Since Gov. Baldacci released his recommendations for the 2008-2009 budget early in January, newspapers across the state have been flooded with debate, questions and anxiety over the proposal to consolidate school administration. We have received countless calls and letters from concerned parents, teachers and administrators with questions about how the governor’s proposal would affect our local schools.

Many of those contacting us are concerned this proposal is on a fast track to enactment, and we wanted to take this opportunity to let readers know there is no cause for panic – this is only the beginning of the discussion.

While the conversation about consolidating administrative functions has been under way for many years, the push for reform in Maine kicked into high gear last summer when the Brookings Institution issued a report suggesting that Maine reduce inefficiencies in state and local government – and that school administrations were a good place to start.

Gov. Baldacci brought the conversation to the forefront by issuing his proposal to consolidate school administrations into 26 districts statewide, in response to growing tax concerns. Even before that, five state legislators had already submitted separate proposals aimed at consolidating school administrations.

The proposals differ broadly in scope and purpose, and they all have support from various organizations across the state. Districts range in size from 26 to more than 70. Some would require mandatory consolidation, others would be voluntary. They all purport to offer some degree of savings.

Now that the competing measures from the governor and other legislators are drafted, it’s time for us to dissect them and come up with the best possible compromise for everyone.

It’s our job to listen to the proposals before us, and open up the floor to you. On Monday, April 5, the appropriations and education committees will hold joint public hearings on all the administrative consolidation proposals. The hearings will take place all day at the Augusta Civic Center, beginning at 9 a.m.

Before any bill makes it to the floor of the House or Senate, it is heard before the public and worked on extensively by at least one policy committee in the Legislature. Because this proposal affects the budget and educational policy, it will be worked on by two.

As House chairs of the Legislature’s appropriations and education committees, we have a shared responsibility to ensure that whatever proposal we take up in the end not only finds practical efficiencies, but also does not compromise the quality of education for any Maine student.

Over the next couple of months, our committees will work to collect feedback from Maine people and use it to craft an administrative consolidation plan that works best for everyone. It could incorporate parts of each proposal, or completely dispose of them. That’s why it is so important that we hear from you.

The public hearing will follow the standard format used in the Legislature – each speaker will be held to about three minutes, to discuss any or all the proposals on the table. At the end, the education committee will hold work sessions on all the bills to discuss their merits and flaws. The committee will then form one proposal and deliver it to the Appropriations Committee, who will put it through the same rigorous process. After all of that, the House and Senate will have an opportunity to weigh in, offer amendments and cast a vote.

We hope to see a strong turnout at the public hearings today, and we look forward to starting the conversation with all of you. If you cannot make it, but would like to submit a statement, you can send it to schooladmin@legislature.maine.gov or through the mail at: Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs, 100 State House Station, Augusta, ME, 04333. You can also learn more about the proposals and process by visiting legislature.maine.gov and clicking on the link titled “School Regionalization Proposals Hearing.”

Rep. Jeremy Fischer, D-Presque Isle, is House chair of the Appropriations Committee, and Rep. Jackie Norton, D-Bangor, is House chair of the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee.