Rick Karlin is reporting at Capitol Confidential on the survey recently released by the state Association of School Business Officials on school district mergers. The report looked in depth at the 30 school districts that explored merging since 2010 but failed to accomplish reorganization. Some of the characteristics shared by those school districts are small student populations, community wealth below the state average, and staff losses over the last three years. The association found school district mergers are not easy to carry out, nor are voters quick to approve them. The survey documents the instances statewide in which mergers were considered, but did not happen for a variety of reasons. Ichabod Crane and Schodack were one of four pairs of school districts cited in the report that chose not to take the reorganization to a public vote after studying the matter. Eleven of the potential mergers were shot down by voters either in a straw poll or statutory vote.  Read the full story at Capitol Confidential, a Times Union blog.