[Local-Maine-Schools] Amendment to LD 1932 updated

[Brian Hubbell]

All,

Please note that, since it's been through the Revisor's office, we now
have an updated version of the Damon/Mitchell amendment to LD 1932 at:
http://mdischools.net/20080201_Draft_Senate_Floor_Amendment.pdf

Besides some technical changes to the language to conform to the
Revisor's style, the new draft also removes collective bargaining as a
"core function" of a Regional School Union.  This would allow both
functions of bargaining and employment to occur at either the local or
regional level.

This would remove any necessity for the cost increases which might
otherwise result from leveling different contracts across a single
region, a significant concern in many areas.

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[Updated] SUMMARY

	This amendment authorizes regional school unions in addition to
regional school units as an alternate method of school reorganization.
 A regional school union must perform certain core functions which
include employment of a superintendent, performance of all business
functions, special education administration, transportation
administration, adoption of a core curriculum, and all state and
federal reporting.  A regional school union is formed in the same
manner as a regional school unit by means of a reorganization plan
prepared by a reorganization planning committee, with approval of the
Commissioner of Education and approval at a referendum.  Regional
school unions are subject to the same requirements as regional school
units with respect to minimum numbers of students, exceptions to
minimum numbers of students, timelines for submission of
reorganization plans, operational date, and applicable penalties.
School administrative units which form a regional school union become
"local educational units" with no further responsibility for the
administrative functions which are taken over by the regional school
union.