Maine
Maine’s 1st regional high school faces major hurdle before it can get millions in state funding
GUILFORD, Maine — Native districts concerned in Maine’s third try at a regional highschool might want to cowl the prices of an engineering examine and different planning efforts earlier than they’ll get tens of millions in state funding to construct the mission.
Superintendents met with the Maine Division of Schooling in early Could to inquire about pre-construction funding and have been instructed the state wouldn’t assist pay for it, which was disappointing, SAD 4 Superintendent Kelly MacFadyen stated.
“Our subsequent step will likely be asking for proposals from engineering companies to search out out what it could value,” MacFadyen stated throughout a faculty board assembly Wednesday. “That’s going to make a giant distinction as as to whether we are able to fund it by means of our native budgets or go to our companions.”
The price to native districts is an early hurdle in an advanced mission that goals to consolidate neighboring faculties with declining enrollment, an effort that failed twice earlier than within the St. John Valley and Houlton in Aroostook County. The price of the brand new mission isn’t but clear, however the state provided $100 million for the St. John Valley proposal and $120 million to the one in Houlton.
Nevertheless it’s nonetheless years from completion, and there’s loads of work to do. District leaders have agreed on a neighborhood college district because the governance construction that was authorised by the state. An engineering examine, website choice and different associated work will occur within the coming months.
The timing isn’t perfect as a result of voters simply handed the districts’ 2022-23 college yr budgets, however companies corresponding to Cianbro Company and Guilford-based Hardwood Merchandise Co. have been supportive of the mission within the planning section, MacFadyen stated. Space companies may supply apprenticeships, internships and different alternatives for college students, and so they’ll doubtless need to make use of a few of them after commencement, she stated.
The trendy regional facility includes College Administrative District 4 in Guilford, SAD 41 in Milo and SAD 46 in Dexter. Regional College Unit 64 in Corinth has additionally been concerned in conferences and discussions, however the district hasn’t dedicated by means of the appliance course of, Superintendent Rhonda Sperrey stated.
The regional highschool could be built-in with a profession and technical college together with the College of Maine system and the Maine Group Faculty system, based on an outline on the DOE’s web site. It will additionally help trade coaching packages.
It is going to be difficult to pick out a website for the college that pleases the 30 cities concerned and meets the state’s necessities for building initiatives, stated Niki Fortier, chairperson of the college board. Districts should contemplate how lengthy college students are spending on buses to get to and from college, MacFadyen stated.
If voters approve the mission in a referendum — which is extra prone to happen subsequent spring — then the districts concerned can entry the state’s $100 million.