Many school districts resuming merger talks

Portland Press Herald, May 2, 2008

(excerpt) After months of waiting while the Legislature made changes to the school district consolidation law, most districts have resumed work on merger plans.

Some officials said the delay means they will not put proposals before voters this June as originally planned. They said they will now wait until November elections, taking advantage of the new deadline for voting, which is Jan. 30. The newly reorganized districts are supposed to start operating by July 2009.

"We have lost some momentum," said Falmouth School Superintendent George Entwistle.

Falmouth and School Administrative District 51, which includes Cumberland and North Yarmouth, have submitted one of only three proposed reorganization plans to win approval from the state Department of Education.