STATE — Organizations representing Maine’s superintendents and school boards are welcoming the announcement by Governor Janet Mills Friday of the creation of a new commission studying Maine’s school construction needs and financing.

Steven Bailey, the executive director of the Maine School Boards Association, said the new commission is a welcome step towards addressing a critical issue affecting nearly all Maine school districts.

“Our schools are critical community resources, used for learning, libraries, sports, community meetings, and as central locations during emergencies,” Bailey said. “Yet many of our school buildings were built multiple decades ago and are in desperate need of upgrades. Our students and staff deserve to learn and work in healthy learning environments that support 21st-century learning needs. We hope this new commission can help Maine reinforce its commitment towards providing a quality learning environment for all students throughout the state.”

The commission was created through an executive order from Gov. Mills. It will examine the scope of Maine’s school construction and renovation needs, look at how other states fund school construction projects, and provide recommendations on changes to state law.

“Data regarding the age of active Maine schools show that 504 schools were built prior to the 1990s, with 243 of those schools built prior to the 1960s,” said Eileen King, the executive director of the Maine School Superintendents Association. “This data demonstrates the urgent need to fund school construction in a manner that will provide our students with healthy and safe learning environments that will meet the learning needs of today’s students and can offer equitable access to resources while serving as central hubs for communities.”

During the last funding cycle for the Maine Department of Education’s Major Capital School Construction Program, only 9 new school construction projects were approved out of 74 applicants.

The new school construction financing commission will include three superintendents, as well as a representative of the Maine School Boards Association.