Ed Committee: Commissioner continues report on reorganization...

$2.4 million

Responding to the question from Rep McFadden, the Commissioner estimates that the overall cost, so far, of reorganization is about $2.4M

What happens to the penalty money

The Committee is very interested in how the penalty money is distributed. Does it get folded back into GPA or is it specifically targeted to reorganizing districts?

The Commissioner indicates that she believes the best policy is, for the first two years, to distribute it to the reorganizing districts to offset their additional expenses. After two years she recommends folding it back into GPA.

This policy will be up for more discussion.

Repeal Petition

Dr. McCarthy (?) explained the process for determining if a bill would be a "competing measure" once/if the Repeal Petition is certified by the Secretary of State - which must be done by Monday, February 23rd.

Deadline for avoiding penalties

Committee also appeared to feel a little uncomfortable with some vagueness about whether or not SAUs which had voted 'yes' within failed RSUs were automatically subject to penalties.

The Commissioner indicated that those which still manage to form approved structures by July 1 may duck under the wire. The real deadline apparently is mostly connected to their anticipated status at the time that the Department prints the 279s.