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Maine Department of Education (MDOE)
Maine Department of Education
23 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0023
(207) 624-6600
(207) 624-6700 (fax)
IN THE NEWS
In the first four months of the reorganization implementation, most of the newly reorganized school systems are heavily engaged in academic and administrative planning, strategic planning and curriculum alignment work.
Many of these school systems – which enroll 55,000 students, or almost one-third the students in the state – have already expanded educational opportunities to the students in their region. Along the way, they have also shown significant savings, even when taking into consideration the startup costs.
School systems seeking to stand alone were required to file Alternative Plans and were required to show that they could sustain educational programming. Every district, regardless of size, must demonstrate savings and that reductions in funding for system administration will not affect classroom instruction. These districts range significantly in enrollment and geographic make-up, reflecting the flexibility built into the law.
Results
- Statewide and local savings. By requiring efficiencies in non-classroom functions through the funding formula, the state is able to reduce annual commitments by $36 million and reduce the local obligation by $30 million annually.
- District-level savings. Individual districts are finding significant savings, even in the first four months of implementation. Four districts alone have generated savings over $2 million per year – and that is even with start-up costs. Nearly every RSU that has met with the Department indicates they are either saving money already or expect to shortly. All say sustainability of educational programs without these savings would be extremely difficult or impossible.
- Extremely varied school system configurations and sizes, reflecting the flexibility built into the law. For example, “stand-alone” units range in size from about 1,000 students to over 7,000; there are RSUs and AOSs ranging from small groupings of two to three communities to wide geographic areas; they are in southern, western, northern and eastern Maine.
Moving Ahead
The Department’s work now is primarily to support the 27 reorganized units, in implementing successful transitions, in aligning curricula and developing cohesive visions for their regions’ educational futures, and to work with the stand-alone systems on additional collaboration and financial strategies aimed at preserving and expanding educational programming. Together, these school systems represent 84 percent of the students in public K-12 systems in the state.This includes working with the recently-approved (at Nov. 3 election) RSU composed of four school units in the Rangeley area. These four units were exempted from the reorganization requirement under LD 467, yet chose to move ahead with an RSU nonetheless, citing sustainability.
The Department is also working to support those non-conforming units that want to move ahead with a new reorganization plan. Many were poised to do so but put their plans on hold during the uncertainties of legislative action in the 2009 legislative session and the statewide referendum on whether to repeal the reorganization law. Since the Nov. 3 vote, the Department has already heard from at least three groups of school districts with plans to move forward with new regional school units (SAD 13 (Bingham)/SAD 74 (Anson); Orrington/Dedham/SAD 63 (Holden) (and possibly Airline CSD); and Georgetown and Boothbay Harbor. Two other groups have invited the Department to a meeting to explore the issues (Jonesport-Beals/SAD 37 (Harrington) and Calais/Baileyville/Eastport and surrounding communities).
Useful Links:
Maine Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (Maine ASCD)
Maine Board of Education Website
Maine Chapter 101 Revisions/Payment for Special Education Services
Maine Educational Assessment (MEA)
Maine Learning Results (MLR'S)
Maine School Financial Information
Maine Standards Based Education
Members of Maine Board of Education