By Amanda Estes

Staff Writer

Faced with a lack of clear direction from state officials, the Cape
Elizabeth School Board is cautious about including too much information
in the district’s plan as an alternative to school consolidation, which
must be submitted to Commissioner of Education Susan Gendron by Dec.1.

“We want to make sure we’re not sending the message because we looked
at cuts, we’re willing to do cuts,” said School Board Chairman
Katherine Ray during a Tuesday night workshop.

School Board Member Karen Burke recommended removing financial reports
outlining teacher, ed techs and substitutes salaries and benefits from
the report to keep the teachers off the “chopping block.”

The six board members opted to trim down Superintendent Alan Hawkins’
plan to just the facts, the most notable being Cape Elizabeth’s system
administration costs for 2005-2006 were roughly 3.1 percent of total
per-pupil expenditures. At 3.1 percent, the district already meets the
reorganization law’s 4 percent per-pupil expenditure requirement for
system administration.    

Gendron approved Cape Elizabeth’s notice of intent to remain an
independent district in early October. As a district meeting the
“efficient and higher performing” exemption to the consolidation
mandate, Cape Elizabeth must submit an alternative plan outlining cost
cutting measures. Gendron is expected to approve or return invalid
plans by Dec. 15. Following Gendron’s approval, all districts,
consolidated or not, will be required to hold a referendum on the plan.


According to Hawkins’ plan, in the next fiscal year, state funds for
Essential Programs and Services (EPS) will be reduced by 50 percent for
school administration. With three central office employees currently
performing some municipal duties, Hawkins determined subtracting those
municipal expenditures as well as a certification allowance for his
administrative assistant would result in nearly a $130,000 reduction in
the district’s budget, by fiscal year 2008 figures. Provided the state
allocates $204 for per-pupil in subsidy in the 2009 for system
administration, Cape Elizabeth would be nearly $85,000 above the EPS
funding level. In 2006, the district’s expenditures were less than the
EPS subsidy by $75,903.

With Hawkins’ scenario, school board member Rebecca Millett questioned
whether the school would be expected to absorb municipal services in
the future.  

 “It’s good to show that we’re making an effort to reduce our
costs, but my concern is that we’re dismantling the one town concept,”
Millett said.  

 According to the reorganization law, EPS allocations for special
education and transportation will both be reduced by 5 percent.
Hawkins’ report does not propose any cuts in the special education
program due to a revamping of the program last year. The new
Instructional Support Department, which follows an “all means for each
student” approach, is 4 percent below the 15 percent EPS cut-off for
Maintenance of Effort requirements for special education funding.

Hawkins said Cape Elizabeth’s transportation system, which is heavily
integrated with community services, is more efficient than that of
surrounding communities. In the report, however, he outlines possible
solutions “that continue to be considered” by the board, including
changing opening and closing hours at the high school in order to bus
grades 5-12 at one time, curtailing bus transportation for grades 9-12,
changing pick-up routes, increasing mileage charges of extracurricular
trips, reviewing bus usage by community service programs and limiting
school bus use to co-curricular programs.

By fiscal year 2008 figures, a 5 percent cut in EPS funds for transportation equals roughly $57,000.

 A 5 percent cut in EPS funds for facilities and maintenance, the fourth category, would translate to roughly $92,400.

“I would like to see how much it’s going to cost us if we do what the
state wants us to do,” said Ray. “How much will it cost if we don’t do
anything?”

The South Portland School Board, which has also received permission to
stay independent, voted unanimously on Monday night to submit an
alternative plan to Gendron by Dec. 1.

The board did not vote on components of the plan, as an alternative
plan committee will determine those, said Superintendent Suzanne Godin.


The school board will review the plan in detail during a Dec. 10 workshop.