The current state legislative session again demonstrated the level of resistance that exists in this state to regional approaches, even when intended to improve efficiency and lower costs.

A pair of bills were introduced at the beginning of the session with the aim of cutting back-office and administrative expenses. A bill introduced by Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven, would have required towns with populations less than 40,000 to share services with another school district. A second bill, co-sponsored by state Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, would instead have required school districts with less than 2,000 students to form a new or join an existing regional school district.

The philosophy of the approach was achieving the economies of scale seen in other states with larger school districts — the use of a single superintendent to run a multi-town district rather than duplicating the position in every town, the sharing of other administrative support positions, and bulk purchasing.

Gov. Ned Lamont sought the same result but by pushing legislation that used incentives and penalties to drive regional approaches, rather than mandate such changes.

In the end, all these approaches were buried under an avalanche of protests from parents and educators who felt threatened. Rather than improving efficiency, they saw the proposals as a move to close and consolidate their community schools, bus their children great distances and strip their autonomy. They did not want the governor or legislature butting in on how they organize and run their schools.

Except that the state shares in the cost of public education and certainly some of the folks who protested this regional initiative are the same people who complain about the high cost of state government and demand steps to trim it.

What is left of the initiative is a hollowed-out version of the Lamont proposal, no longer including any incentives or penalties focused on encouraging regional school districts, but instead creating a toothless Commission on Shared School Services that will provide recommendations on how school districts might work across town lines.

Approved by the Education Committee — Democrats in favor and Republicans against — it stands a good chance to gaining the approval of the full legislature, given Democratic majorities in the House and Senate. But considering the history of such attempts at regional cooperation in Connecticut, it is hard to imagine its recommendations going very far.

The people spoke loudly. Leave things be, whatever the price tag.

The Day editorial board meets with political, business and community leaders to formulate editorial viewpoints. It is composed of President and Publisher Timothy Dwyer, Executive Editor Izaskun E. Larraneta, Owen Poole, copy editor, and Lisa McGinley, retired deputy managing editor. The board operates independently from The Day newsroom.