More regionalization of Long Island's educational services - for example, through the opening of magnet schools - would expand student opportunities and boost a sagging economy, according to a new foundation report that finds surprising public support for the concept.

The Rauch Foundation's annual Long Island Index report, to be released this morning, finds increased regionalization would especially help teens in low-income, racially segregated districts, by sharpening skills for a future job market. While some outside experts dispute its conclusions, a Rauch-funded poll suggests strong public backing.

For example, the poll finds that 67 percent of Long Islanders say they would support limited transfers of students from failing school districts to more successful ones. Moreover, two-thirds of Island residents favor creation of regional magnet schools for talented students - a surprise in a region where educational leaders once blocked a governor's efforts to establish just such a school. And 73 percent would back regional pooling of commercial property taxes to spread revenues more evenly among districts.

"Raising student achievement will also help us rebuild Long Island's economic engine," said Nancy Rauch Douzinas, the foundation's president. "We need to look for opportunities to change and improve our schools, rather than simply accepting what has always been."

The Garden City-based foundation seeks to improve the Island's quality of life, especially for disadvantaged children. Survey results are based on interviews with more than 1,000 Island residents conducted by phone last fall. The findings are to be reviewed this morning at a Hofstra University forum.

LI Index analysts acknowledge that regional cooperation would represent a major shift, on an Island better known for rampant localism. Nassau and Suffolk counties are home to 124 independent school districts - one of the nation's most balkanized regions.

Even some strong supporters of a regional approach are skeptical of the poll findings.

"You have to take these surveys as an indication, perhaps, of citizens wanting to say the right thing," said Lee Koppelman, director of the Center for Regional Policy Studies at Stony Brook University. "But it's not the same as reality."

Case in point: In 1985, then-Gov. Mario Cuomo called for opening state-funded magnet schools, including a regional high school for math, science and technology in Hauppauge. Elected local school boards and superintendents lobbied against the idea, arguing that such a school might steal away their best students.

Cuomo's plan never got off the ground.

LI Index analysts maintain such fears are groundless, that talented students usually stay in local schools that offer specialized instruction they need. Experience in other parts of the country suggests students generally transfer to magnet schools only when schools nearer their homes can't meet their needs.

While acknowledging the Island is home to some of the nation's finest school districts, analysts point out there are glaring inequities between districts. For example, the report finds that only 47 percent of teenage students in the most disadvantaged fifth of Island districts passed Regents math exams in 2005-06. In contrast, more than 70 percent of students in all other districts passed math exams that year.

Achievement would rise, the report suggests, if additional funding could be found for such districts - for example, through pooling of commercial taxes.

Not all experts agree that investing more money in the Island's poorer districts will necessarily boost the economy. Raymond Keating, chief economist with the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council, headquartered outside Washington, said even districts considered poor on the Island spend more money per capita than many affluent districts elsewhere.

"We have some of the highest school costs in the country in terms of taxes and union pay," said Keating, who lives in Center Moriches. "When entrepreneurs look at these things, it just screams out to locate someplace else."

SCHOOL TAX INCREASE

Amagansett $3.37

Amityville $130.78

Babylon $135.88

Baldwin $162.12

Bay Shore $159.88

Bayport-

Blue Point $154.54

Bellmore $61.03

Bellmore-

Merrick $67.55

Bethpage $120.44

Brentwood $325.67

Bridgehampton $3.85

Carle Place $88.98

Center Moriches $177.42

Central Islip $266.12

Cold Spring Harbor $70.09

Commack $138.63

Comsewogue $164.95

Connetquot $133.93

Copiague $202.73

Deer Park $155.30

East Hampton $21.85

East Islip $192.40

East Meadow $145.63

East Moriches $94.53

East Quogue $35.13

East Rockaway $123.34

East Williston $77.99

Eastport-

South Manor $185.32

Elmont $98.13

Elwood $141.90

Farmingdale $130.32

Fire Island $1.72

Fishers Island $11.30

Floral Park-Bellerose $62.49

Franklin Square $69.32

Freeport $226.83

Garden City $74.00

Glen Cove City $81.37

Great Neck $51.43

Greenport $51.26

Half Hollow Hills $95.33

Hampton Bays $69.86

Harborfields $138.96

Hauppauge $81.01

Hempstead $312.35

Herricks $91.18

Hewlett-

Woodmere $89.51

Hicksville $101.87

Huntington $92.02

Island Park $50.48

Island Trees $168.85

Islip $178.80

Jericho $69.81

Kings Park $128.01

Lawrence $52.38

Levittown $178.92

Lindenhurst $208.83

Locust Valley $47.81

Long Beach City $81.08

Longwood $164.30

Lynbrook $129.20

Malverne $111.63

Manhasset $49.45

Massapequa $118.33

Mattituck-

Cutchogue $52.15

Merrick $61.78

Middle Country $183.24

Miller Place $163.56

Mineola $76.57

Montauk $10.20

Mount Sinai $173.51

New Hyde Park-

Garden City Park $54.91

North Babylon $198.58

North Bellmore $81.15

North Merrick $87.40

North Shore $71.73

Northport-

East Northport $79.28

Oceanside $126.33

Oyster Bay-

East Norwich $42.05

Oysterponds $10.75

Patchogue-

Medford $181.62

Plainedge $159.57

Plainview-

Old Bethpage $106.47

Port Jefferson $47.71

Port Washington $68.51

Quogue $3.99

Remsenburg-

Speonk $13.30

Riverhead $87.64

Rockville Centre $101.95

Rocky Point $199.31

Roosevelt $303.92

Roslyn $78.30

Sachem $164.56

Sag Harbor $21.41

Sayville $168.30

Seaford $133.14

Sewanhaka $70.94

Shelter Island $13.77

Shoreham-

Wading River $109.44

Smithtown $130.28

South Country $163.02

South Huntington $124.13

Southampton $11.87

Southold $40.62

Springs $23.63

Syosset $83.48

Three Village $123.56

Tuckahoe $21.97

Uniondale $152.74

Valley Stream 13 $77.28

Valley Stream 24 $77.77

Valley Stream 30 $71.53

Valley Stream

Central $74.12

Wantagh $162.41

West Babylon $184.31

West Hempstead $128.58

West Islip $181.88

Westbury $163.20

Westhampton

Beach $57.90

William Floyd $270.27

Wyandanch $314.39

- Source:

New York State

Education Department;

Fiscal Policy Institute

WHAT THEY SAID

A majority of Long Islanders surveyed favored regionalization of school services, including the creation of magnet schools.

Do you favor or oppose offering a limited number of children in failing school districts the chance to attend better schools in nearby districts?

Overall Whites Blacks Latinos

Strongly/somewhat favor 67% 64% 79% 76%

Strongly/somewhat oppose 27% 31% 19% 13%

Don't know/refused 7% 7% 3% 12%

If there was room, would you support or oppose allowing some students from a nearby failing school district to attend schools in yours?

Overall Whites Blacks Latinos

Strongly/somewhat favor 64% 60% 75% 71%

Strongly/somewhat oppose 30% 33% 22% 18%

Don't know/refused 7% 7% 3% 12%

Do you favor or oppose the consolidation of school districts if it would help to include children of all racial and ethnic backgrounds in the same district?

Overall Whites Blacks Latinos

Strongly/somewhat favor 64% 61% 82% 77%

Strongly/somewhat oppose 19% 33% 15% 15%

Don't know/refused 8% 7% 3% 8%

Do you favor or oppose pooling commercial property taxes, so that they are distributed evenly across all school districts in your county?

Overall Whites Blacks Latinos

Strongly/somewhat favor 73% 69% 82% 80%

Strongly/somewhat oppose 21% 25% 10% 10%

Don't know/refused 6% 6% 4% 10%

Do you favor or oppose the creation of magnet schools for talented students from different school districts on Long Island?

Overall

Strongly/somewhat favor 66%

Strongly/somewhat oppose 28%

Don't know/refused 8%

Whites

Strongly/somewhat favor 63%

Strongly/somewhat oppose 29%

Don't know/refused 8%

Blacks

Strongly/somewhat favor 76%

Strongly/somewhat oppose 20%

Don't know/refused 4%

Latinos

Strongly/somewhat favor 75%

Strongly/somewhat oppose 17%

Don't know/refused 9%

NOTES: Telephone survey of 1,000 Long Island residents conducted last fall. Margin of error 3.4 percentage points. Some data may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.

SOURCE: LONG ISLAND INDEX