According to Superintendent Gehrig Johnson, “not much new information” has been released at this time.
“A lot of us aren’t getting real excited about this,” Johnson told directors at last Wednesday night’s meeting. “Once this gets on the floor of the Legislature, that’s when it becomes a whole new ballgame. We’ll be watching how things unfold and update you accordingly.”
Johnson circulated a legislative update on the proposed school administrative reorganization plan. The Appropriations’ subcommittee on education made a final presentation to the full Appropriations Committee April 11, adding several more details to its proposal. If adopted by the Appropriations Committee, the proposal would replace Gov. John E. Baldacci’s earlier proposal, ‘Local Schools, Regional Support Initiative.”
The purpose of the proposed bill is to provide:
• Equitable educational opportunities for all students.
• Rigorous academic programs.
• Uniformity in the delivery of the academic programs that meet the requirements of Maine’s Learning Results standards.
• Greater uniformity of school tax rates.
• Efficient use of limited resources to achieve long-term sustainability and financial predictability.
• More effective use of public funds through creating efficiencies and administrative structures that allow for more organized and regular delivery of professional development.
• Preservation and enhancement of existing opportunities for school choice.
• Opportunities to deliver services more effectively than would be possible in smaller units.
There would be no more than 80 regional school units (RSUs). Most RSUs will have a minimum of 2,500 students; some units would have fewer than 2,500 students because of “geographic, demographic, economic, transportation, population density or other unique circumstances.” All communities would have to be part of a RSU and could not “opt out.”
Existing units with more than 2,500 students would not be automatically exempted from the reorganization process. All units would be reviewed for possible reorganization and partnership with other nearby units as part of an overall plan to ensure no more than 80 regional school units.
Under the proposal, reorganized regional school units are required to be in place by July 1, 2008, and all RSUs would have a single governing board, with optional local advisory councils with locally determined functions.
Johnson said he would provide directors updated information – if available – at the May 23 board meeting.
In other news, Charles Anderson, SAD 1’s business administrator, gave directors a brief overview of the proposed 2008 budget.
“With so much focus at the state level on regionalization,” said Anderson, “we still do not have a final printout of state subsidy for next year. Based on what we do know today, we are preparing next year’s budget proposal with various guidelines in mind.”
Those guidelines include:
• A decrease in total local property taxes for SAD 1 educational programs.
• A fairly substantial increase in state support as the state funding mechanism ramps up to a full 55 percent state share of defined educational costs.
• Provision for previously negotiated increases in wages and benefits for all employees.
• No net change in teaching staff.
• An improvement in the district’s overall financial position to reduce or eliminate the need for short-term borrowing.
• Recognition of revenues and expenses associated with providing services to other school units.
“Until we receive the final funding numbers from the state, we’re unable to present more details,” said Anderson, “but this gives you an idea of what we can expect.”
Also at last week’s SAD 1 meeting, directors:
• Accepted the resignation of Michael Willette, a science teacher at Presque Isle High School.
• Approved the transfer of Leslee Mahon as guidance counselor at Presque Isle Middle School to director of the district’s gifted and talented program.
• Approved amendments to the district’s policy regarding questioning and searches of students.
“What this does is tighten up our policy for search and seizure of our buildings,” said Johnson.
The next SAD 1 board meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 23 in the board conference room at Presque Isle High School.
