Harrison has formed an education options committee to research the future for Harrison Elementary School. Nicole Carter/Advertiser Democrat

HARRISON — The committee researching alternatives to staying with Maine School Administrative District 17 will present its findings to the Select Board on March 13.

Two hearings will be held March 18 and 19 for residents to learn about the options, ask questions and provide feedback.

Harrison Education Options Committee Chairman Mike Giuffre said recently that he expected more than 200 responses from a survey of voters be completed soon.

The committee has begun its initial legal investigation to determine avenues and costs, should Harrison voters decide to leave the eight-town district headquartered in Paris.

If the Select Board decides to explore secession, the next step will be to schedule a special town meeting in April for residents to vote on the measure and allocate money for an attorney to proceed. A referendum would be scheduled for June or July.

The town could join another school district or be independent of any district. Under that circumstance, Harrison Elementary School would remain open to students in prekindergarten to sixth grade, and middle and high school students would attend schools in other districts with tuition paid by the town.

Harrison began exploring a possible exit from SAD 17 last spring when the town learned the district may move to partially consolidate elementary schools in Harrison, Norway and Waterford.

Students from West Paris’ Agnes Gray Elementary School moved to Paris Elementary School a year ago when their school was closed.

SAD 17 is taking steps to permanently close Agnes Gray.

Giuffre said most of the community’s opposition to SAD 17’s consolidation proposal is due to transportation and the expectation of long bus rides for young children.

To mitigate that impact, SAD 17 is exploring school sites closer to Harrison and Waterford. However, requirements for public water and sewer access, as well as minimum required acreage, are complicating the search.

State statute requires that searches for school construction sites remain confidential until property buyers and sellers arrive at a sales agreement.

One big benefit of consolidating with other schools is also subject to confidentiality: how many students would be able to utilize comprehensive special education and services. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 safeguards student records.

If SAD 17 consolidates Harrison, Norway and Waterford schools, all students would be able to receive special services daily. Currently, some services are only provided in SAD 17’s community schools once a week. At least one, speech therapy, is not available in the outlying schools at all.

Kim Reynolds, one of Harrison’s two volunteers working on Oxford Hills’ School Construction Committee, has met with Giuffre’s group to provide context on Maine Department of Education’s multiyear school project requirements.

“He has been helpful to help us understand the process,” Giuffre said. “And we have also had a dialogue with Superintendent Heather Manchester and hope to set up a meeting with her soon.”

Manchester recently met with Norway and Waterford municipal officials about potential consolidation. Those towns have not taken a stance against it.

Discussion generally surrounded financial responsibilities should they take ownership of Waterford and Norway elementary schools, which Harrison also needs to consider.

SAD 17’s Elementary School Construction Committee is set to meet again March 5. Manchester said all committee meetings are open to the public to attend.