Sherman Decries Governor’s Education Plan

Baldacci’s Revised Consolidation Plan an Assault on Rural Maine

AUGUSTA – Rural Caucus Vice-Chairman Senator Roger Sherman (R-Hodgdon) has announced his strong opposition to Governor Baldacci’s new education reform proposal, calling it a detriment to rural communities that puts education quality in jeopardy.

Included in the Governor’s revised plan is a reduction of Maine’s 290 local school districts into 80 regional units, each with approximately 2,500 pupils. Each unit would have a Reorganization Planning Committee established to develop a cost efficient plan between the member towns by November 15, 2007. The State Board of Education would certify each regional school unit and their respective cost savings plan by January 15, 2008. After certifications are granted, regional units would have to develop a governing body, elect members to that body, hire superintends and support staff, and implement their cost savings plan by July 1, 2008, according to the State’s Commissioner of Education.

Among the many flaws of the Governor’s plan that Sen. Sherman has identified is an unrealistic timeline. Based on the benchmarks set by the Commissioner, towns would unify and undertake a massive overhaul of their entire system of education, attempting to figure out how best to work with each other in a cost efficient way, with only a few months to do so.

Diminished local control is also a primary concern of Sen. Sherman’s. As the State creates a plan requiring towns to join together and undo a local education system that has existed for decades, the Senator sought assurances that a high level of local involvement would be paramount—the Governor’s plan has offered no such assurances.

These factors, and others including the 2,500 pupil count, are contributing to a perfect storm that would hit rural Maine communities.

“Rural Maine has been on edge since the Governor first threw this massive issue at us in January,” Sherman said. “After months of watching and waiting, I am certain of one thing; the Governor’s plan has little consideration for Maine’s rural communities. How long will rural students have to ride the bus to school each day? How well represented will each rural town be on the governing boards of these regional units? How much input will the citizens of rural Maine have on the system of education their children will be tossed into? There are far too many questions that need answers, and too much work to be done for Maine’s rural communities to develop operational regional unit by July 2008.”

Sen. Sherman and his bipartisan group of colleagues in the Legislature’s Rural Caucus are now in the process of developing a plan that respects rural issues, including the character and abilities of rural communities in Maine, while achieving necessary savings. Their plan reduces mandatory pupil per district count to 1,250, would incorporate a higher degree of local involvement, and would extend the implementation timeline to 2009, allowing new districts a chance to create a successful cost savings plan without jeopardizing education quality.

“We [the Rural Caucus] realized that the concerns Maine’s rural communities have would not be addressed without our bipartisan involvement in the process,” the Senator explained. “Education is not just an issue for Maine’s wealthiest communities or its most populated communities. We are developing a plan that slows this process down, provides comfort for our local rural communities, and can work for all geographic areas of the State.”

Sen. Sherman will be conducting a random survey of his constituents, asking for their feedback to revise the Governor’s plan. He can also be reached to provide input by postal mail at PO Box 682, Houlton, ME 04730, or by calling him in Augusta at 287-1505, in Hodgdon at 532-7073, or by e-mailing him at rsherm_2000@yahoo.com

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