George Crawford of Harrington, ME School governance reorganization is more school governance DISorganization. The new consolidated school governance structures will allow more state control and less local voice in education. The costs of administration will likely increase as the begger districts will require more people to handle the work for students and staff. The models suggested by the Department of Education are unrealistic in many areas.
People need to realize what is being lost under the new consolidated school districts. The first is taxes and educational subsidy. Costs for the new districts are supposed to be divided by cost sharing formulas developed by the new School District Regional Planning Committees. The development of these formulas has been a major headache for those on the Regional Planning Committees. Costs are often shifted from one town to another creating a difficult situation.
School subsidies from the state will also be given to the large districts as one big chunk of money. In a dsitrict where each town currently receives it own chunk of state subsidy, the towns will have to go through the RSU and hope they get what they have gotten in the past.
Smaller towns will also have less say and limited voting power on the new Regional School Boards. Going from direct control over a school or schools in town or city to this system creates an unnecessary layer or bureaucracy. It also takes away the right of towns to govern education in their towns.
The Governor and State Department of Education have pulled all the stops to make consolidation happen in their own image. People are given a vote but in their towns but if the vote is No the DOE will try to force compliance. Big Brother and big special interest politics have forced this mess upon Maine. The win-win peaches and cream scenario the DOE pushes for consolidation doesn't fit the details. Vote to repeal this law next year! Remember to ask your Legislative candidates where they stand. Say No to this mess!report abuse

CattailMom of Aroostook, ME The article fails to note that the "alternative" plans are those for school systems which are over 2,500 students as they are currently stand - Portland, Auburn, Brunswick, Cape Elizabeth, SAD #52, SAD #55, SAD #61, etc. There was no reorganizing to do.

Since those systems probably have close to half the students in Maine anyway, Mr. Rier's statements that school reorganization is progressing successfully and the DoE is pleased are clearly self-serving.

Many of the other approved "alternative" plans are for island schools.

In rural areas like Aroostook County, not a single plan has been approved. Look for yourself at: http://www.maine.gov/education/reorg/plansandresponses.html Then check out www.mdischools.net (Recent News) and see how the areas which are not so "successful" are faring. It's not pretty.report abuse

concerned person of mid maine, ME Are the new CSDs going to be considered as one district or stay asndividual one for the shock value? When will this change occur? Right now any group of towns that is in a CSD or Union are considered to be separate districts.
For example if the CSD 10/Union 42 (Wayne, Mount Vernon, Readfield and Manchester) is looked at now, it is considered to be 6 of the 290 districts all with a shared superintendent, employee contracts and curriculum.report abuse