AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Maine Republican Gov. Paul LePage has signed an executive order to direct $3 million to school consolidation efforts at a time of rising education costs and declining student enrollments.
LePage’s order notes Maine’s public school expenditures increased to $2.2 billion in the fiscal year that ended 2015. LePage said that’s an almost $480 million increase over the past decade even though student enrollment decreased by 23,000.
The governor says consolidating schools will decrease costs and improve education.
The order directs the Department of Education to identify undispersed taxpayer funds and distribute the money to schools through a competitive process. The department on Tuesday said it has $3 million available.
LePage also directed the department to propose a bill authorizing a bond covering debt service for regional school projects.
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