Proposal softens merger strategy

Portland Press Herald, March 9, 2007

(excerpt) The plan endorsed by a majority of the Education Committee and presented to the Appropriations Committee would establish a minimum school district size of 1,200 students.

School districts with fewer students would have to submit a plan by 2010 to consolidate with other school systems, although the consolidation of any districts would be subject to approval by local voters. School systems could choose which systems they would consolidate with.

Baldacci's plan, meanwhile, would force Maine's 290 school districts to consolidate into just 26 by July 2008. The 26 districts would be mandated by the state, based on the state's 26 existing regional technical centers.

"One criticism of what we've done is we do too little and it takes too long to do it," said Sen. Peter Bowman, D-Kittery, Education Committee chairman.

"But if you want to get a bill through both chambers (of the state Legislature) and get it out of committee, you have to do what we did," he said. "It's like the metaphor of a high-speed train. If you're going too fast and the radius of the turn is tight, you're going to lose control and have a problem on your hands."

Baldacci, who said he would not support a plan that does not reduce education administration, acknowledged that Education Committee members worked hard on their plan but said the committee "hasn't gone far enough, and pushed the most difficult decisions down the road further."