The state announced last week the progress school districts had made toward complying with the new school reorganization law.

Locally, most districts were in compliance. Cape Elizabeth was waiting to hear this week whether the state would allow it to be a high-performing district and remain independent, even though the student population is below the level the state has set as a minimum for districts that do not have to consolidate.

It appeared as though that nod from the state was likely to come barring any unforeseen developments. Those who worked to create the exemption in the law for Cape Elizabeth’s schools and other high-performing districts deserve credit for convincing the governor and Legislature that the school district was doing such a good job of delivering a quality education at a reasonable cost that the schools could only lose out in a consolidation.

That work wouldn’t have been possible, however, if Cape’s school boards, town councils and school administrators hadn’t kept budgets tight while protecting the quality of education there in past years. As in many communities, the debates over school costs have at times been contentious, but those tensions may ultimately prove to be worth it. If the state signs off on Cape’s contention that it is a high-performing district, it would be a validation of those prior efforts.

In the announcement last week, three other districts were singled out by the education commissioner as being worthy of praise – Westbrook, Windham and Raymond. Two of those districts – Windham and Westbrook – are considering consolidating even though they have enough students (2,500) to be exempt from the state law.

These districts deserve credit for going above and beyond what was required of them by law. They are looking at the new law not just as a challenge but an opportunity – one that could actually benefit students in all three communities. What if, for example, the communities were able to form two high schools – one for science and technology and another for liberal arts, as Westbrook Superintendent Stan Sawyer has suggested?

Westbrook is the only school district in the state that offers Mandarin Chinese. What if students from Windham and Raymond were also able to take advantage of those classes?

The example these three districts are setting should embolden other districts to look at more opportunities for collaboration.

There are many questions that remain about the state’s new law. Among them: Will it actually save money? Will people take the time to learn about the budgets they will be voting on?

Regardless of the questions, the consolidation law has made it obvious that the districts that focus on the potential and look beyond the challenges will be doing the greatest service to the communities they serve.

Brendan Moran, editor

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