Staff Writer

The Regional School Unit 23 Board of Directors will review the district’s cost-sharing plan at the request of Dayton selectmen.

Dayton Selectmen Ted Poirier, Theresa Greeley and Scott Littlefield sent an Aug. 2 letter to the board asking the plan be renegotiated because their town is “severely affected” by the current plan. The board voted to look at the plan in January.

 Superintendent of Schools Michael Lafortune said the cost-sharing plan was developed during creation of the school unit, which includes Saco, Dayton and Old Orchard Beach. The RSU is now in its second year and a review of the plan already was anticipated for the third year.

The cost-sharing plan used in the first year of the school district was based on local contributions required by the state and additional local money. The district intended to avoid big jumps in local contributions and have equity between the three communities, Lafortune said. Cost sharing in the second and third year factors in population and valuation, he said.

Lafortune said the district will hire an outside consultant to assess how the plan affects each community. A report should be ready for the board to consider by January, he said. 

In their letter, Dayton selectmen said they’ve seen a 23 percent increase in cost-per-pupil spending since the district’s inception.

“This dramatic increase in cost to the town of Dayton does not reflect the amount of benefits received from the RSU,” the selectmen wrote.

Dayton selectmen did not respond to phone messages before the Courier’s publication deadline.

Skip Cushman, the RSU board member from Dayton, said he supports looking at the cost-sharing plan to ensure one community is not unfairly affected. He said the cost-per-pupil increase in Dayton is significantly larger than the increase in Old Orchard Beach. The formula used to determine cost sharing “doesn’t really make sense” because Dayton had a higher bill after nine students left town, he said.

“Everyone is trying to make it work. It’s been a large impact for the community and we’re trying to get our heads around why,” he said.

Cushman said he does not know specifically what the selectmen were referring to when they said the increase does not reflect benefits received. Dayton has added all-day kindergarten, a gifted and talented program and a literacy specialist since the RSU was created, he said.

“I think it’s a pretty tough case to make that the RSU hasn’t benefited the students of Dayton tremendously,” Lafortune said.

Gary Curtis of Old Orchard Beach was the only board member to vote against an early look at the cost-sharing plan.

“I think they (Dayton) make out better than anyone in the district,” he said. “I think the actual student in the classroom in Dayton is better off now than without the RSU. The same goes for students in Saco and Old Orchard Beach.”

Curtis and Lafortune said per-pupil costs cited by Dayton selectmen do not tell the whole story of the town’s contribution to the district because they do not include state education subsidies.

RSU budget figures show state subsidies cover 46.2 percent of Dayton’s $4.36 million education costs; 40 percent of Saco’s $27.39 million education costs; and 4 percent of Old Orchard Beach’s total $9.71 million education costs. That means Old Orchard Beach taxpayers must pick up 96 percent of the cost of education its students, Curtis said.

Curtis said he does not understand where the “myth” comes from that Dayton subsidizes Old Orchard Beach. That idea was voiced repeatedly by voters during budget meetings earlier this year.

“It’s infuriating because it’s absolutely not true. Look at the numbers,” Curtis said. “If anyone is doing any subsidizing it’s Old Orchard Beach.”

Lafortune said school officials need to gather more information to dispel misinformation circulating in the three communities and provide accurate numbers and explanations to voters.

“When we get the facts on the table, I’m really confident nobody is subsidizing Old Orchard Beach. They are paying their fair share,” he said.

The board is expected to begin looking at the cost-sharing plan in January.

Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.