2023 Maine Revised Statutes › TITLE 20-A: EDUCATION › Part 2: SCHOOL ORGANIZATION › Chapter 103-A: REGIONAL SCHOOL UNITS › Subchapter 2: FORMATION OF REGIONAL SCHOOL UNIT › 20-A §1465. Addition of a school administrative unit to an existing regional school unit

§1465. Addition of a school administrative unit to an existing regional school unit
A school administrative unit not originally a member of a regional school unit may be included in the regional school unit in accordance with this section.   [PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. XXXX, §13 (NEW).]
1.  Notice of intent.
A school administrative unit shall file with the commissioner a notice of intent to engage in planning and negotiations to join with a regional school unit under this chapter. The commissioner shall respond to each notice of intent and provide information regarding the process and whether the intended action complies with the requirements of this chapter.
[PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. XXXX, §13 (NEW).]
2.  Process to join a regional school unit.
A school administrative unit may join an existing regional school unit in the same manner required for the formation of a regional school unit under section 1461, except that section 1461, subsections 5, 6 and 7 do not apply.
[PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. XXXX, §13 (NEW).]
3.  Referendum for a school administrative unit to join an existing regional school unit.
The municipal officers of each municipality that is a member of a school administrative unit that is proposing to join a regional school unit shall place a warrant article substantially as follows on the ballot of a municipal referendum in accordance with the referendum procedures applicable to the school administrative unit of which the municipality is a member.
"Article: Do you favor approving the school reorganization plan prepared by the (insert name) Reorganization Planning Committee for school administrative unit (insert name of affected school administrative unit) to join the regional school unit (name of regional school unit), with an effective date of (insert date)?
Yes No"
[PL 2011, c. 691, Pt. D, §6 (AMD).]
4.  Referendum on the admission of an additional school administrative unit to an existing regional school unit.
If the vote to join a regional school unit under subsection 3 was in the affirmative, the existing regional school unit shall conduct a regional school unit referendum to vote on the following article.
"Article: Do you favor approving the school reorganization plan prepared by the (insert name) Reorganization Planning Committee for school administrative unit (insert name of affected school administrative unit) to join the regional school unit (name of regional school unit), with an effective date of (insert date)?
Yes No"
[PL 2011, c. 691, Pt. D, §8 (AMD).]
5.  Results of referendum.
A school administrative unit shall report the results of the referendum to the department following the referendum election.
A. For a referendum conducted pursuant to subsection 3:
(1) A reorganization plan is approved by a kindergarten to grade 12 school administrative district or kindergarten to grade 12 community school district if the majority of votes cast in the district is in favor of approval of the plan;
(2) A reorganization plan is approved by a regional school unit if the majority of votes cast in the regional school unit is in favor of approval of the plan;
(3) A reorganization plan is approved by the member municipalities of a community school district that does not provide public education for the entire span of kindergarten to grade 12 if the majority of votes cast in the member municipalities is in favor of approval of the plan. Approval results in all member municipalities joining the regional school unit for all purposes for kindergarten to grade 12; and
(4) A municipal school unit, including a municipal school unit that is a member of a school union, approves a reorganization plan if the majority of the votes cast in that municipality is in favor of approval of the plan.   [PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. XXXX, §13 (NEW).]
B. For a referendum conducted pursuant to subsection 4, a reorganization plan is approved by a regional school unit if the majority of votes cast in the regional school unit is in favor of approval of the plan.   [PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. XXXX, §13 (NEW).]
If a reorganization plan is approved by the affected school administrative unit, the commissioner shall file notice of approval of the unit with the state board.
[PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. XXXX, §13 (NEW).]
6.  Amended certificate of organization.
If a plan for reorganization has been approved by the commissioner and approved by voters at the referendum under subsections 3 and 4, the commissioner shall issue an amended certificate of organization to the reorganized regional school unit.
[PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. XXXX, §13 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. XXXX, §13 (NEW). PL 2011, c. 251, §§5, 6 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 251, §12 (AFF). PL 2011, c. 691, Pt. D, §§5-8 (AMD).