[Local-Maine-Schools] independent and vocational schools

[Dick Atlee]

Interesting points, Ralph.  I sent it on to Dennis and Hannah, in case 
they don't see it on the list, to see if they could either clarify this 
or find someone on the subcommittee who would be willing to.

Dick

Ralph Chapman wrote:
> At yesterday's Apropriations Subcommittee reporting session, I heard
> one legislator thank the subcommittee for protecting the independent
> schools.  In today's Sun Journal, staff writer Jessica Alaimo states
> "Career and technical education centers will not be affected under the
> proposal..."
> 
>>From my simplistic analysis, both independent schools and vocational
> (now called career and technical education, or CTE) schools are in
> trouble with the legislation coming out of the Appropriations
> Committee.
> 
> If every new super-district has at least one public high school, and
> if the super-district board controls which students may attend which
> schools, I think that it follows that the independent schools will
> suffer declining enrollments as more and more students are directed to
> the public school to keep it filled.  Am I missing something here?
> 
> The CTE schools are currently operated by Cooperative Boards whose
> members are publicly elected school committee members from the
> regional school units.  The Cooperative Boards are dismantled by the
> proposed legislation along with the local boards.  What will replace
> them?  Since there are 26 CTE regions and approximately 80 new
> super-districts, there will necessarily be several super-districts for
> each CTE region.  Who will control the CTE school and decide which
> students may attend?  The proposed legislation is silent on the new
> administration of the CTE schools.  Or am I missing something here,
> also?
> 
> Ironic that the one example of an efficiently working regional
> educational system should be a victim to the new regionalization
> efforts coming from Augusta.
> 
> --Ralph Chapman