I'll elaborate just a bit on what Christopher Smith wrote:
You have to Optimise, without removing any staves. This gives you a lower handle in the Staff Tool on each staff that adjusts the staff FOR THAT SYSTEM ONLY. You can still adjust global staff distances with the upper handle.
When I make the adjustment to the first system by dragging the handle, I start from the bottom up; I calculate how much space I'll need (measured in music staff spaces), divide by one fewer than the total number of staves, and move the bottommost staff up by that quantity. Then clicking on lower handle of the next staff from the bottom, while holding down the shift key, (which selects both of the bottom two staves), I'll move both staves up by that same quantity, and then repeat as neaded for subsequent staves in the first sytem.
I don't see where you mention the version of Finale that you're using; but both versions (select a handle and drag, and by means of the menu options) work at least as far back as Finale 2k, though they may be in a different space in earlier versions.
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