Currents in Education
School consolidation questions loom as deadline nears
By Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK and OGUNQUIT - And the answer is: we don't know yet.
That is, in a nutshell, the way many local officials continue to feel about the school consolidation plan expected to be coming down from Augusta at any time.
Most recently, on Monday, May 21, a bipartisan working group and the Maine Rural Caucus each presented proposals to the Education Committee, the same day that the Maine Department of Education released a suggested model for consolidation that had Ogunquit joined in a district with Wells, the Kennebunks and Arundel, and York and Kittery together in a district of their own.
Ask local school and town officials what this all means, however, and they'll tell you that too many questions still remain to know for sure, as the Appropriations Committee had not yet put forward a plan to the full Legislature as of Tuesday.
Gov. John Baldacci included school regionalization in his proposed state budget back in January, with an estimated $36.5 million in savings tagged as coming from the consolidation plans. That recommendation then went to the Education Committee, which came up with an alternate plan, and is in the hands now of the Appropriations Committee, which is expected to make its recommendation to the full Legislature as early as the end of this week.
"Appropriations is under the timeline of getting a budget out that includes the consolidation by this Friday," York Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henry Scipione said Monday before traveling to Augusta for meetings on Tuesday.
The model for regional school units released by the Department of Education Monday afternoon is based on the requirements that are set forth in the Appropriations Committee's current proposed amendment to the governor's initial proposal. Specifically, that there be no more than 80 regional school units statewide, each RSU have at least one publicly supported secondary school and serve no fewer than 2,500 resident students except under special circumstances such as geographic isolation.
RSU 57, including Arundel, the Kennebunks, Wells and Ogunquit, would have 4.217 students with two secondary schools: Kennebunk High School and Wells High School.
RSU 58, comprised of York and Kittery, would have 3,049 students with York High School and Traip Academy listed as its two secondary schools.
While the Department of Education model shows York and Kittery together in one regional school unit that is just 30 students shy of the size of the current School Administrative District 60, which includes Berwick, North Berwick and Lebanon, Scipione said new plans have been presented for the committee's consideration.
"They have opt-outs with penalties attached, but in both cases, the penalties are yet to be defined," Scipione said.
Later in the day on Monday, working groups comprised of representatives from the Appropriations and Education committees, rural legislators and others unveiled two plans for carrying out the reorganization.
Plan A would provide for all school districts subject to consolidation with other districts to vote on school consolidation in January. Those that vote for consolidation would be required to do so by July 1, 2008. School districts voting not to consolidate would be required to consolidate and be operational by July 1, 2009 or face penalties that are in addition to the proposed modification to General Purpose Aid for education in fiscal 2009.
On July 1, 2008, the state would cut its General Purpose Aid to Education by $36.5 million "that impacts all school districts to reflect administrative reorganization," the plan draft states, and, one year from that date, additional penalties would be assessed on school districts that have not consolidated. The plan calls for 80 districts with a range in size of 1,200 to 2,500 students, based on county population, with an executive board assisted by local school committees.
The plan also states that districts not required to consolidate must submit a report to the commissioner of education by Dec. 1 explaining the means by which administrative savings will be achieved to meet the reduction in Essential Programs and Services funding.
Plan B was developed prior to founding of the working group by a bipartisan subcommittee of more than 30 people known as the "Rural Caucus." While some items are similar between the two, Plan B has a different timeline, with an option for districts prepared to consolidate to vote in January for implementation in July of 2008 and all remaining districts to vote in June of 2008 for implementation in July of 2009.
Plan B calls for all new school units to be operational no later than July 1, 2009, and includes the same $36.5 million modification in General Purpose Aid.
However, there is no maximum number of districts, and population density will determine whether the district is required to have a minimum of 1,200 students or 2,500 students.
The final determination to partner with other districts will be made by the voters, according to the plan.
Noted in the report among "Issues not addressed or that need definition" is a provision for "high performing and administratively efficient districts that meet criteria for administrative fiscal efficiency and high academic performance." No details are available on that issue.
Plan B states that, "Collaboration to achieve savings above the $36.5 million modification includes, but is not limited to, purchasing of equipment and supplies, purchasing for food and fuel, transportation of students and maintenance of vehicles, preparation of payroll, book-keeping, etc."
Scipione pointed out that both the School Committee and Board of Selectmen have been adamant that there should be a local vote on whether to consolidate.
That position was reiterated by the majority of the selectmen at their meeting Monday night.
"It's still a moving target. It may have changed while we were sitting here," said Selectman Dwight Bardwell.
Bardwell pointed out that Maine Rep. Windol Weaver, R-York, and Sen. Peter Bowman, D-Kittery, have come out in opposition to the plan.
"We're not really sure where Dawn Hill stands," he told his fellow board members, asking for their support to draft a letter explaining the board's opposition to the state mandate.
Selectmen Vice Chairman Dave Marshall agreed.
"I haven't heard one person in her constituency area say this might be a good idea" for local communities, he said.
Any plan that would be acceptable to the town, Bardwell said, must have an opt-out provision, a local vote and an extended timeline.
"It's certainly better to keep local control and pay something, if it's reasonable, than to have the state overtake our school system," he said. "... Right now June 30 is the drop-dead date. June 30 is the date the state stops paying people if they don't have a budget."
Chairman Mike Estes said consolidation should not be a mandate from the state but a local decision.
"There's a lot of things at stake about educational quality and all that stuff," he said, agreeing the board should let each of its local legislators know the town's position.
Selectman Ted Little pointed out that there is a force in numbers for officials and residents to oppose the plan.
"We're a little town and we're very careful where we spend our money," Marshall said, pointing out the state's plans have included making the town charter null and void and taking over local school property but leaving the debt behind.
John D'Aquila of the School Committee pointed out last week that the individual towns should be able to decide their own fates.
"I don't think anybody thinks that some level of consolidation at some point isn't necessary," Bardwell said, but stressed it should not be forced on the town.
Meeting last week, the York School Committee continued to express concern about what the plan that ultimately comes out of committee will mean for York.
"I don't see any fairness in this for us down here," said Vice Chairwoman Marilyn Zotos.
Chairwoman Patty Hymanson pointed out that while some level of consolidation makes sense, it is a question of what those changes will be and when and how they will occur.
"It can't come this quickly," she said. "It's not fair to our kids."
Zotos, like the Board of Selectmen, disputed whether York will see any savings at all.
"The taxpayers are being sold a bill of goods," Zotos said, predicting the plan will save funds at the state level, but not a penny at the local level as York will become a "donor town" to Augusta and to a regional unit.
Bardwell told the selectmen the issue is one to watch.
"This is really changing daily. ... The people in Augusta, truly, do not know from day to day where this thing is going to fall," Bardwell said.
As Scipione put it, "It's a freight train coming down the tracks."
To find out more about the current state plans, visit http://www.maine.gov/education.
