PARIS — Superintendent Rick Colpitts told School Administrative District 17 directors Monday night that the state commission on education reform has not been as productive as members hoped.

“It has not developed any true opinions or even suggestions,” Colpitts said. Its report was due to Gov. Paul LePage and the Legislature on Tuesday, Jan. 10.

The Commission to Reform Public Education Funding and Improve Student Performance in Maine was created during the 127th Maine State Legislature and included an additional $15 million to fund schools.

The 15-member panel was tasked with examining increasing costs throughout the public education system and recommending funding reforms and improvements for student performance.

Colpitts said the commission has lacked time to meet as a group in the past year and has often had people filling in when a full member was absent.

Because the December 2016 meeting was canceled, members were asked to submit their suggestions on how they see public education improving in the state.

Colpitts said he suggested:

• Essential Programs and Services be fully funded; it’s now at about $46 million of the $96 million full state commitment;

• The state encourage serving some special education needs jointly and provide additional resources for districts with disadvantaged students;

• The state promote the role of teaching loan forgiveness for those who get educated in Maine state colleges and then teach in Maine schools where starting salaries begin at $32,000 but school loans may be as high as $68,000.

• The state negotiate teacher salaries and benefits on a statewide basis but leave negotiations over work conditions to individual districts; and

• Regulations be changed to provide funding for construction in districts that need more space for pre-kindergarten students.

Colpitts announced SAD 17 received $100,000 in two state grants to support social services at Guy E. Rowe Elementary School in Norway and Oxford Elementary School. “They only gave out three. We got two. I’m pretty psyched about that,” he said.

The board also heard a presentation by Maine Vocational Region 11 Director Shawn Lambert on regional vocation programming. Lambert discussed the programs, who is involved in MVR 11, how the programs are developed, why most are successful, funding and other areas of the technical school’s operation.

In other business the board approved:

• Purchasing a used maintenance van for $8,000;

• Spending $7,450 for Flanders Electric to add outside lighting at the Agnes Gray Elementary School;

• Spending up to $11,984 to replace sections of the leaking cast-iron oil boiler at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School; and

• Colpitt’s nomination of Wyatt Ward as district mechanic.

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