Studying consolidation's impact

Could Pownal's experience with school district consolidation provide insight for other Maine school districts that are poised to reorganize?

A $190,000 grant the Department of Education is offering Pownal will allow the Cumberland County town to study the cost-sharing formula that's saddled it with a 35 percent increase in its local funding obligation to Regional School Unit 5, the new district the town is joining along with Durham and Freeport.

The department last week announced it would provide the grant to Pownal as a way to mitigate a 35 percent increase in the local tax burden it will assume to fund the three towns' schools. Declining enrollment, a skyrocketing property valuation and a change in the funding formula combined to elevate Pownal's tax burden.

The immediate effect of the $190,000 grant will be to alleviate Pownal's tax responsibility. Ostensibly, though, the grant will allow the new regional school unit to study the cost-sharing formulas that are determining the funding for a number of Maine school districts that will merge with new partners on July 1.

But the Department of Education is facing questions about this grant. Members of the Legislature's Education Committee Monday asked Education Commissioner Susan Gendron about the origin of the $190,000 funds infusion. Apparently, the money comes from funds the department had previously set aside to fund the implementation of Maine's district consolidation mandate.

Will other districts that want to study their new consolidated arrangements qualify for such grants? Well, no. But, the commissioner and others at the Department of Education have said, those other districts will benefit from Pownal's study.

What's the message?

Grants are available to those showing desperation, rather than those who write proposals as part of a competitive grant process.

I'm guessing the towns wanting to change course on their consolidation plans are hoping Pownal's findings prove useful for them, too.