[Received: 01/16/2008]

For Immediate Release

Planning Committee Supports School Union Model

The eight-town, 24 member Regional Planning Committee for Regional School Unit #2 recently voted to support a plan forwarded by Representative Peter Edgecomb of Caribou to allow Union School Associations (USA’s).  USA’s would be an alternative to the current school consolidation law that requires all school units in Maine to organize into Regional School Units.  Local school boards would continue to control schools in their communities, but would come together to share centralized administration.  School units in the USA would have 3 years to identify cost savings in the areas of central office financial and human resources, non-instruction support, instruction support, and instruction services. 

Community members, municipal representatives, and school committee members in the proposed Regional School Unit #2 (Caribou, Fort Fairfield, Limestone, Caswell, Woodland, Westmanland, Stockholm and New Sweden) have been working together since September to develop a school consolidation plan.  Although participants have worked cooperatively and agree that efficiencies need to be found, unclear rules and a “one size fits all law” has resulted in little progress.  Members noted that the Union model addresses many of the stumbling blocks that they have encountered; cost sharing, property ownership, school committee representation, and local control.  As one member noted, “ USA’s would provide a valuable tool in our tool box as we work together to identify efficiencies and improve education for our children.” 

The original purpose for creating Regional School Units was to engineer savings by the regionalization of local school administration and centralization of common services.  The USA plan clearly addresses the need to centralize services and reduce administrative costs.  USA’s also recognize the fiduciary responsibilities of the citizens, “to provide the best education for the children of the community with the resources available.”  A concept, which unfortunately appears to be missing in the current school reorganization plan.

The USA amendment recognizes the importance of home rule.  Schools that are governed locally and not from Augusta or Washington turn out citizens that are better prepared for higher education and strengthening Maine’s workforce.