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School Consolidation
Reorganization Planning Committee Members
Reorganization Plan
9/4/2007
To All the Citizens of Union #42/CSD #10,
If you have had a chance to read the paper, many of our school, municipal, and citizen representatives have been attending meetings with local area schools such as Fayette, Winthrop, Monmouth, and others to determine whether we can join together, or not, into a new RSU (Regional School Unit). Each SAU (School Administrative Unit), within your school system of Union #42, which is comprised of Mt. Vernon, Readfield, Manchester, Wayne, and CSD #10 (your regional middle and high school), has elected or appointed a representative from their school board, a municipal leader from their town government, and a citizen from their community to serve on a RPC (Regional Planning Committee). A full listing of these representatives are included on the District Website. The RPC must work together to submit a Reorganization Plan to the Department of Education by December 1, 2007 so that the citizens can vote on whether to accept the plan or not, by referendum vote, by as early as January 15,
2008.
Whew! Did you get all that? Just from this short explanation you can guess how confusing and complex this process is, and will continue to be, over the next few months. The law requiring consolidation has many areas in it that are being interpreted, at the State and local level, as we speak and right now the process is day-to-day.
This is what I know:
1. By the time you read this, all the SAU’s in Union #42 will have filed their “Notice of Intent” with the DOE because the deadline was August 31. This notice declares which towns, beyond our Union #42 borders, we want to partner with. As I write this, we are considering joining with Winthrop and Fayette and have been meeting with them periodically to share data and reasons why we should unite.
2. As soon as the Commissioner of Education accepts the Notice of Intent, the RPC will formally come together and engage in planning and negotiations with the other SAUs for the purpose of developing a reorganization plan to form a RSU.
3. Sometime in September we are going to hold public meetings to try to explain this whole process for all our citizens and answer any questions you may have. We have held off on meetings at this point because understanding the process has been very difficult, the data from school systems has not been clear, and time has been very short to do all that is needed to be done to meet the August 31 deadline.
4. As citizens and taxpayers of the communities of Manchester, Mt. Vernon, Readfield, and Wayne, you will have a chance to vote as to whether you agree, or not, with the choice of partners and the reorganization plan, in our new proposed RSU.
5. Agree or not, July 1, 2009 is the latest start date for the RSUs approved at referendum after January 15, 2008 and by November 4, 2008. If we avoid the task the State will impose substantial financial penalties.
Once we have a clearer understanding of which direction we’re going in, and what needs to be done to get there, we will set up public meetings in the communities to help you understand the process. In the meantime, if you have any questions at all that can’t wait, please feel free to contact me or other school board members or selectmen, and we will try to help you. If we don’t have the answer we will do our best to find it and get back to you.
School has begun! Please support your local schools and recognize that based on a study done by the University of Southern Maine, based on multiple years of data, Mt. Vernon and Wayne Elementary Schools have been classified as Higher Performing Schools. The staffs in all our schools are working very hard to help our students get the best education possible and they all deserve your highest praise. Let’s try to work together whenever we can to make this an even better year for our schools. Thank you.
Malcolm Hardy
Board Chair-Mt. Vernon and Consolidation Committee Co-Chair
154 Blake Hill Rd.
Mt. Vernon 04352
293-4646
mhardy@fairpoint.net
Rich Abramson, Superintendent
Union #42/CSD #10
Rich_Abramson@maranacook.org
School Reorganization & Consolidation Clearinghouse sponsored by Maine Municipal Association
Join in Superintendent Abramson's Blog on Consolidation...click here.
State Planning information:
LR1386 Sen. Edmonds
LR1415 Sen. Mills
LD464 Sen. Mitchell
LR1619 Sen. Rotundo
LR1148 Sen. Silsby
LD379 Sen. Turner
LD499 Part MM
LR1386 Sen. Edmonds PART C
Sec. C-1. Regional delivery of educational administrative services; legislative findings and intent; establishment of goals.
1. Findings. The Legislature finds that:
A. The State's annual state and local expenditure for kindergarten through grade 12 public education significantly exceeds national and peer state averages;
B. It is the intent of the State that these state and local expenditures be brought into greater conformity with national and peer state averages and it is a role of the Legislature to establish goals to realize this intent;
C. A number of administrative services could be provided to multiple school administrative units within defined regions within the State in a manner that would preserve or improve the quality of those services, preserve the quality of education services provided to the State's public school students and reduce the cost of providing those services for the State and the participating school administrative units;
D. The most appropriate geographic regions within the State to begin systematically developing and implementing regionalized educational administrative services are the 26 centers or regions that currently provide career and technical education services to broader geographic regions;
E. The State's school administrative units are varied with respect to the benefits that may be available and the efficiencies that may be achieved as a result of regionalizing certain administrative services; and
F. The most appropriate location of decision-making authority with respect to which educational administrative services to regionalize and how to otherwise meet the goal established by the Legislature is at the local and regional level.
It is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature that this Part provide the necessary direction, guidance and resources to bring the state and local expenditures for kindergarten through grade 12 public school education into a greater conformity with national and peer state averages without impairing the quality of education services delivered to the State's public school students.
2. Goals. The following goals are established:
A. It is the goal of the Legislature that by school year 2009-2010, the total state and local expenditure for providing school administrative services in the State, measured as a percent of personal income in this State, as estimated by the United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, be reduced by a minimum of 10%.
B. It is also the goal of the Legislature that upon the implementation of the recommendations of the planning alliances established by this Part:
(1) The ratio of students to administrative personnel in all regions of the State will reasonably conform to related ratios established by the essential programs and services school funding model;
(2) School administrative functions, including without limitation special education management, human resources management, information technology management and financial management functions, will be shared with multiple school administrative units and municipal units of government among and throughout the planning alliance regions;
(3) The student transportation systems throughout all regions of the State will be well planned and coordinated among the school administrative units and avoid redundancy in routing;
(4) Labor negotiation calendars and procedures among the school administrative units will be coordinated insofar as practicable; and
(5) The purchase of all supplies and materials common to the school administrative units and all supplies and materials common to both school administrative units and municipal units of government will be conducted in a manner designed to maximize the purchasing power of the aggregated governmental units.
Sec. C-2. Planning alliances established. For the purposes of assisting in the regional delivery of educational administrative services among all the school administrative units, 26 planning alliances are established in accordance with this section.
1. Service area. Each planning alliance shall serve the school administrative units within a geographic area defined by the State’s career and technical education centers, as set out in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 8402.
2. Composition. Each planning alliance is composed of 12 members, including 4 municipal officials, 4 public school officials and 4 members of the general public, all of whom must reside within the geographic area served by the career and technical education center.
A. For each planning alliance, the 4 municipal officials must be elected by caucus.
(1) According to the implementation schedule provided in section 5 of this Part, the Commissioner of Education shall notify all municipal officials serving in the geographic region served by the career and technical education center to caucus at a specified date, time and place for the purpose of electing 4 municipal officials to be members of the planning advisory committee. The commissioner or the commissioner’s designee serves as nonvoting moderator for that regional caucus. Nominations for the municipal official representatives must be received from the floor. Although municipal officials residing within the career and technical education center’s geographic area may be nominated, only municipal officials serving within the same
geographic area and in attendance at the caucus are allowed to vote. The method of voting must be decided by voting membership. The 4 nominees receiving the most votes are approved as the municipal official members of the planning alliance, except that no municipality may have more than one representative on the planning alliance. The names of those elected by the caucus must be recorded and forwarded to the commissioner.
B. For each planning alliance, the 4 school officials must be elected by caucus.
(1) According to the implementation schedule provided in section 5 of this Part, the Commissioner of Education shall notify all school officials serving in the geographic region served by the career and technical education center to caucus at a specified date, time and place for the purpose of electing 4 school officials to be members of the planning advisory committee. The commissioner or the commissioner’s designee serves as nonvoting moderator for that regional caucus. Nominations for the school official representatives must be received from the floor. Although school officials residing within the career and technical education center’s geographic area may be nominated, only school officials serving within the same geographic area and in attendance at the
caucus are allowed to vote. The method of voting must be decided by voting membership. The 4 nominees receiving the most votes are approved as the school official members of the planning alliance except that no school administrative unit may have more than one member on the planning alliance. The names of those elected by the caucus must be recorded and forwarded to the commissioner.
C. For each planning alliance, the 4 members of the general public are appointed as follows.
(1) The President of the Senate shall appoint one member of the general public for each planning alliance.
(2) The minority leader of the Senate shall appoint one member of the general public for each planning alliance.
(3) The Speaker of the House shall appoint one member of the general public for each planning alliance.
(4) The minority leader of the House shall appoint one member of the general public for each planning alliance.
D. Each planning alliance must be provided with one full-time staff assistant, whose salary and benefits must be provided at state expense in accordance with section 4 of this Part.
3. Terms. Members of each planning alliance serve for a period of 2 years. Any vacancy must be filled in the same manner and by the same authority as established by this section for the original appointment.
4. Timing of election and appointments. All elections and appointments of planning alliance members must be accomplished according to the implementation schedule provided in section 5 of this Part.
Sec. C-3. Planning alliance responsibilities. Each planning alliance must be convened and respond to the following charge according to the implementation schedule provided in section 5 of this Part.
1. Identification of baseline information. According to the implementation schedule provided in section 5 of this Part, each planning alliance shall for the geographic region it represents:
A. Calculate the total expenditures for educational administrative services, measure that expenditure as a percent of personal income in this State and identify the degree to which that expenditure would have to be reduced in order to comply with the goals established in section 1 of this Part;
B. Identify all the types of public school administrative units including school administrative districts, community school districts, municipal school units and any school unions that currently provide for shared superintendent services.
C. Identify the degree to which administrative services, specifically, and educational services, generally, are currently being shared between and among the school administrative units within the region or across region lines, including without limitation formal regional alliances, bulk purchasing agreements or other coalitions designed to provide regionally developed services to the participating school administrative units;
D. Identify for each school administrative unit the relationship between that school system’s actual employment or budget, as applicable, and the allocated employment or budget, as applicable, as identified by the essential programs and services school funding model for the following categories: school system administration and support, operations and maintenance, special education and transportation;
E. Identify the region’s current aggregate educational administrative personnel profile, measured in full-time equivalents, including, but not limited to, the following positions: superintendent, principal, special education director, transportation director, technology director, business agent or financial officer, human resources director and all reasonably equivalent positions;
F. Identify all municipal administrative services by type and position that are being similarly provided on the municipal level and might reasonably be subject to shared services arrangements, including positions in the fields of technology and financial and human resources management and all reasonably equivalent positions;
G. Identify all major types of materials and supplies purchased by the school administrative units along with all similar materials and supplies purchased by the municipalities in the region;
H. Identify all schedules that pertain to the school administrative units, including without limitation school calendars and all schedules for labor negotiations and contract approval, school board meetings, budget development and budget approval meetings;
I. Map out the entire school transportation system that is used to transport students to and from school once a day;
J. Identify all educational mandates enacted by the Legislature that could be repealed or redesigned in a manner that would eliminate the need for redundant or unnecessary educational administrative services without impairing the quality of educational services provided to the public school students; and
K. Identify any other baseline information regarding the provision of educational administrative services within the region that the planning alliance finds to be pertinent to responding to the legislative charge.
2. Development of recommendations. According to the implementation schedule provided in section 5 of this Part, each planning alliance shall prepare in the form of preliminary recommendations a plan for the redesign of the provision of educational administrative services within the region that is appropriate to the needs of the region and would clearly meet the goals as established for the region in subsection 1, paragraph A. The plan must, at a minimum:
A. Identify any recommended redesign of the types of school administrative units within the region, if applicable;
B. Establish as a finding of the planning alliance the recommended number of educational administrative full-time equivalent positions that should be funded within the region for the following positions: superintendent, principal, special education director, transportation director, technology officer, business agent or financial officer, human resources director and all reasonably equivalent positions. This finding must specifically identify all recommended service sharing arrangements between and among municipalities and school administrative units within the region, particularly in the areas of technology, transportation maintenance, human resources and financial management, as those recommended arrangements would affect the recommended personnel profile;
C. Recommend a specific set of adjustments to the region’s current profile of administrative personnel to be implemented over the next 2-year period that would serve to adjust the current personnel profile as identified under subsection 1, paragraph E to the recommended personnel profile;
D. Recommend, as applicable, the organization or reorganization of any joint purchasing arrangements between and among the school administrative units within the region and between and among the school administrative units and the municipalities within the region;
E. Recommend, to the extent necessary to achieve the goals of this Part and facilitate other recommendations of the planning alliance, the coordination of schedules, including without limitation, school calendars, labor contract negotiations, school board meetings, school budget development and adoption meetings;
F. Recommend, as applicable, the development of coordinated regional or subregional school transportation systems; and
G. Recommend any changes to state law that would assist the region in meeting the goals of this Part without impairing the quality of educational services provided to State's public school students.
3. Outreach. According to the implementation schedule provided in section 5 of this Part, each planning alliance shall hold public hearings on its preliminary recommendations. At a minimum, a public hearing must be held at a school facility in each school administrative unit or school union within the region. On the basis of the information provided and input received at the public hearings, each planning alliance shall amend the preliminary recommendations as appropriate to develop its final recommendations according to the implementation schedule in section 5 of this Part.
4. Transmittal and implementation of final recommendations. Each planning alliance shall adopt its final recommendations according to the implementation schedule provided in section 5 of this Part. The final recommendations must identify the goals that must be met within the region to comply with the goals established by this Part and clearly identify by what means and by when the goals will be reached through the implementation of the recommendations of the planning alliance.
A. Each planning alliance shall formally transmit to every school board within the planning alliance region the final recommendations in a format that includes:
(1) The complete report for the school board’s records;
(2) An executive summary of the entire report suitable for presentation to the legislative body of the school administrative unit to consider for adoption;
(3) The specific recommendations pertaining to the school administrative unit that fall within the authority of the school board to implement, suitable for presentation to the school board to consider for adoption; and
(4) The specific recommendations pertaining to the school administrative unit that fall within the authority of the legislative body of the school administrative unit to implement, suitable for presentation to that legislative body to consider for adoption.
B. The school board and the legislative body of every school administrative unit within the planning alliance region shall act on the recommendations transmitted to them according to the implementation schedule provided in section 5 of this Part.
Sec. C-4. Resources and Department of Education responsibilities.
1. Resources. Notwithstanding any other law, the highest priority of distribution from the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services as established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15754 for fiscal year 2007-08 and fiscal year 2008-09 is to provide the staff support and other related support to the planning alliances as required by this Part.
2. Department of Education responsibilities. The Department of Education shall assist in the implementation of this Part as set out in this subsection:
A. The Department of Education shall adopt rules to assist in the implementation of this Part. Rules adopted pursuant to this paragraph are routine technical rules as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. At a minimum, those rules must:
(1) Specifically define the career and technical education regions within the State both geographically and according to each region’s school administrative units;
(2) Identify by position and support position all educational administrative services that should be reasonably included in the analysis conducted by each planning alliance;
(3) Establish the minimum qualifications, job description and salary and benefit range for each planning alliance’s full-time staff assistant; and
(4) Provide for a system of administration of the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services, modeled after the system of administration for the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Local and Regional Services provided in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, chapter 231 and including the automatic payment of salary and benefits for one full-time staff assistant for each planning alliance in accordance with section 2 of this Part.
B. In addition to any responsibilities required by this Part or imposed by rule, the Department of Education shall assist in the implementation of this Part by:
(1) Assisting all planning alliances in the collection and presentation of data pertinent to the charge established by this Part;
(2) Assisting in the organization of caucuses as provided in section 2 of this Part;
(3) Providing or contracting for facilitation services to be provided to the planning alliances to ensure their ability to fulfill the charges required by this Part; and
(4) Submitting interim progress reports to the Legislature no later than January 1, 2008 and January 1, 2009 and a final report no later than January 1, 2010 that describe the compliance of the planning alliances with the requirements of this Part.
Sec. C-5. Implementation schedule. The various charges established by this Part must be accomplished according to the following schedule.
1. Appointments and caucuses. The initial appointments and caucuses of municipal and school officials required by section 2 of this Part must be completed no later than October 1, 2007.
2. Hiring of staff assistants. The full-time staff assistant for each planning alliance must be hired by the planning alliance no later than December 1, 2007.
3. Convening of planning alliances. The planning alliances must be convened no later than January 1, 2008.
4. Completion of identification and baseline information. The planning alliances shall complete the identification of baseline information as required by section 3, subsection 1 of this Part no later than July 1, 2008.
5. Develop preliminary recommendations. The planning alliances shall complete the development of their preliminary recommendations as required by section 3, subsection 2 of this Part no later than September 1, 2008.
6. Outreach effort. The planning alliances shall complete the outreach effort required by section 3, subsection 3 of this Part no later than January 1, 2009.
7. Final recommendations. The planning alliances shall develop their final recommendations and transmit those recommendations as required by section 3, subsection 4 of this Part no later than February 1, 2009.
8. Consider and act on recommendations. The school boards and the legislative bodies of the school administrative units shall consider and act on the recommendations of the planning alliances no later than July 1, 2009.
Sec. C-6. Sunset; achievement of required efficiencies Unless reauthorized by the Legislature, this Part is repealed February 1, 2010. It is the intent of the Legislature that the goals of section 1, subsection 2 of this Part be achieved by that date. If the goals of this Part have not been achieved in a career and technical education region served by a planning alliance pursuant to this Part, the Commissioner of Education shall present to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters a plan for the reorganization of all school administrative units within that career and technical education region. The commissioner's plan must be designed to achieve the goals of section 1, subsection 2 of this Part. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters is authorized to submit legislation in the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature that
reorganizes the school administrative units within any career and technical education region that has failed to achieve the goals of this Part by February 1, 2010.
summary
Part C of this bill establishes as a goal a 10% reduction by the year 2010 in the statewide expenditure for educational administrative services in kindergarten to grade 12 public education as that expenditure is measured as a percent of total personal income. It establishes goals for specific categories of costs and services. It also establishes a comprehensive system of analysis, recommendation, outreach and implementation to be accomplished on the local level through the creation of regional planning alliances to achieve that goal within the 26 career and technical education regions in Maine. If the cost reduction goal is not achieved, the Commissioner of Education must submit a plan to the Legislature to achieve the cost reductions
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LR1415 Sen. Mills
Summary of “An Act to Increase Efficiency in School Administration”
A Concept Draft presented by Senator Peter Mills
Sources
On July 1, 2007, each school unit shall join one of 22 state chartered Educational Cooperatives (“Co-ops”) to contract for the delivery of regional services. These entities are described in depth by the Maine Heritage Policy Center in “The Maine View” issue of January 25, 2007, authored by Stephen Bowen and in “A Case for Cooperation” published in August of 2006 by the Maine Children’s Alliance and authored by Douglas Rooks. The beginnings of such an entity are exemplified by the Western Maine Educational Collaborative formed in August of 2006 under the management of Mona Baker.
Functions of an Education Cooperative
As envisioned here, each Co-op will be state chartered. Participation will be required for all local units including all sections of the Unorganized Territories. The geographic bounds of the Co-ops will conform to the existing 26 vocational service regions except that a Co-op shall include as many of such whole regions as necessary to serve a minimum of 3000 students.
Each Co-op shall:
1. Continue to provide strong vocational education programming, the function for which such regions were formed.
2. Adopt a common calendar for the region.
3. Assume the administration of a common Student Identification System.
4. Establish parallel accounting practices for each school district.
5. Serve as contract bargaining agent for each district.
6. Provide coordinated transportation services.
7. Oversee food services for each public school.
8. Support information technology for all schools including laptops for grades 7 through 12.
9. Coordinate and expand opportunities for regional and inter-regional instruction through ATM, Internet and other course sharing initiatives.
10. Perform central payroll.
11. Coordinate the efficient delivery of special education services.
12. Assist schools with comprehensive professional development programs.
13. Provide curriculum and assessment services as needed or requested.
14. Function as agent for large volume purchasing of goods & services.
15. Provide legal and medical support to each school.
16. Assist districts with energy and facilities management.
17. Maintain a pool of qualified substitute teachers for the region.
18. Assist districts in providing hospital and homebound instruction.
19. Provide regional enrichment programs for gifted and talented students.
20. Establish a protocol for the exercise of school choice among schools.
21. Provide high quality programs to counteract school violence and substance abuse.
Retained Authority of Local Districts
Member school districts will continue to:
1. Hire, oversee, evaluate and discharge teachers and other personnel.
2. Define local curriculum, assessment and professional development practices.
3. Determine the location and levels of support for individual schools.
4. Manage local budgets subject to assessments for regional services.
5. Substitute local services for those optionally offered by the Co-op if the local district can provide them more effectively or at lesser cost.
6. Provide governance to the Educational Co-operatives.
This proposal will permit local districts and schools to refocus on student achievement. Freed from the burdens of business management, districts may better manage the core function of schools: education and instruction.
Governance and Structure
Each Co-op will be governed by a board with proportional representation from each member school board. Local school districts will support services provided by the Co-op through capitated fees, contracts, monetary assessments or other methods agreed to by member districts. A local district aggrieved by a cost apportionment decision of the Co-op will have a right of appeal to the State Board which may, as necessary, issue substantive rules governing such issues.
Implementation
Co-ops will be created immediately by this bill. Each of them may hire a director and begin planning in the summer of 2007. This will provide a year’s lead time before they begin to deliver services on July 1, 2008.
Because each Co-op will be managed by existing public entities (the member districts), there is no delay for elections, for the assumption or allocation of public debt, or for the transfer of buildings and other assets. Interim funding of Co-ops through June 30, 2008, will be supported by a capitated contribution from the state of $100 per student. As soon as formed, each Co-op may supplement its state appropriation through assessing its members if they vote to do so.
Supplementary Provisions
By July 1, 2008, all municipalities must be members of a school district containing at least 1200 students. Isolated small districts, not contiguous to another, may retain their present governance. School unions are abolished. Each Unorganized Territory will be assigned to a nearby or adjoining district.
By August 1, 2007, the Commissioner will present to each Co-op a suggested district merger plan for local approval. Merger plans will be presented back to the Legislature in January of 2008. For good cause shown, a merger may be delayed beyond July 1, but a plan must then be in place.
The bill lengthens the school year beginning in 2008 from 180 to 190 days of which 185 are for instruction. The bill amends the district budget format by aligning it with EPS cost categories beginning July 1, 2008. For districts that must merge, no new employment contracts extending beyond June 30, 2008, may be agreed to until the restructuring provisions of this bill are in place.
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LD464 Sen. Mitchell
LD 464
An Act To Reform Public Education by Encouraging Regional Approaches
CONCEPT DRAFT SUMMARY
This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208.
This bill proposes to reform public education by implementing recommendations included in the report entitled, “A Case for Cooperation: Making Connections to Improve Education for All Maine Students,” published by the Maine Children’s Alliance in 2006. The bill would amend the education laws in order to encourage new and expanded regional approaches to school organization and to facilitate voluntary cooperation in the delivery of educational programs and services. Legislation developed to reform public education would include, but would not be limited to, the following:
1. The establishment of school planning alliances in 26 regions of the State based upon the existing centers and regions in the career and technical education system established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, chapter 313. A school planning alliance would be authorized to create a plan to increase educational opportunities, streamline administration and gain efficiencies for the school administrative units within the region. A school planning alliance would:
A. Be established upon the election in November 2007 of a regional planning board composed of 11 members from the school administrative units and municipalities in the region. The board would have 9 voting members, 3 school board members, 3 elected municipal officers and 3 members of the public. The board would have 2 nonvoting ex officio members, one superintendent and one municipal manager who are selected by a caucus within the region of superintendents and municipal managers;
B. Be provided with state funding from the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services established in Title 20-A, section 15754 for technical assistance and facilitation services;
C. Be required, within one year, to develop and adopt a plan to meet the requirements of the system of learning results established in Title 20-A, chapter 222, including the appropriate curriculum, programs and instructional methods to ensure that student performance will meet the proficiency standards of the statewide assessment program within 3 years;
D. Be required, within one year, to develop and adopt a plan to ensure that the cost components that are not directly related to classroom instruction adhere to the adequate funding levels determined in accordance with the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act as described in Title 20-A, chapter 606-B within 3 years;
E. Be required, following review and approval of the plan by the Department of Education, to submit the plan to the voters in the region for ratification within 6 months of the adoption of the plan by the regional planning board; and
F. Be dissolved within 18 months after it was established
2. The establishment of a new type of school administrative unit, the regional school district, as an option for school administrative units within a school planning alliance as described in section 1 to cooperate in creating a more effective and cost-efficient school system. The regional school district would:
A. Be governed by a school board composed of members representing the municipalities within the region in accordance with the principles of one person, one vote. School board members would be elected to represent subdistricts established within the district or be elected at large by all of the voters in the district;
B. Be financed by a districtwide budget to be prepared by the school board and approved by the voters of the district. A municipality's total cost of education would be the district's total cost of education multiplied by the percentage that the municipality's pupil count is to the district's pupil count in accordance with Title 20-A, section 15688;
C. Be administered by a single superintendent to be selected and hired by the school board;
D. Be authorized to establish a program of public school choice for all elementary and secondary schools in the district; and
E. Be an option for the conversion of existing school administrative districts or community school districts;
3. The amendment of state laws and rules for financing the construction and renovation of school facilities to establish a regional school construction finance program that complements current state finance programs for the construction of new school facilities as established by Title 20-A, chapter 609 and for the renovation of existing school facilities as established by Title 30-A, section 6006-F. The regional school construction finance program would:
A. Be funded by authorizing state funding from the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services established in Title 20-A, section 15754 and by recapitalizing the school revolving renovation fund with General Fund appropriations or the proceeds of bonds issued by the State;
B. Be established with flexible approval provisions that would permit applications from joint or multiple school administrative units and from regional school districts for public education for any combination of kindergarten to grade 12; and
C. Be required to meet State Board of Education rules for minimum levels for pupil enrollment, adequate curriculum to meet the requirements of the system of learning results, significant cost efficiency as compared to existing schools in the region, appropriate school siting, appropriate use of new technology and energy efficiency;
4. The authorization for regional cooperative organizations to be eligible for state funding from the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services established in Title 20-A, section 15754 for the provision of support services, classroom instruction when needed to provide an adequate curricular program and enrichment programs. A regional cooperative organization would be eligible for state funding if the regional cooperative organization:
A. Employs an executive director and is a private, nonprofit corporation with a public purpose under the United States Internal Revenue Code, Section 501(c)(3);
B. Serves one or more school administrative units that enroll at least 3,000 pupils or at least 5,000 pupils in the 8 most populous counties in the State; and
C. Provides direct services to the member school administrative units in one or more of the following support service or instructional areas: transportation, food service, special education, maintenance and plant management, collective bargaining, accounting and payroll, legal services, communications, advanced placement courses and foreign language courses;
5. The creation of a model statewide school calendar that would be adopted at the local level and coordinated at the regional level;
6. The requirement that all school administrative districts and regional school districts be named. Existing numbers for school administrative districts should be replaced with names identifying the districts;
7. The authorization for the Department of Education to adopt or amend rules to establish educational standards for the approval of a school administrative unit that petitions to become a member of, or to withdraw from, a school district; and
8. The restoration of full funding for the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services at an amount equivalent to 2% of the total amount appropriated for the General Purpose Aid for Local Schools program during the 2008-2009 biennium. These funds would be available to:
A. Provide technical assistance and facilitation to regional planning alliances;
B. Provide support for eligible regional cooperative organizations;
C. Capitalize the regional school construction finance program; and
D. Award grants for innovative programs through a competitive request-for-proposal process to enhance the curriculum and expand career and technical education programs, to secure the technology to offer specialized courses throughout the State and to provide regional continuing education programs for teachers and administrators.
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LR1619 Sen. Rotundo
Sec. 1. Bipartisan School Redistricting Panel established. Resolved: That the Bipartisan School Redistricting Panel, referred to in this section as "the panel," is established. The membership and duties of the panel consist of the following.
1. The panel consists of 11 members appointed as follows:
A. One registered member of the political party holding the largest number of seats in the Legislature, appointed by the Governor;
B. One registered member of the political party holding the 2nd largest number of seats in the Legislature, appointed by the Governor;
C. One registered member of the political party holding the largest number of seats in the Legislature, appointed by the President of the Senate;
D. One registered member of the political party holding the 2nd largest number of seats in the Legislature, appointed by the President of the Senate;
E. One registered member of the political party holding the largest number of seats in the Legislature, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
F. One registered member of the political party holding the 2nd largest number of seats in the Legislature, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
G. One member of the State Board of Education, appointed by the Chair of the State Board of Education;
H. One member representing the Maine Municipal Association;
I. Two members of the Maine School Management Association; and
J. One Maine Teacher of the Year, appointed by the Maine Education Association.
2. The first-named registered member of the political party holding the largest number of seats in the Legislature and the first-named registered member of the political party holding the 2nd largest number of seats in the Legislature are the chairs of the panel.
3. All appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this resolve. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative Council once all appointments have been completed. Within 15 days after appointment of all members, the chairs of the panel shall call and convene the first meeting of the panel.
4. The panel shall redraw the boundaries of the State’s school administrative units so that each unit serves between 3,000 and 4,000 students while keeping intact school administrative units that currently serve at least 3,000 students and giving priority to retaining community integrity, current school administrative unit integrity and transportation issues.
5. The Legislative Council shall provide necessary staffing services to the panel.
6. A legislative member of the panel is entitled to receive the legislative per diem, as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 3, section 2, and reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses related to the member's attendance at authorized meetings of the panel. Public members not otherwise compensated by their employers or other entities that they represent are entitled to receive reimbursement of necessary expenses and, upon a demonstration of financial hardship, a per diem equal to the legislative per diem for their attendance at authorized meetings of the panel.
7. No later than December 5, 2007, the panel shall submit a report that includes its findings and recommendations, including suggested legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. The panel is authorized to introduce legislation related to its report to the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature at the time of submission of its report. The Legislature intends that the school redistricting plan submitted to it by the panel pursuant to this section become law in substantively the same form as it is submitted.
8. If the panel requires a limited extension of time to complete its study and make its report, it may apply to the Legislative Council, which may grant an extension.
9. The chairs of the panel, with assistance from the panel staff, shall administer the panel's budget. Within 10 days after its first meeting, the panel shall present a work plan and proposed budget to the Legislative Council for its approval. The panel may not incur expenses that would result in the panel's exceeding its approved budget. Upon request from the panel, the Executive Director of the Legislative Council shall promptly provide the panel chairs and staff with a status report on the panel budget, expenditures incurred and paid and available funds; and be it further
Sec. 2. Department of Education to create student investment account program. Resolved: That the Department of Education shall develop a student investment account program, referred to in this section as "the program," for safe and cost-effective investment accounts for students in the State. Under the program, the department shall establish an investment account upon the birth of every child in the State and shall provide an initial investment of $200 in each account. Proceeds of accounts created under the program are payable to residents of the State for postsecondary education undertaken at institutions of higher learning located in the State. The Department of Education shall submit the program in the form of legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature no later than December 5, 2007; and be it further
Sec. 3. Department of Education to create postsecondary tuition assistance program. Resolved: That the Department of Education shall develop a postsecondary tuition assistance program, referred to in this section as "the program," that provides a graduate of an approved secondary school in the State who is admitted to a postsecondary institution in the State that offers an associate degree or bachelor’s degree with an amount equaling 50% of the tuition for 2 years of the average tuition of the Maine Community College System if the graduate demonstrates financial need. The department shall establish criteria to demonstrate financial need for purposes of this section. The program must provide that a graduate under the program who elects to pursue teacher certification and commits to teaching in the State for 3 years after graduation is eligible to receive an additional amount equaling 50% of the average tuition of the Maine
Community College System for the graduate’s junior and senior year at the postsecondary institution in the State. The program may also include other forms of financial aid. The Department of Education shall submit the program in the form of legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature no later than December 5, 2007; and be it further
Sec. 4. Department of Education and University of Maine System to offer leadership training institutes. Resolved: That the Department of Education and the University of Maine System shall jointly offer leadership training institutes for teachers and school administrators in the State. The institutes must focus on the skills of change agency and strategic planning and the necessary background in organizational, human resource and financial management to meet the challenges of the future. The teachers and administrators shall attend institutes in groups called cohorts. A cohort under this section must gather for a week in each of 2 succeeding summers to perform follow-up work on real leadership issues facing schools in Maine. The Department of Education shall adopt rules that require a school administrator to participate in an institute created under this section every 5 years as a condition of recertification under the Maine Revised
Statutes, Title 20-A, chapter 502; and be it further
Sec. 5. School administrative unit plan for targeted funds to include wireless devices for students. Resolved: That a school administrative unit plan for targeted funds pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15671, subsection 7 must provide that each student from 9th grade to 12th grade in that school administrative unit receives an individual wireless device that the student may take home every day and have for use during a summer vacation; and be it further
Sec. 6. Rules. Resolved: That the Department of Education may adopt rules to carry out the purposes of this resolve. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are major substantive rules pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
summary
This resolve:
1. Creates the Bipartisan School Redistricting Panel to redraw school administrative units to eliminate all units that serve under 3,000 students;
2. Directs the Department of Education to create a student investment account program that creates investment accounts for each child born in the State for use by residents for postsecondary education at institutions of higher learning located in the State and endows each account with $200;
3. Directs the Department of Education to create a tuition assistance program in which each graduating high school student who demonstrates financial need and is accepted into an associate’s or bachelor’s program in a postsecondary institution in the State will receive an amount equal to 50% of the average tuition for 2 years at the Maine Community College System, and those students pursuing teaching certificates and committing to teaching in the State for 3 years after graduation will receive an additional 50% of the average tuition for 2 years at the Maine Community College System for their junior and senior years;
4. Directs the Department of Education and the University of Maine System to administer leadership training institutes for teachers and school administrators and requires school administrators to attend the institute every 5 years as a requirement for recertification; and
5. Directs that school administrative units provide for individual wireless devices for 9th to 12th graders as part of their plans submitted to receive targeted funds for technology.
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- 123LR1619(01)-1
LR1148 Rep. Silsby
LR 1148, “An Act to Encourage School Administrative Units to
Collaborate with other School Administrative Units
Sponsor: Rep. Kim Silsby
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
CONCEPT DRAFT
SUMMARY
This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208.
The bill proposes to provide the opportunity for current school administrative units to form regional cooperatives to aid in the efficient delivery of educational services while maintaining a high-quality educational system for students, teachers, community members and schools. The bill would balance the independence of the legislative bodies of school administrative units and local control with the efficient delivery of administrative services for schools, while enhancing the educational programs provided for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 public education students in Maine.
Under this bill, school administrative units would form regional cooperatives that serve at least 2,800 students. The bill would also establish the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services Commission, referred to in this concept draft as the “commission,” whose responsibilities include management of the fund, along with supporting, approving and monitoring the progress of the regional cooperatives. The regional cooperatives would apply to the commission for approval and financial incentives through the existing Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services. The commission would implement reorganization and cost savings for school administrative units that do not participate in a regional cooperative or school administrative units that are unable to achieve the cost savings benchmarks established by the commission for regional cooperatives.
Key Elements:
1. A school administrative unit may enter into an agreement with another school administrative unit or units to form a regional cooperative to increase efficiency and lower costs of delivering public education for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 students and to provide for equitable, high-quality education for all students.
2. School administrative units would develop regional cooperatives that are contiguous and advantageous to the community and its delivery of an educational system for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 students.
3. A statewide commission would be formed to support, approve, and monitor regional cooperatives.
A. The membership of the commission would include the Commissioner of Education, the Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services, two members of the Legislature to be appointed by the Speaker of the House and the Senate President, a member of the State Board of Education, four members representing public school officials, and four members of the general public appointed by the Governor; and
B. The commission would approve regional cooperatives and offer financial incentives to regional cooperatives through the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services established in Title 20-A, section 15754.
C. The commission would define the expenditures to be included in the system administration cost category established in Title 20-A, section 15680 and would establish benchmarks for the level of per-pupil cost savings to be achieved by school administrative units for the 2008-2009 and 2010-2011 legislative biennia. The benchmarks selected by the commission would be based on either the national average or the average of peer states of per-pupil expenditures for the system administration cost category. The definition of the system administration cost category developed by the commission would include, but would not be limited to, the following:
(1) Financial management functions
(2) Administrative personnel
(3) Transportation
(4) Facilities and maintenance
(5) Human resource management
(6) Supplies and equipment
(7) Fuel and utilities
(8) Specialized education
(9) School nutrition programs
(10) Professional development
D. The commission would make an annual recommendation to the Commissioner of Education for the enactment of a per-pupil expenditure rate for the distribution of state subsidy under the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act over this four year period in order to ensure that the per-pupil expenditures for the system administration cost category established in Title 20-A, section 15680 would be reduced each year until this rate matches the benchmark for the per-pupil expenditures for system administration cost category selected by the commission by fiscal year 2010-11.
E. The commission would also provide models of efficient and effective governance and administrative structures that promote student achievement, including data that can be used by school boards, superintendents, and school administrative units that participate in existing or emerging regional cooperatives;
F. The commission would be required to submit a quarterly report to the Legislature and the Governor on the progress of regional cooperatives. The commission would submit a report on the educational mandates that are in statute that contribute to costs of education at state and local level and will make recommendations to the Legislature.
4. In order for an entity to qualify for approval by commission as a regional cooperative, the entity has a minimum of 2,800 students and establishes a regional plan to generate cost savings in the delivery of public education services from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 that contains:
A. A mission statement and related cost saving goals and objectives;
B. A plan that establishes a governance body and organization;
C. Specific cost saving targets for per-pupil system administration which meet the per-pupil expenditures for the system administration cost category established in Title 20-A, section 15680 and the benchmarks for the per-pupil expenditures for system administration cost category selected by the commission.
D. A plan for reimbursement of the savings realized through implementation of the regional plan to taxpayers;
E. A plan for the regional cooperative to report annually to the citizenry on the ongoing school improvement process and the school administrative unit’s updated comprehensive educational plan; and
F. A plan to review and ensure the sustainability of the cost effectiveness of local schools.
5. The commission may approve some extreme cases of geographic hardship for less than the approved number of students.
6. School administrative units with a current student population of at least 2,800 would not be required to form regional cooperatives, but would be required to comply with the annual per-pupil expenditure benchmarks for the system administration cost category established by the commission. If the commission determines that such a school administrative unit fails to meet these benchmarks, then the commission would develop and implement a reorganization and cost savings plan for the school administrative unit.
7. If a school administrative unit has not entered into a regional cooperative by June 2009 or if the commission determines that school administrative unit has failed to meet the annual per-pupil expenditure benchmarks for the system administration cost category established by the commission, then the commission would develop and implement a reorganization and cost savings plan for the school administrative unit.
Timeline:
From September 2007 to June 2008: School administrative units seek input from the public about regional cooperatives and begin planning regional cooperatives;
By June 2008: School administrative units form regional cooperatives and apply to the commission;
By July 2008: Commission approves regional cooperatives;
By June 2009: Regional cooperatives implement plans, make adjustments, and report cost-savings;
By July 2009: Commission implements reorganization and cost saving plans for school administrative units that have not entered into a regional cooperative or that have failed to meet the annual per-pupil expenditure benchmarks for the system administration cost category established by the commission.
By May 2010: Regional cooperatives realign work, plan for sustainability, and report progress.
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LD370 Sen. Turner
LD 370
Document created 2/1/2007 17:41. - Get Text: MS-Word, RTF | PDF
LR 1602
Item 1
Resolve, To Reduce the Number of School Administrative Units and Gain Administrative Efficiencies
Sec. 1. Consolidation of school administration. Resolved: That the Committee to Consolidate School Administration, referred to in this resolve as “the committee,” is established to consolidate the administration of public education in the State and present its consolidated school administration plan to the Legislature for adoption.
1. Committee members. The committee consists of the following 11 members:
A. Two former Legislators appointed by vote of the Legislative Council, one representing the political party with the highest number of members of the Legislature and one representing the party with the second-highest number of members of the Legislature; and
B. The following 9 members appointed by the Governor:
(1) A former Commissioner of Education;
(2) Two former superintendents of public schools in the State, one with suburban administrative experience and one with rural administrative experience;
(3) Two former principals of public schools in this State, one with suburban administrative experience and one with rural administrative experience;
(4) Two former teachers in public schools in this State, one with suburban teaching experience and one with rural teaching experience;
(5) A former State Board of Education member; and
(6) A former chief executive officer of a publicly traded company headquartered in this State, who shall serve as chair of the committee.
2. Plan parameters. In developing its consolidated school administration plan, the committee shall work within the following parameters.
A. All school administrative units in existence on the effective date of this resolve and all of their governing bodies and administration must be abolished under the plan. For purposes of this paragraph, “school administrative unit” includes community school districts, career and technical education regions, municipal school units, school administrative districts, school unions, special school districts and union schools as those terms are defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 1 and any other municipal or quasi-municipal corporation responsible for operating or constructing public schools. The plan may not displace teachers or students or close any schools existing on the effective date of this resolve.
B. The plan must consolidate administrative functions, duties and personnel. The plan must provide and the committee shall determine boundaries for new school administrative units. Under the plan:
(1) The average school administrative unit must be in the range of 2,000 to 2,200 students; and
(2) Each school administrative unit must consist of a municipality or a new school administrative district.
C. Each school administrative unit must have a school board with up to 9 members. The plan must provide and the committee shall determine boundaries for school board seats within school administrative districts based on population so that school boards provide proportional representation.
D. The committee shall include in the plan a statewide business entity and regional business entities to further the consolidation of administrative functions. The statewide business entity would provide services and perform functions on a statewide basis, such as, but not limited to, payroll. The regional business entities, which may be established using the career and technical education regions in existence on the effective date of this resolve, would provide services and perform functions on a regional basis, such as, but not limited to, transportation maintenance, transportation scheduling and purchasing.
E. The plan developed by the committee to create school administrative units must consider transportation patterns; physical proximity and ease of physical connectivity for resource sharing; and increased academic opportunity.
3. Plan submission. The committee shall submit its plan and the necessary implementing legislation to the Legislature by December 3, 2007.
4. Staff. The Department of Education, the State Board of Education and the Legislative Council shall provide staff to the committee; and be it further
Sec. 2. Transition. Resolved: That the following provisions apply during the transition to the consolidated school administration plan.
1. Plan implementation. The period of July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008 is the period during which the transition from the administrative structure that exists on the effective date of this resolve to full implementation of the new consolidated school administration plan authorized under section 1 must occur.
2. Election of new school board members. Elections for school board members must be held at a statewide election held in June 2008.
3. Debt. Any debt that is incurred by a school administrative unit and that exists on the date the plan takes effect remains with the municipalities of the entity that incurred the debt.
4. Advisory committees. Schools that are absorbed into new school administrative unit structures under the consolidated school administration plan may create school advisory committees to provide advice and counsel to school principals; and be it further
Sec. 3. Legislative intent. Resolved: That the Legislature intends that the consolidated school administration plan submitted to it by the committee pursuant to this resolve become law in substantively the same form as it is submitted.
summary
This resolve establishes a mechanism to consolidate the business side of providing kindergarten to grade 12 educational services while leaving in place schools, teachers and students. The resolve establishes the Committee to Consolidate School Administration to develop a plan that eliminates current administrative education units and their governing boards and administration and redraws the boundaries of those units. Under the plan a school administrative unit may consist of a municipality or a new school administrative district and will, on average, serve a range of 2,000 to 2,200 students. New school boards will be elected in June of 2008, which is the last month of the transition period into the new consolidated school administration plan.
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LD499 Part MM
Sec. MM-1. 20-A MRSA §1, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1981, c. 693, §§5 and 8, is amended to read:
3. Board of directors. "Board of directors" means the governing body with statutory powers and duties for a school administrative district unit.
Sec. MM-2. 20-A MRSA §1, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 1981, c. 693, §§5 and 8, is amended to read:
5. Community school district. "Community school district" means a state-approved unit of school administration composed of more than one municipality or school administrative district which that may provide public education for any combination of kindergarten through to grade 12. This subsection is repealed June 30, 2008.
Sec. MM-3. 20-A MRSA §1, sub-§6, as corrected by RR 1991, c. 2, §53 and amended by PL 2003, c. 545, §5, is further amended to read:
6. Cooperative board. "Cooperative board" means the governing body with statutory powers and duties for a career and technical education region. This subsection is repealed June 30, 2008.
Sec. MM-4. 20-A MRSA §1, sub-§8, as enacted by PL 1981, c. 693, §§5 and 8, is amended to read:
8. District board of trustees. "District board of trustees" means a body with statutory powers and duties for a community school district. This subsection is repealed June 30, 2008.
Sec. MM-5. 20-A M |
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