District consolidation is a highly emotional process. One key to success is sticking to the facts. In Iowa, school districts facing financial difficulties or enrollment concerns do not have to move directly to consolidation. In many cases, districts begin by developing sharing agreements. These sharing agreements may start with simple sharing of athletic teams, teachers, or administrators. The more complex agreements involve sharing students for academics, including one-way whole grade sharing and two-way whole grade sharing. This article discusses the consolidation of two once-rival school districts in Iowa. Based on the lessons learned from the journey to consolidation, the author offers some dos and don'ts.