Gendron Releases Reorganization Update
156 Notices of Intent filed as of Thursday morning, the day before the deadline
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 30, 2007
AUGUSTA - A day before the deadline for school administrative units to file their Notices of Intent regarding school administrative reorganization plans or alternative plans, the state Department of Education released an updated list of Notices filed so far.
As of Thursday morning, the Department had received notices from 156 school units. Some units that are still considering more than one possible course of action filed more than one Notice of Intent.
Education Commissioner Susan A. Gendron said school units and communities around the state are doing excellent work in finding ways for units to partner to create educational opportunities and to generate savings. She cited several examples of that work:
- Westbrook, Windham and Raymond. "Two of the three communities are not required by the Reorganization Law to partner because of their size, yet all three are talking about the educational opportunities that could be created, the possibility of varied opportunities for students at each of the two high schools, and they are exploring the potential savings of such a merger."
- SAD 47, China, Vassalboro. "After some uncertainty about who they would partner with, China and Vassalboro have now been approached by SAD 47 with an invitation to talk about joining together in a new Regional School Unit. While other units expressed concerns about the two towns' school choice and how it would affect them, SAD 47 has indicated it is interested in building a first-class educational system and wants the towns to be a part of it. They believe that some day a majority of students in those towns will want to go to their high school. The units are talking about the possibility of filing an amended Notice of Intent."
- SAD 9, SAD 58, Coplin Plantation. "SAD 58 was initially identified as an efficient, high-performing unit according to the Reorganization Law's criteria, and could have been exempted from the requirements to reorganize. But they chose instead to explore all their options. Meanwhile, SAD 9's superintendent had the wisdom to hold off on interpreting the financial analysis that initially appeared to be negative, followed up with the Department, and was able to present to his board an explanation of the finances showing that the partnership would not harm their units, and would provide educational opportunities and potential for savings."
- Falmouth, SAD 51. "Here we have two superintendents, one of them a former business executive, with successful school systems working together to enhance educational programming."
"Throughout the state we are finding the conversations shifting from strictly finances to an exploration of the educational opportunities," Gendron said. "Potential partners are looking at each other's strengths and having positive conversations about the opportunities that can be created for kids - that's what this is about, creating the best educational opportunities for students, and using our limited financial resources in the best way possible to support that."
Gendron acknowledged the financial concerns raised in some communities following the Department's provision of financial templates to many units around the state. Gendron noted that the templates were always intended as a first step, one tool, in the examination of financial data.
"The template is a picture in time - if these units were merged today, what would the relative burdens look like?" Gendron said. "In the vast majority of cases, what the templates show is that the burdens would be about the same as before the merger, and that's before any discussion about possible savings. That leaves open the door to more in-depth discussions and the building of a budget based on the educational vision of the combined units, that achieves savings in central administration and overhead that could be shifted to the classroom."
The financials are complex, and Gendron said the Department has offered and will continue to offer guidance to school units on understanding them. Ultimately, she said, it's up to school units to be creative and find ways to make the finances work.
"You can use the finances to find ways to say 'no,' or you can say - as so many units have - this is the right thing to do to create opportunities for our students and find ways to make the finances work," Gendron said. "I am very encouraged by the work that's been done to date and the groundwork it has laid for the work ahead."
Gendron has said she will reply to all units by Sept. 14 as to whether their Notices of Intent comply with the law and, if not, with specific information about why they do not and suggestions for bringing them into compliance. The law calls for no more than 80 units and for units to have 2,500 or more students unless that number is impractical, and in no case fewer than 1,200 students.
More details of the Reorganization Law and planning and resources information can be found online at www.maine.gov/education. Click on the School Administrative Reorganization logo. |
