SCHOOL CONSOLIDATION PLAN SUMMARY ISSUE BY ISSUE COMPARISON OF APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMITTEE PLAN AND FARRINGTON/RURAL CAUCUS PLAN ISSUE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE PLAN – 4/11/2007 DRAFT FARRINGTON/RURAL CAUCUS PLAN 1.  Local Vote No local vote is permitted on new Regional School Units (RSUs) Local vote in November, 2008 to approve or disapprove proposed plans for reorganized school units 2.  Timeline New RSUs become operational July 1, 2008 New school units become operational July 1, 2009, if approved by voters 3.  Number of school districts No more than 80 RSUs No number specified 4.  Minimum size of school units 2,500 students per RSU with approved exceptions to reflect geographic, demographic, economic, transportation, population density or other unique circumstances 2,500 students per school unit in York and Cumberland counties; 1,200 students per school unit in remaining counties with approved exceptions for coastal islands, population density below 30 people per square mile 5.  Ability to opt out No provision for opting out of RSUs Local voters in each municipality may vote to opt out of proposed reorganized school units 6.  Penalty for opting out Not applicable Loss of 50% of EPS allocation for system-wide administration ISSUE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE PLAN – 4/11/2007 DRAFT FARRINGTON/RURAL CAUCUS PLAN 7.  Leadership and Direction Commissioner of Education provides leadership and direction; local regional planning committees have supporting role Local regional planning committees provide leadership and direction; Commissioner of Education has supporting role 8.  Role of Reorganization Planning Committees Assist with implementation of RSUs; form interim personnel, budget and policy committees Manage reorganization planning process; prepare reorganization plans for submission to local voters 9.  Territory of Reorganization Planning Committee A planning committee is established within the territory of each proposed RSU Planning committees are established within territory of each CTE region – with approved exceptions for existing planning collaboratives 10.  Make up of reorganization planning committees School and municipal officials with representatives of general public School and municipal officials with representatives of general public 11.  Form of school units All existing school units are merged into Regional School Units (RSUs) except for large municipal school units; SADs, CSDs and school unions are abolished as of July 1, 2008 SADs, CSDs, municipal school units and school unions may continue to exist 12.  Terms of current school board members Terms of all elected school board members are terminated June 30, 2008; newly elected RSU school boards take office July 1, 2008 Terms of current school board members are not terminated early  unless changed by locally approved reorganization plans approved by local voters 13.  Budget transparency Mandated summary budget format with eleven expenditure articles Mandated summary budget format with eight expenditure articles ISSUE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE PLAN – 4/11/2007 DRAFT FARRINGTON/RURAL CAUCUS PLAN 14.  Budget adoption process Mandatory budget validation referendum process for all school units for FY 2008-09 budget and for all school units above EPS for FY 2009-10 and FY 2010-11 budgets – no exceptions Budget adoption procedures remain as they are subject to change at the local level by school board or voter petition process 15.  School unions School unions are abolished School unions may continue to exist and are permitted as a reorganization option 16.  Cost-sharing formula for additional local funds State mandates a new cost sharing formula for additional local funds raised by RSUs based on each municipality’s required local contribution under EPS (may violate Article 9, Section 8 of the Maine Constitution because SADs and CSDs would be abolished and there would be no local vote to approve cost sharing formulas) Cost sharing formula are determined by local agreement or private and special law as they are under existing law (no constitutional issue because SADs and CSDs remain in existence and local voters would approve cost sharing formulas) 17.  Local only debt Local only debt remains with the existing school unit even if RSU takes over associated school property Local only debt is transferred to reorganized school unit if reorganized school unit takes over associated school property 18.  Proposed State savings in FY 2008-09 $36.5 million $36.5 million ISSUE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE PLAN – 4/11/2007 DRAFT FARRINGTON/RURAL CAUCUS PLAN 19.  Method of achieving State savings GPA for system administration is reduced by $20 million; GPA for transportation, buildings and maintenance and special education reduced by 5% (mandatory special education reductions may violate “maintenance of effort” requirements of federal special education regulations) GPA for system administration is reduced by $20 million; GPA for transportation, buildings and maintenance and non-instructional costs reduced by 5% (no legal issue under federal special education regulations) 20.  Collaboration Collaboration among RSUs and between RSUs and municipalities is encouraged by general statutory language Collaboration among school units and municipalities is encouraged; new statutory procedures are established to make collaboration easier to achieve 21.  School closing procedure 2/3rds vote of school board required to initiate school closing procedure 2/3rds vote of school board required to initiate school closing procedure 22.  School property School property is transferred to RSU, if needed School property is transferred to reorganized school units, if needed 23.  State subsidized debt State subsidized debt is transferred to RSU State subsidized debt is transferred to reorganized school units