated they could conduct an economic impact study of the district for $19,500.

The idea for the study was inspired by, and would be modeled after, a report the group did for Kenai Peninsula College, published in April.

The KPC report was intended to show what economic contributions the college offered to the community, chiefly through purchasing and employment.

The school district, which was struggling to get full budgetary funding from the borough last spring when KPC's report came out, was looking for a way to improve communication with the community, Atwater explained.

"There was a sense that the public at large doesn't perhaps understand or perceive the district for what it's worth," he said.

Board member Liz Downing, of Homer, was familiar with KPC's report and encouraged the district look at doing something similar.

"We have a tremendous impact economically as well as in many other ways," Downing said on Tuesday. "I think it's important for people to see some of the positive impacts the school district plays in their lives whether or not they have kids in school."

Dave Jones, assistant superintendent for the district, said their study would be three-pronged, looking at the district's economic contributions, what services or programs it offers to enhance the community and lastly, incorporating the perspective of area leaders.

An external review isn't the only study Atwater is interested in, though.

He told the board he'd also like to see an internal study.

He was hoping such an investigation would look at the way the district uses its resources, and whether there are inefficiencies that could be addressed.

"When we go to the borough and say we want full funding, we can throw a couple of these cards down on the table and say the kids are doing well, we're not squandering money, we're pretty tight with our processes," Atwater said.

He understands some will criticize the idea of spending money on a study, but felt it could be justified.

"I think that the only way that you can really improve from my perspective is to have an external view," he said.

He also said the information could be used to stack the district up against others.

The estimate provided by McDowell Group does not include doing an internal study.

Whether the board wants to allocate funding for either study will be determined in the coming weeks.

The issue is expected to come before the board as soon as their Nov. 2 meeting.

Some board members have already expressed concern about the potential cost.

"It's a good investment but I would like to see it done as prudently as possible," Downing said.

Board President Joe Arness, of Nikiski, said he was "hesitant" about launching the external study and wanted to hear more discussion.

"Spending $20,000 to convince people of how much good were doing just seems self-serving to me," he said.

Arness said the idea of an internal study was more intriguing.

"That idea feels a little better," he said. "Mostly because the information gathered from that is something we could use to improve."

Monday's board meeting also saw the swearing in of one returning member and a new face. Downing, who was re-elected, and Tim Navarre, of Kenai, both took the oath of office at the beginning of the meeting.

Marty Anderson, representing Sterling/Funny River, was also re-elected to his seat, but was absent and will be sworn in at a future meeting.

Board officer elections were also held. Arness was elected president; Downing elected vice president; Sunni Hilts, representing south peninsula, clerk and Sammy Crawford, representing Kalifornsky Beach, treasurer.

Dante Petri can be reached at dante.petri@peninsulaclarion.com .