Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – Due to a scheduling conflict, the education forum previously scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 7 at Presque Isle Middle School will not be held.
Instead, Gov. John E. Baldacci and Education Commissioner Susan Gendron will visit Aroostook County Monday, Feb. 12. They will meet with business, community and school leaders, as well as students in Presque Isle and the St. John Valley.
The forum, which was to discuss the Local Schools, Regional Support Initiative, will be replaced by a full-day listening tour featuring both Baldacci and Gendron.
The first legislative work session following the Feb. 5 public hearing on plans to reduce K-12 administrative costs will be conducted Wednesday, Feb. 7. Both the governor and commissioner need to remain in Augusta for the work session and related business.
“We want to take our message to every part of the state,” said Baldacci in a press release. “While it’s unfortunate that we can’t be in Presque Isle Feb. 7, Commissioner Gendron and I will spend an entire day in Aroostook County next week.
“A single stop in Aroostook County for a single forum isn’t enough,” he said. “I want to make sure I’m available to meet with people face-to-face and explain why I believe my plan will help improve education for Maine’s students.”
The LSRS Initiative aims to shift the focus from administration to the classroom to achieve excellence in education for all Maine students by keeping local schools local and consolidating central office administration.
The plan would create 26 regional learning communities, each with a board of directors, superintendent, and other central office personnel. The initiative would result in 26 regional budgets, teacher contracts and school calendars, rather than the 290 school administrative units.
Among the benefits of the LSRS Initiative, according to Baldacci, include increased teacher salaries and expanded professional development opportunities for teachers, expansion of the laptop initiative, proposed scholarships for students to attend higher education, and $241 million in savings that translates into property tax relief over three years.
“In Maine, we spend $2,000 more per pupil than the national average and pay our teachers $7,000 less than the national average,” said Baldacci. “My initiative will keep local schools open, boost classroom resources and enhance local oversight. My plan benefits the right people … the children.”
Final arrangements for the daylong visit to Aroostook County are pending.
