Report argues for incentives in struggle over school reform
Bangor Daily News, June 4, 2008
(excerpt) A new report by the Maine Children's Alliance contends that the state's school reform effort is flagging but could be revived through a new focus on incentives for consolidation.
"A Case for Cooperation II," to be published later this month, was released Tuesday on the MCA Web site.
The report provides a detailed analysis of the school consolidation law enacted in 2007 as part of the state budget. It charts developments during the recent legislative session, which saw numerous attempts to modify drastically or even repeal the law. And it also looks forward to the 2009 session, when the Legislature likely will consider school reform measures.
Most school districts in Maine are supposed to attempt consolidation, reducing the number of districts statewide from 290 to 80. Only a few plans have been completed and only a handful of communities are ready to vote on them this month, according to report author Douglas Rooks.
Rooks said many local regional planning committees were spending the bulk of their time grappling with the implications of consolidation on their budgets and governing issues of how to manage the expanded school districts, instead of finding ways to consolidate.
"It’s not going well," Rooks said Monday. "People on the [committees] are having a hard time."
(excerpt) A new report by the Maine Children's Alliance contends that the state's school reform effort is flagging but could be revived through a new focus on incentives for consolidation.
"A Case for Cooperation II," to be published later this month, was released Tuesday on the MCA Web site.
The report provides a detailed analysis of the school consolidation law enacted in 2007 as part of the state budget. It charts developments during the recent legislative session, which saw numerous attempts to modify drastically or even repeal the law. And it also looks forward to the 2009 session, when the Legislature likely will consider school reform measures.
Most school districts in Maine are supposed to attempt consolidation, reducing the number of districts statewide from 290 to 80. Only a few plans have been completed and only a handful of communities are ready to vote on them this month, according to report author Douglas Rooks.
Rooks said many local regional planning committees were spending the bulk of their time grappling with the implications of consolidation on their budgets and governing issues of how to manage the expanded school districts, instead of finding ways to consolidate.
"It’s not going well," Rooks said Monday. "People on the [committees] are having a hard time."
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