Gary school officials are finally doing what they should have done long ago. They're planning to close 12 schools and change the way secondary education is delivered.

Gary Community School Corp. has to cut $23 million in 2010 because of the property tax caps.

House Bill 1001, the tax cap legislation, is forcing many decisions, like this one, that should have been made long ago but no longer can be postponed.

School Board President Nellie Moore said the school closings could result in the elimination of 50 to 75 jobs.

That's not as bad as it sounds. Gary's traditional public schools have been losing students rapidly. Since last year alone, they have lost nearly 1,000 students to charter schools.

The shrinking enrollment should be met with commensurate shrinkage of spending.

Now that the property tax caps are forcing the School Board to cut spending, some results are already being seen. For the current school year, $8 million was cut from the school system's budget.

"We put several things on hold, including a plan to convert Horace Mann High School into the school service center and renovation of some bathrooms. We also reduced the staff," she said.

Beginning in 2009, the district would close McCullough Girls Academy, Benjamin Banneker Achievement Center, Ivanhoe, Ernie Pyle, Vohr and Kuny elementary schools; Dunbar-Pulaski, Tolleston and Bailly middle schools; Wirt High School; Martin Luther King Academy; Gary Area Career Center; and Chase Alternative School.

The remaining high schools would become "themed" schools serving grades 7 through 12.

Gary should seize this financial crunch as an opportunity not only to cut costs but also make some major changes in the way education is delivered in the city.

This consolidation is long overdue. And it's a start. Move forward with the common sense plan to close schools and redistrict.