Reorganization Update - July 18, 2008

Reorganization Update, Maine Department of Education

Second RSU is a First

Five communities in four school districts became the second voter-approved RSU in the state last month. But they were also a first. While RSU #1 in Bath, West Bath and surrounding communities became a new school unit first, the new KIDS RSU is the first to be approved by voters under the School Administrative Reorganization Law passed in June 2007. The Kennebec Intra-District Schools RSU is comprised of Hallowell and Farmingdale (MSAD 16), Richmond, Monmouth, and Dresden.

Voters in the five communities overwhelmingly supported the reorganization, with 79 percent voting in favor at the June 10 referendum.

RSU #1 was created under a special law at the request of the participating communities before the Reorganization Law was enacted.

At a press conference/celebration at Hall-Dale Elementary School in June, Education Commissioner Susan A. Gendron congratulated the people who helped create the first regional school unit to be approved by voters under the state’s new reorganization law. She presented a Commissioner’s Award to members of the reorganization planning committee that made it happen.

“At the heart of your conversations was the enhancement of learning,” Gendron said. “Your work really highlights what this legislation was about.”

Other speakers echoed and spoke in more detail about the student-focused approach that led to success. They noted that they started working on reorganization in January 2007, before the law even passed five months later.

Read the press release about the approval of KIDS RSU.

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Facilities Analysis for Proposed RSUs
By Michael McCormick

The Maine Department of Education Reorganization Team is providing facilities analysis services to assist Reorganization Planning Committees (RPCs) in a review of the potential use and impact of school facilities and school operations for the purposes of discussions deemed necessary to the reorganization planning process.

The Department is offering this service in support of statewide school administrative reorganization in an effort to support RPCs, Regional School Units and the public in the area of school facilities and operations. These plans will allow stakeholders to be able to do better long-range facilities planning and have more complete information with which to make operational decisions as they create new school units. Creating a shared vision for the future of school facilities is part of the process in forming an RSU, and having a factual framework within which to create that vision is part of gaining public support as they prepare for these new units.

The facilities analysis will consider:

allocation of space to Maine standards for learning environments;
condition and appropriateness of space;
student demographics;
cost of annual maintenance and operations;
cost of deferred work;
cost of future capital renewals; and
current and possible future debt service.

Potential savings will be identified that may be achieved as a result of regionalization, and is primary objective of this planning. Opportunities for “cost avoidance” will be studied and a major component of this effort.

McCormick Facility Management Consultants of Dexter has been selected to perform this effort. The process will employ comprehensive data-gathering and analysis using McCormick’s cutting edge technology, and the experiences of educators and facilities professionals employed by their organization.

McCormick Facility Management Consultants has been specializing in school facilities operations for more than 15 years. Our team of licensed facility planners and educators has developed unique processes for reviewing and predicting school operational costs and long-term master planning. Our trademarked applications have saved school districts operational dollars, reduced future costs, and provided long-term plans for facility improvements and capital renewal.

Michael McCormick is principal of M E McCormick Consultants. He can be reached at 207-924-5762 or mmccormick@memccormick.com.

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The Tally

Commissioner Gendron approved several more alternative plans and one more reorganization plan in recent weeks, bringing the total to 32 approved alternative plans and six reorganization plans. Two of the reorganization plans have been approved by voters; one was rejected; and three still to go to voters.

The six reorganization plans, if approved by voters, would reduce 18 school administrative units to six. Overall, the Reorganization Law calls for reducing Maine’s 290 school units to fewer than 80. The Department believes that number is still achievable.

The latest reorganization plan approved was submitted by SADs 34 (Belfast) and 56 (Searsport). The plan is expected to go to voters in those two school units at the Nov. 4 elections. Read more about the SAD 34/56 reorganization plan approval.

SADs 53 (Pittsfield) and 59 (Madison) narrowly rejected their reorganization plan at a June 10 referendum. SAD 53 voters approved the plan, as did voters in all the communities of SAD 59 except Madison, where a narrow majority of voters rejected the plan. SAD 53 and SAD 59 are both exploring options.

The KIDS RSU was approved overwhelmingly by voters at the June 10 referendum. The Kennebec Intra-Districts Schools RSU includes Hall-Dale (SAD 16), Richmond, Monmouth, and Dresden, and was approved by almost 80 percent of the voters. Read more about the KIDS RSU above.

As expected, the initial wave of approvals was comprised mostly alternative plans, which required no negotiations among separate school units. A number of units are closing in on completion of their reorganization plans, including:

Old Orchard Beach, Saco, Dayton
Windham and Raymond
MSAD 9 (Farmington) and MSAD 58 (Kingfield)
MSAD 5 and MSAD 50
SAD 4 (Guilford) and SAD 46 (Dexter)
Poland/Minot/Mechanic Falls
MSAD 37 and Jonesport-Beals (Moosabec CSD) and several other communities

In the Ellsworth area, most of the members of Union 92 and all of the members of Flanders Bay CSD/Union 96 are moving to merge with Ellsworth. They are scheduled to meet tonight to decide whether or not to invite Airline CSD to join with them. Surry, a member of Union 92, is looking to join up with the Blue Hill/Deer Isle group. Trenton, also in Union 92, has indicated interest in joining MDI; MDI’s RPC voted recently to invite Trenton into its planning process.

Several RPCs have explored the alternative organizational structure (AOS) as an option and rejected it. Others are moving forward with it. This structure was established in the amendments to the Reorganization Law passed on April 18. The grouping that includes Machias, East Machias and several other towns is working on an AOS. The Maranacook CSD group, that also includes Fayette and Winthrop, is looking to switch from a standard RSU to the AOS structure. Mount Desert Island is working to complete its reorganization plan for an AOS. And several communities in the St. John Valley are exploring the AOS as an option. Others are still considering which model will work best for them.

See the status of all reorganization plans.

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On the Web

New on the Planning and Resources page:

Sample Communications Document.
Template for RPCs to customize with specific information from their reorganization plan to be shared with voters prior to referendum.

New on the Plans and Responses page:

Updated summary of all plans to date, showing 32 alternative plans, six reorganization plans.

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Q&A

The Q&A page of the website has been updated with these and more questions.

Q: Can a municipality withdraw from an SAD or CSD in order to join a different RSU than the rest of the SAD or CSD plans to join?

A: No. There is no longer any provision in law for a member to withdraw form an SAD or CSD, which would be required in order for the municipality to go its own way. Note that a school “union” is not a school administrative unit (SAU), but rather an association of SAUs. Thus members of a union may go separate ways. Note, too, that in some unions members are also members of a CSD which, as noted above, cannot break apart.

Q: Does an alternative organizational structure board of directors have to be an elected board?

A: An alternative organizational structure (AOS) board of directors can be elected by the voters at referendum OR be appointed from the elected local school committees if it is clearly articulated in the reorganization plan for the AOS and approved by the voters at referendum.

Q: UPDATED: If a municipality raises additional local funds for a school, are those funds part of the RSU budget? (This question was previously on the website and has been updated to provide clarification.)

A: While this amount would be voted on by only one municipality in accordance with a specific warrant article, these funds must be reflected in the RSU budget and be included in the budget, budget validation, auditing, chart of accounts, etc. for which the RSU is responsible. See Sections 1478(3), 1481-A, last paragraph and 1483(1)(A).