HOULTON, Maine — Hopes for a new regional high school, funded by the state, for four local school districts may have hit a snag this past week when officials learned their project was not the top choice by the Maine Department of Education.
The MDOE revealed its rankings for three proposed regional high school projects on Wednesday afternoon. Those rankings showed a proposal that would create one regional high school for grades 9-12 for RSU 29 (Houlton area), SAD 70 (Hodgdon area), SAD 14 (Danforth), RSU 50 (Southern Aroostook) and the Region Two School of Applied Technology was second out of three projects.
Katahdin Middle-High School was originally part of the plan, but is no longer included in the consolidation effort after withdrawing from RSU 50 back in November.
“We are number 2 on the initial priority list,” confirmed Ellen Halladay, superintendent for RSU 29 (Houlton, Littleton, Monticello and Hammond). “Now there is a 30 day appeal process. After that, they will designate project(s) to the approved projects list. So while I am disappointed we aren’t No. 1, I do think that there is reason to hope that they may fund more than one project. Certainly that is the message we have received.”
The top ranking went to the St. John Valley, which includes SAD 27 (Fort Kent area), SAD 33 (Frenchville), the Madawaska School District, and the St. John Valley Technology Center, which would join forces to build a Valley United Regional High School in the St. John Valley.
Local administrators and board members first learned their project was among the top three selected as finalists for the pilot project back in July.
The St. John Valley collaborative scored 160 total points, while the southern Aroostook project was second with 150 points and the third project, involving schools from the Dover-Foxcroft, Dexter and Greenville area, was third with 145 points.
Next in the process is a 30-day review period for each applicant to look over the process for any errors they feel may have been made with the DOE’s point totals. After that, the state commissioner of education has 30 days to go over any appeals and to finalize the “commissioner’s approved list” to bring back to the State Board of Education.
Once the State Board of Education approves the commissioner’s list, a determination will be made concerning which projects on the list will get funded.
The intent of the Integrated, Consolidated 9–16 Educational Facility Pilot Project is to encourage neighboring school districts with declining enrollments to work together to combine resources and save costs. The preferred project, according to the state, would combine three or more high schools to create a new regional high school integrated with a career and technical education school and with the University of Maine System and the Maine Community College System.
“I am not at all surprised by the outcome,” RSU 50 Superintendent Todd LeRoy said. “I felt from the beginning that the Fort Kent, Madawaska and St. Agatha group had the inside track. They have been working voluntarily to establish a consolidated high school for some time and were the farthest along in the process. It makes sense they would be at the top of the list.”
He added that state officials have indicated to the schools that the top two projects may receive approval as funds for the pilot project are due to double from $100 million to $200 million.
“I believe we are still very much in the hunt for our own 9-16 consolidated high school,” he said.
SAD 70 Superintendent Scott Richardson added he was not disappointed by the announcement.
“The state and the DOE are committed to going forward with Regional Comprehensive 9-16 High Schools,” Richardson said. “We scored very well and it is still unclear what projects will be funded by the state.”
Being second on the list of schools is not necessarily a bad thing, he added.
“If we do not receive the first round of funding, we should be well on track to receive future rounds of funding as they become available,” Richardson said. “It may be an advantage to our region to have extra time to figure out next steps and to see how the project rolls out in the St. John Valley.”
Richardson also congratulated the Valley for being the top choice.
“I am very excited for the Valley and want to extend my congratulations,” he said. “They have worked very hard to get to this point in the process.”
St. John Valley Times reporter Don Eno contributed to this story.
