[Schoolconsolidation] Notes from Wednesday's Meeting

[Michael Richards]

Here are my notes from the meeting with DoE officials.  There were about 50
people in attendance .  I've included the PowerPoint from the presentation.
If you're unable to open the PowerPoint please let me know and I will send
you a jpg version.    There is a summary of the Facilitation Options from
the DoE website.  Here is the link to the
website.<http://www.maine.gov/education/supportingschools/facilitation.html>

Jim Rier, from the DoE was here leading the discussion.

He gave an overview of the law.
Program Objectives:  Basically schools need to be more efficient, preserve
school choice, consistency of delivering programs
Policy Objectives:  All schools must work with others and/or reorganize to
become more efficient
Schools and School Choice:  Every RSU must have a high school (public or
private/public), Choice will continue (whether or not there is a contract)
even if the RSU has its own high school {excess cost the muni would be
responsible for making it up}, Reorganization won't close schools or
displace teachers and students, The law makes it harder to close schools
Clear Budgets:  RSU budget must be K-12, Uniform budget format, RSU budget
meeting, Budget referendum, 3 years into it the community can ask the
citizens if they wish to contineu the budget validations process, A muni may
raise and spend additional funds for a K-8 school to supplement the RSU
budget
Penalties:  If a town opts out of consolidation then The SAU is eligible for
only 50% of the minimum state allocation, The SAU's total cost of education
is reduced by adjusting the cost component for system administration by
half, The SAU is not eligible for a transition adjustment or any comparable
year-over-year transition amount, The SAU receives less favorable
consideration for approval and funding for school construction AND General
Purpose Aid remains at 53.86%

Local Responsibilities
Explore Options (Community) -> Form Reorganization Planning Committee
(Community) -> File Notice of Intent (Each SAU) -> Submit Reorganization
Plan to Commissioner (Each SAU) -> Hold Referendum to Approve the
Reorganization Plan (Each SAU) -> Elect RSU Board (Voters) -> Hire
Superintendent (New RSU Board) -> Vote Annually on RSU Budget (Voters)

Regional Planning Committee Makeup :  Representation from School Units,
Member Municipalities, and General Public within the RSU
Regional Planning Committee Responsibilities:  Hold public meetings to
determine the structure of the RSU board, Negotiations among partnering
units on key issues
{Real and personal school property Existing school indebtedness and lease
obligations Fund balances, trust, reserve funds Transition plan (budget and
personnel policies) School personnel contracts}

Timeline
By August 31st School Districts must file a notice of Intent to file either
a Plan or an Alternative Plan must be submitted to the Commissioner of
Education
    By December 1st, School Districts must submit their reorganization plan
which...Provide comprehensive programming for ALL students, K-12 Meet the
policy objectives Not displace teachers or students, or close any schools
without referendum
Referendum Votes to Accept Consolidation:  By January 15, 2008 – Municipal
referendum on plans approved by December 15, 2007
Cost covered by the Department of Education or On June 10, 2008 – Municipal
referendum on plans received or revised after December 15, 2007 or By
November 4, 2008 –  Last opportunity for SAUs to hold a referendum and pass
plan prior to penalties being incurred

DOE Responsibiliites:  Regional Informational Meetings, Guidelines for
Reorganization Planning Committees (posted on the DoE website  by July 2) ,
Review of Reorganization Plans, Prepare report for Legislature by January
31, 2008 detailing compliance with this statute and any legislation needed
to fully implement this law, Conduct a review of unfunded state mandates and
submit report no later than December 15, 2008, Conduct review of the results
of the validation referenda, Certificates of Organization (State Board),
Notify SADs of Requirement to be RSU as of July 1, 2009, Adopt major
substantive rules to establish criteria to identify efficient,
high-performing school districts by December 1, 2007

Resources for Local Communities:  Facilitators – July 2, 2007   Data
Funding for Reorganization    Funding for Early Start Up    Commissioner's
Office 624-6620   communications.doe at maine.gov

Question and Answer Session
Would this presentation be available for Public Access Channels?  Good
suggestion
When would we have the financial data?  We are trying to get this out
quickly.  It might be a request form based on who you might want to partner
with for the DoE to process.
Would we be forced to join a district if our costs per child are lower than
those around us?  Don't jump the gun because % share might keep the costs
down.
EPS + EPS amount = Total Cost of Education x % of students = Amount that
needs to be raised  (subsidy would be based differently)
Would the reorganization vote be by majority of all voters?  The vote would
be by the majority each SAU not municipality.
Could teachers be reassigned within the RSU?  Not initially and not the
intent of the law  but that would be a RSU negotiated decision.  The law is
about the administrative side not the student side.
Would any negotiated contracts be void after 2009?  No, the existing
contracts will be finished before being rolled into the RSU contracts.
       For SAU who can stand alone, how can we make the cuts that the law
requires with the same student population?  You are going to have to figure
that out and encourage you to reach out and form partnerships.
What defines Administration, system administration, functional
administration?  Intent system administration, aka Superintendent's Office.
If the RSU choose to close a school and the local muni supports it would
after the 3rd year the school to close?  I'm not aware of that in the law.
If two towns already are a SAD one says yes and one says no does that allow
a split?  No, the vote is based on SAD total not local total.
Is cost sharing set in stone?  For a majority of units costs will be shared
under current SAD.  Others who have special cost sharing private special
laws carry into the new agreements but can be opened up for consideration.
There will be many tools to figure out how Wells/Ogunquit,
Kennebunk/Kennebunkport, Arundel would figure out cost sharing and the state
would be active in helping out.
Where is the cost savings when the burdens are already high?  The focus is
suppose to be on the administrative side not student side.
Where is the funding coming from to help reorganize?  The legislature found
the money.
Is their an alignment between state tuition for private schools and how much
of it is reimbursed?  The legislature didn't act on it this session.
If a district started a feasibility study to close a school does this law
prevent this from happening?  Check in with me later as it gets clarified.
How are you going to advocate for us if we can't save money if we can't
reassigned teachers closing schools?  The law does not address those
features.  This was asked by a SAD 71 Board Member.
       How is this going to help our children?  The greater the number of
units implementing changes for students has a minimal impact.  With less
units there should be more efficiencies in delivering instruction.
Can we start our own RPC now?  Yes, as long as the membership is consistent
with the law.





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Mildred L. Day School
Arundel, Maine
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