Maine Governor Signs Bill to Delay School District Penalties

June 19, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today signed LD 285, An Act to Amend the Laws Governing the Consolidation of School Administrative Units to Delay All Penalties for One Year.

“Our intention has never been to punish school districts,” Governor Baldacci said. “What we want is a more efficient and affordable system that puts available resources to work for students instead of paying for unnecessary administration.”

“After careful consideration, I have decided to sign this legislation, which will delay penalties for one year for school districts that have not reorganized. This delay will give those districts working in good faith toward restructuring time to complete their work.”

“We cannot continue with the school administrative organizations of the past. Student enrollment in Maine is falling while the number of administrators has been growing. It’s unsustainable. We must continue to move forward along the path to reform.”

“About 88 percent of the students in the State are in districts that are complying with the reorganization law, but we still have work to do.”

“We will continue to support those districts that have not complied with the law and help them transition into more sustainable administrative structures. To that end, I have directed Education Commissioner Sue Gendron to continue efforts to facilitate administrative re-organization among the minority of districts that have not complied and to consider ways to improve the current law,” Governor Baldacci said. “We all share a desire to do what is best for our children.”

The Governor signed the following executive order along with LD 285:

30 FY 08/09

June 19, 2009

An Order to Facilitate School Administrative Unit Reorganization

WHEREAS, effective and efficient delivery of education services in the State is paramount to the future of the State; and

WHEREAS, I proposed and the Legislature approved a law in 2007 directing school administrative units to reorganize their structures in order to reduce the administrative cost burden on local and state taxpayers; and

WHEREAS, the majority of school administrative units undertook the difficult work of finding partners to work with, and many obtained voter approval to reorganize their school units; and

WHEREAS, the work to reorganize continues in some districts; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature enacted and I signed legislation to delay the funding penalties for those units for one year; and

WHEREAS, that delay will allow districts working in good faith to further pursue administrative reform; and

WHEREAS, the Commissioner of the Department of Education has directed the department’s resources toward furthering reorganization efforts; and

WHEREAS, school units that have not complied with the reorganization law are being given additional time, for the sole purpose of enabling them to come into compliance;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, John Elias Baldacci, Governor of the State of Maine do hereby order the following:

That the Commissioner of the Department of Education continue efforts to facilitate school administrative reorganization among the school administrative units, which represent about 12 percent of the State’s students, that have not come into compliance with PL 2007, chapter 240, Part XXXX by July 1, 2009. The Commissioner is directed to confer with representatives of each of the school administrative units that are not in compliance with the reorganization law, to determine the reasons for delay; and to determine whether current law allows sufficient flexibility for units to come into compliance. The Commissioner is directed to report to me no later than January 1, 2010 with any recommendations for changes needed to assist all school administrative units with the reorganization law, and to further assist all units.

Effective Date

The effective date of this Executive Order is June 19, 2009

Source: Maine Governor