KINGFIELD — Members of the Kingfield Cares School Options Committee are preparing a draft withdrawal plan outlining how the town could educate its students if residents vote to leave Maine School Administrative District 58.

The details of the draft plan were shared in updates posted on the Kingfield Cares Facebook page and in communications with the Franklin Journal.

Members said the draft plan, which exceeds 43 pages, will soon be submitted to MSAD 58 Superintendent Laura Columbia as part of the formal withdrawal process.

Members emphasized that the document is subject to continued negotiations and revisions before any final agreement could be presented to voters.

The School Options Committee, operating under the broader Kingfield Cares initiative, has been working with guidance from the Maine Department of Education as required under the state’s withdrawal process. That process requires towns to develop a detailed agreement addressing educational programming, staffing, finances, transportation, governance and long-term operational planning before withdrawal can proceed.

Committee members have said their work is intended to help residents make an informed decision about the town’s educational future while exploring school configuration options that are sustainable and cost-effective while maintaining the quality of education Kingfield students have historically received. Their efforts are focused on exploring “school configuration options that are cost effective while maintaining the high quality of education Kingfield students have always known,” while providing residents with accurate information to guide their decision.

According to information shared by the committee, the draft plan includes a proposed school structure based on projected enrollment for fiscal year 2028. Under the proposal, pre-kindergarten through grade 8 students would continue attending Kingfield Elementary School.

Enrollment projections included in the draft show small class sizes across grade levels, including seven kindergarten students and multiage classrooms serving grades 1 through 8. The projections also include expected enrollment from New Portland students in several grade groupings.

Staffing would include classroom teachers, educational technicians, and one special education teacher supported by two educational technicians. Music, art and physical education would each be provided through part-time positions.

The plan also outlines support staff roles, including a full-time principal, full-time office administrator, full-time guidance counselor, half-time school nurse, and part-time superintendent services. Information technology and library media specialist roles would each be half-time positions, while special education administration and business management services would be contracted. Transportation, custodial and food service staffing would remain similar to current levels.

For high school students, the plan calls for grades 9 through 12 to attend schools through tuition agreements with other districts. The committee has previously stated it intends to seek tuition agreements with Mount Abram High School in Salem Township in MSAD 58 and Mount Blue High School in Farmington in Regional School Unit 9 so families would have options.

The plan also proposes establishing a new five-member local school board if withdrawal occurs. That board would be responsible for governance of the school system and future contract negotiations. Existing teacher and superintendent contracts would remain in effect through their current terms.

The committee said students already attending MSAD 58 schools would be allowed to continue at those schools during the first year following withdrawal, providing continuity during the transition period.

A final budget has not yet been developed. Committee members said the school funding formula and state aid calculations make the budgeting process complex, and updated state funding estimates appear favorable but require further review before firm conclusions can be reached.

“Due to the school funding formula, budgets are complicated and involved, making us certain the budget process will be lengthy,” the committee said, noting that updated funding estimates from the state appear favorable but require further analysis.

Kingfield Cares said negotiations are ongoing and additional modifications to the plan are expected. The committee noted that “there will definitely be modifications” as discussions continue and emphasized that developing the draft plan does not commit the town to withdrawal but is a required step in allowing residents to evaluate the option.

The committee has said it plans to hold informal and formal public meetings to share details of the plan, answer questions and gather feedback from residents. An informal public meeting is expected to be scheduled in March to share the plan, answer questions and receive feedback.

Kingfield is one of three towns in MSAD 58, along with Strong and Phillips, that have been exploring withdrawal from the district. Earlier in the process, residents in those towns voted to submit letters of intent to withdraw to the district school board and the Maine commissioner of education, formally beginning the multi-step withdrawal process.

Beth Chilcote-Joof, a parent in Strong, said some families want to ensure all grade levels remain served within the district. “Parents, families, students, educators, and community members are looking to have all their children served with an education, keeping our district intact and serving PreK-12,” she said. “We have looked to our superintendent and school board to hear our concerns, and thoughts on the best interests of all of our children.”

Superintendent Columbia previously said the district continues to receive updates from withdrawal committees while gathering information and assessing future planning needs. The district has also been considering facilities planning options amid declining enrollment and uncertainty about whether member towns will remain in the district.

Under Maine law, withdrawal requires development of a withdrawal agreement, negotiations with the district, review by the commissioner of education, and ultimately a referendum vote by local residents.