Does it make any sense for each individual community to have its own school department, school board and school budget? Are we now facing a time when change should be considered?
Administrative costs and management of all those schools continues to rise faster than the cost to pay teachers and provide needed supplies for students. Salaries and benefits are out of control as each community seeks to find the best leadership and must compete for that individual.
Perhaps it is time for the state of Maine to go to a county-based school administrative department with one superintendent and one administrative unit and one facility per county. Let’s consider a benefit package for all school employees that is the same, regardless of which community one works in, and then work to create a state funding formula that pays the 55 percent of those standard costs based on student population and special needs. Counties wishing to pay more would have to pass it directly to their communities.
As people will soon realize in the new state budget, significant cuts to homeowner exemptions, general assistance reimbursement and other cuts could mean significant tax hikes for property tax payers, both residential and business.
The time for change is upon us; let’s not fall asleep at the wheel. It works elsewhere, let’s make it work in Maine.
Robert Reed, Lewiston
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