AUGUSTA – A legislative leader strongly encouraged fellow members the Education Committee on Monday to come up soon with a school district consolidation plan or risk not having an impact on the final package to emerge.

Senate Majority Leader Elizabeth Mitchell told the Education Committee that the time to make changes “is fast coming to an end” because the Appropriations Committee this weekend could sew up a two-year budget in which many of the reforms would be included.

While resistance to consolidation remains and there are many disagreements over details, the process is moving forward, said Mitchell, D-Vassalboro.

“Let’s all get over it. Let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work,” she said. “We are running out of time.”

Mitchell admonished the committee to move quickly after it reviewed a map prepared by the Education Department that illustrates possible consolidations across the state.

Education Commissioner Susan Gendron said the model, which can be seen on the Web, is based on a plan advanced by a subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee and is subject to revision.

“This is one possibility” Gendron told the committee. She described the map as “a catalyst for conversation.”

The Appropriations subcommittee suggests a maximum of 80 districts, each district providing instruction for at least 2,500 students. It also allows for exceptions in “unique” cases in which consolidation is impractical because of geographical or demographic issues.

The model distributed by Gendron envisions 62 districts, but takes into account some of those exceptions.

Legislators are looking for a way to revise Gov. John Baldacci’s original proposal to establish 26 regional units, a significant reduction from Maine’s current 152 school administrative systems.

The proposal, which could result in Maine’s biggest public education reform in a half century, has drawn a wide range of responses and undergone extensive scrutiny since it appeared in early January. While differences still exist, the various factions appear to be in agreement on the bedrock issue of savings.

Baldacci wants a consolidation plan that results in $36.5 million in savings in the upcoming two-year budget cycle.

Broad acceptance of that target figure “is a significant step,” Rep. Tom Saviello, an independent from Wilton who has worked with the Rural Caucus on the school issue, told the Education Committee.

Saviello noted there are differences over other issues, such as timelines for having a plan in place. But none of the major plans calls for penalties before July 2009.

And districts that are involved in consolidation discussions among themselves received encouragement Monday from the commissioner to continue talking.

“We would be prepared to respond as soon as possible,” said Gendron.

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On the Net:

Suggested model for school unit reorganization: www.maine.gov/education/supportingschools/model.htm