An Order to Facilitate School Administrative Unit Reorganization

June 19, 2009

30 FY 08/09

WHEREAS, effective and efficient delivery of education services in the State is paramount to the future of the State; and

WHEREAS, I proposed and the Legislature approved a law in 2007 directing school administrative units to reorganize their structures in order to reduce the administrative cost burden on local and state taxpayers; and

WHEREAS, the majority of school administrative units undertook the difficult work of finding partners to work with, and many obtained voter approval to reorganize their school units; and

WHEREAS, the work to reorganize continues in some districts; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature enacted and I signed legislation to delay the funding penalties for those units for one year; and

WHEREAS, that delay will allow districts working in good faith to further pursue administrative reform; and

WHEREAS, the Commissioner of the Department of Education has directed the department’s resources toward furthering reorganization efforts; and

WHEREAS, school units that have not complied with the reorganization law are being given additional time, for the sole purpose of enabling them to come into compliance;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, John Elias Baldacci, Governor of the State of Maine do hereby order the following:

That the Commissioner of the Department of Education continue efforts to facilitate school administrative reorganization among the school administrative units, which represent about 12 percent of the State’s students, that have not come into compliance with PL 2007, chapter 240, Part XXXX by July 1, 2009. The Commissioner is directed to confer with representatives of each of the school administrative units that are not in compliance with the reorganization law, to determine the reasons for delay; and to determine whether current law allows sufficient flexibility for units to come into compliance. The Commissioner is directed to report to me no later than January 1, 2010 with any recommendations for changes needed to assist all school administrative units with the reorganization law, and to further assist all units.

Effective Date

The effective date of this Executive Order is June 19, 2009

John E. Baldacci, Governor