RANGELEY —  The School Committee heard a report Tuesday on customized learning and held a hearing on a referendum establishing a common start date for elected committee members.

Judy Enright of Western Maine Educational Collaborative showed a PowerPoint presentation on Maine schools using mass customized learning, the individualized learning process, which comes from the standards-based curriculum. The plan is for students, as they get older, to take more responsibility for their own learning.

“The process is evolving,” Enright said. “We don’t know what it will look like in 10 years, but it will be better at providing what children need.”

Enright has taught at elementary, middle and high school levels, and as a special education teacher.

The evening began with a short and sparsely attended public hearing on the Nov. 6 ballot referendum establishing a common start date for elected school board members.

Chairwoman Pam Ellis said the board believes this change will provide continuity of elected officials’ participation through the school district’s entire fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30, by keeping the board in place through the entire budget process.

Newly elected board members will be invited to participate in all RSU 78 board meetings upon their election, but already seated members will cast any votes. Each town will continue to have their same number of votes.

The question will be decided by a simple majority of all votes cast. Passage by each town or township is not required.

Ellis called for and received volunteers for two new committees, one to review administrative structure, and another to review the superintendent’s office.

Superintendent Brian Foster reported that an air quality test had been done Tuesday on the portable classroom. The structure was tested for asbestos, lead, mold and mildew, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and particulate matter. The test is performed for free by the state. Foster said the results are expected by Monday, Oct. 15.

The School Committee has received a copy of the deed to the school property from the town of Rangeley, and Foster has passed it on to the school’s attorney, Bill Stockmeyer, for study of some points that may need to be worked out with the town.