In this presentation to the Kanawha County Board of Education (West Virginia), a community member argues in favor of the reopening of Kenton Elementary School (Elkview, WV). Despite community protest, in 1991 the Kanawha County Board of Education voted to consolidate Kenton and three other elementary schools in rural Elkview. This presentation suggests that consolidation has lowered the educational quality that students receive, as evidenced by lower test scores. The consolidated school's scores on the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS) dropped in its first year of operation, when compared to the mean scores of the four elementary schools from the previous year, and have continued at a lower level to the present. In addition, data indicate that the consolidated school spent 3,376 instructional dollars per student, compared with a county average of $3,130 and an average of $2,827 for the four schools in their last year of operation. A literature search of the ERIC database indicates that there is no conclusive evidence that consolidation without public support enhances either test scores or economic efficiency. It is suggested that the reopening of Kenton Elementary School would not only promote a sense of community, but also increase public support for public education and improve the academic performance of students. In addition, the proposal would eliminate busing problems, would require little capital cost, and could actually save the school system money. Includes a comparison of CTBS test scores of the consolidated school with the four schools that were closed. (LP)