The campaign calling for a repeal of Maine's school district consolidation law this week is touting an endorsement from the main group that represents the parents of Maine schoolchildren.

The Maine Parent Teacher Association, which has 60 local affiliates and 2,000 members throughout the state, is endorsing a "yes" vote on Question 3 on Tuesday's ballot. The question would overturn the Maine law that attempted to merge the state's 290 school districts into 80.

"If the purpose of this was to save money, it doesn't seem to be accomplishing that," said Virginia Mott, the Maine Parent Teacher Association's legislative chairman.

Statewide, Education Commissioner Susan Gendron has said it's too early to tell whether Maine's consolidation efforts have paid off in the form of major cost savings. Ostensibly, the law has fallen short of its objectives. The state's 290 districts have become 218.

Consolidation proponents point to a few newly merged districts that are showing savings and improved educational offerings.

Opponents point to towns that absorbed sizable local tax increases after consolidating. They also predict consolidation will cost more in the future as districts combine separate teacher contracts at the highest pay scales.

Parents, Mott said, lose something else as a result of district mergers.

"The more families and the local communities are involved in the local schools, the better their children do in school," she said. "Even though consolidation is aimed at pulling together administration, it reduced that local contact somewhat, and that raises a concern for us."

Mott said the parent-teacher association rarely takes public positions on ballot initiatives. But consolidation presented "important issues directly impacting our children's education and directly impacting our families," she said.

"I think it's a pretty impressive endorsement," said Skip Greenlaw, chairman of the group pushing for a repeal of the consolidation law. "Parent-teacher associations from all across the state that are probably closer to the consolidation issue than most citizens have seen it for what it is and taken a stand to repeal the law."

Greenlaw's group, the Maine Coalition to Save Schools, also has an endorsement from the Maine School Boards Association.

"I sincerely doubt that every parent and every teacher in the state of Maine agrees with the position of that organization," said Newell Augur, who manages the campaign pushing a "no" vote on Question 3. "There are many communities in this state that recognize what a disaster Question 3 would be."

Augur pointed to endorsements for his campaign from "every major daily paper in the state" and the Maine Children's Alliance, an Augusta group with "an unparalleled reputation as being a forceful advocate for children."

Matthew Stone -- 623-3811, ext. 435
mstone@centralmaine.com