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By ALAN CROWELL
Staff Writer 11/08/2007

Passed earlier this year, the law requires school systems to meet an aggressive timeline to form school districts of at least 2,500 students by July of 2009, although 1,200 students, or even less, is acceptable in some circumstances, including geographic isolation.

Where there is plenty of grumbling about the law from school districts of every size, support for the effort to repeal the law seems strongest in rural areas where even some superintendents publicly support it.

Lawrence "Skip" Greenlaw, chairman of the Maine Coalition to Save Schools, said the petition effort is getting "incredible support" from rural school board members and superintendents who fear the law will mean the eventual closure of beloved community schools.

A longtime school board member in Deer Isle-Stonington and a former legislator, Greenlaw said the law is a poor fit for rural Maine where schools serve a vital community function and where consolidation efforts offer few financial or educational benefits.

"There are all kinds of negatives and I don't see any positives," said Greenlaw. "When it comes to education, there are many, many Maines."

The coalition needs to gather over 55,000 signatures to put the issue before legislators next year. Greenlaw believes the group could have 100,000 signatures by December.

David Connerty-Marin, spokesman for the Department of Education, said, however, that while some changes to the law may be needed -- Commissioner Susan Gendron is submitting a proposal to allow school systems to negotiate cost sharing -- consolidation is necessary.

"The status quo is not sustainable. Nobody would design a system with 150 central offices and 290 school boards all trying to interpret Maine Learning Results and disseminate best teaching practices," said Connerty-Marin.

The state's share of education costs has been increasing since the passage of LD-1 in 2005, said Connerty-Marin, but that relatively steep rate of increase will cease in about two years, and he said schools need to be ready for that day.

"We want that money going into the classroom, not into overhead and duplicate administration, so where there are opportunities to streamline outside the classroom, that is what we need to do," said Connerty-Marin.

Many superintendents of small school systems, however, say they don't see the savings.

Scott Porter, Superintendent of School Union 102 in Machias and president of the Maine Small School Coalition, said that with only 152 superintendents in the state and only 118 full-time, the law will save little money by reducing the number of school districts to 80.

He said the only way the law will save money is by the closure of schools, something that would have a dire impact on small Maine towns.

Schools are the center of the small rural communities his organization represents, said Porter.

They are the place where people gather for elections and fund-raisers, where gyms are packed for basketball games and holiday concerts.

"We are where it all happens," said Porter, who actively supports repealing the law. "It is the center of the community."

The law would do away with those institutions in the long-term, and in the short term dramatically dilute the say small towns have in how their schools are run.

"If you put 10 to maybe 40 towns together, what voice does one town really have?" he asked.

Other superintendents say it will be difficult to convince voters to approve mergers that offer few visible benefits.

"We don't see that there will be any educational improvements with this law or any law where you will be forced into relationships," said Kenneth Smith, superintendent of School Administrative District 13, which has about 275 students.

Smith said the logistics of consolidation in his area -- most nearby schools are a half-hour away or more -- mean combining some services just isn't practical.

Where schools can share resources, they often already are, said Smith.

For example, he said, the Jackman and Greenville school systems are sharing a French teacher through video conferencing technology, and his school system is sharing a music teacher with Jackman.

Smith said his school district and two others, School Administrative District 12 in Jackman and School Union 60 in Greenville, had been discussing consolidation efforts that could have saved over $250,000 a year before the new measure was passed.

Now, however, the requirements of the consolidation law are forcing his district to look for other partnerships, which appear far less promising, he said.

Heather Perry, superintendent of School Union 60 in Greenville, said the partnership her school board was discussing with SAD 13 and the Jackman school system would have consolidated administrative services but kept schools in their communities.

"We were working together well before the governor announced this law and this law has thrown a wrench into the works," said Perry.

Perry said she tries to stay away from politics but she supports the petition effort.

"The major focus of our job (as superintendents) is to try to guide school systems in directions that create the best possible situations for our kids," said Perry.

If Greenville schools were closed, Perry said not only would the town lose a vital institution, but students would spend so much time on buses they wouldn't be able to participate in after-school activities like sports.

Superintendents in less rural areas echo many of the concerns of the smaller districts, although those contacted for this story did not say they supported the petition drive.

Eric Haley, superintendent of the Waterville school system and a longtime supporter of consolidation, said the new law with its strict deadlines and rigid structure is difficult to work with.

Consolidation needs to be done with a lot of analysis, as well as a reasonable time frame and expectations, said Haley.

The state is promoting the new law as if the savings have already been identified, said Haley, and that simply isn't the case.

"There are some savings, but they are going to be over time," he said.

Haley is following the law, but in the end, he said, if state-mandated consolidation is not a good thing for Waterville, it will be difficult to sell.

Paul Knowles, superintendent of School Administrative District 11 in Gardiner, called the law "very aggressive and not well thought out."

Like Haley, Knowles said he is moving forward with consolidation efforts, but so far sees no sign it will save his district money or improve education.

"For me personally, it is about children and I don't see how it benefits children," said Knowles.

Alan Crowell -- 474-9534, Ext. 342

acrowell@centralmaine.com

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