Regional school unit explained

A regional school unit is a type of school district in Maine.

They were created starting in 2008 pursuant to a change in Maine Law that attempted to save on administrative costs by consolidating Maine's many school districts into larger districts. This change was championed by Governor John Baldacci.^{[1] [2]}

Despite a deadline of January 30, 2009, many voters rejected their local school consolidation plans, citing issues such as loss of local control and higher costs due to bringing lower-paid teachers up to parity.^[3] For example, Brewer faced an annual loss of $244,000 in state subsidies for rejecting the consolidation plan, but potentially a loss of $2.74 million in increased salaries over the first 3 years if it had been approved.^[4]

, 77 RSUs had been formed.^[5]

List of RSUs

• RSU 1 - LKRSU – Arrowsic, Bath, Phippsburg, Woolwich
• RSU 2 – Dresden, Farmingdale, Hallowell, Monmouth, Richmond
• RSU 3 (coextensive with MSAD 3) – Brooks, Freedom, Jackson, Knox, Liberty, Monroe, Montville, Thorndike, Troy, Unity, Waldo
• RSU 4 – Litchfield, Sabattus, Wales
• RSU 5 – Durham, Freeport, Pownal
• RSU 6 (coextensive with MSAD 6) – Buxton, Frye Island, Hollis, Limington, Standish
• RSU 7 (coextensive with MSAD 7) – North Haven
• RSU 8 (coextensive with MSAD 8) – Vinalhaven
• RSU 9 – Chesterville, Farmington, Industry, New Sharon, New Vineyard, Starks, Temple, Vienna, Weld, Wilton
• RSU 10 – Buckfield, Hanover, Hartford, Mexico, Roxbury, Rumford, Sumner
• RSU 11 (coextensive with MSAD 11) – Gardiner, Pittston, Randolph, West Gardiner
• RSU 12 – Alna, Chelsea, Palermo, Somerville, Westport, Whitefield, Windsor
• RSU 13 – Cushing, Owls Head, Rockland, South Thomaston, Thomaston
• RSU 14 – Raymond, Windham
• RSU 15 (coextensive with MSAD 15) – Gray, New Gloucester
• RSU 16 – Mechanic Falls, Minot, Poland
• RSU 17 (coextensive with MSAD 17) – Harrison, Hebron, Norway, Otisfield, Oxford, Paris, Waterford, West Paris
• RSU 18 – Belgrade, China, Oakland, Rome, Sidney
• RSU 19 – Corinna, Dixmont, Etna, Hartland, Newport, Palmyra, Plymouth, Saint Albans
• RSU 20 – Searsport, Stockton Springs
• RSU 21 – Arundel, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport
• RSU 22 – Frankfort, Hampden, Newburgh, Winterport
• RSU 23 – Old Orchard Beach
• RSU 24 – Eastbrook, Franklin, Gouldsboro, Mariaville, Sorrento, Steuben, Sullivan, Waltham, Winter Harbor
• RSU 25 – Bucksport, Orland, Prospect, Verona
• RSU 26 – Orono
• RSU 28 (coextensive with MSAD 28) – Camden, Rockport
• RSU 29 (coextensive with MSAD 29) – Hammond, Houlton, Littleton, Monticello
• RSU 30 (coextensive with MSAD 30) – Lee, Springfield, Webster Plantation, Winn
• RSU 31 (coextensive with MSAD 31) – Edinburg, Enfield, Howland, Maxfield, Passadumkeag
• RSU 32 (coextensive with MSAD 32) – Ashland, Garfield Plantation, Masardis
• RSU 33 (coextensive with MSAD 33) – Frenchville, Saint Agatha
• RSU 34 – Alton, Bradley, Old Town
• RSU 35 (coextensive with MSAD 35) – Eliot, South Berwick
• RSU 37 (coextensive with MSAD 37) – Addison, Columbia, Columbia Falls, Harrington, Milbridge
• RSU 38 – Manchester, Mount Vernon, Readfield, Wayne
• RSU 39 – Caribou, Stockholm
• RSU 40 (coextensive with MSAD 40) – Friendship, Union, Waldoboro, Warren, Washington
• RSU 41 (coextensive with MSAD 41) – Brownville, Lagrange, Milo
• RSU 42 (coextensive with MSAD 42) – Blaine, Mars Hill
• RSU 44 (coextensive with MSAD 44) – Bethel, Greenwood, Newry, Woodstock
• RSU 45 (coextensive with MSAD 45) – Perham, Wade, Washburn
• RSU 49 (coextensive with MSAD 49) – Albion, Benton, Clinton, Fairfield
• RSU 50 – Crystal, Dyer Brook, Hersey, Island Falls, Merrill, Oakfield, Smyrna
• RSU 51 (coextensive with MSAD 51) – Cumberland, North Yarmouth
• RSU 52 (coextensive with MSAD 52) – Greene, Leeds, Turner
• RSU 53 (coextensive with MSAD 53) – Burnham, Detroit, Pittsfield
• RSU 54 (coextensive with MSAD 54) – Canaan, Cornville, Mercer, Norridgewock, Skowhegan, Smithfield
• RSU 55 (coextensive with MSAD 55) – Baldwin, Cornish, Hiram, Parsonsfield, Porter
• RSU 56 – Canton, Carthage, Dixfield, Peru
• RSU 57 (coextensive with MSAD 57) – Alfred, Limerick, Lyman, Newfield, Shapleigh, Waterboro
• RSU 58 (coextensive with MSAD 58) – Avon, Kingfield, Phillips, Strong
• RSU 59 (coextensive with MSAD 59) – Madison
• RSU 60 (coextensive with MSAD 60) – Berwick, Lebanon, North Berwick
• RSU 61 (coextensive with MSAD 61) – Bridgton, Casco, Naples
• RSU 63 (coextensive with MSAD 63) – Clifton, Eddington, Holden
• RSU 64 (coextensive with MSAD 64) – Bradford, Corinth, Hudson, Kenduskeag, Stetson
• RSU 65 (coextensive with MSAD 65) – Matinicus Isle Plantation
• RSU 67 – Chester, Lincoln, Mattawamkeag
• RSU 68 (coextensive with MSAD 68) – Charleston, Dover-Foxcroft, Monson, Sebec
• RSU 70 (coextensive with MSAD 70) – Amity, Haynesville, Hodgdon, Linneus, Ludlow, New Limerick
• RSU 71 – Belfast, Belmont, Morrill, Searsmont, Swanville
• RSU 72 (coextensive with MSAD 72) – Brownfield, Denmark, Fryeburg, Lovell, Stoneham, Stow, Sweden
• RSU 73 – Jay, Livermore, Livermore Falls
• RSU 74 (coextensive with MSAD 74) – Anson, Embden, New Portland, Solon
• RSU 75 (coextensive with MSAD 75) – Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Harpswell, Topsham
• RSU 78 – Dallas Plantation, Magalloway, Rengeley, Rangeley Plantation, Sandy River Plantation
• RSU 79 (coextensive with MSAD 1) – Castle Hill, Chapman, Mapleton, Presque Isle, Westfield
• RSU 80 (coextensive with MSAD 4) – Abbot, Cambridge, Guilford, Parkman, Sangerville, Wellington
• RSU 82 (coextensive with MSAD 12) – Jackman, Moose River
• RSU 83 (coextensive with MSAD 13) – Bingham, Moscow
• RSU 84 (coextensive with MSAD 14) – Danforth, Weston
• RSU 85 (coextensive with MSAD 19) – Lubec
• RSU 86 (coextensive with MSAD 20) – Fort Fairfield
• RSU 87 (coextensive with MSAD 23) – Carmel, Levant
• RSU 88 (coextensive with MSAD 24) – Cyr Plantation, Hamlin, Van Buren
• RSU 89 – Mount Chase, Patten, Sherman, Stacyville

External links

• School Administrative Reorganization, Maine Department of Education
• An Act To Remove Barriers to the Reorganization of School Administrative Units
• PL 668

Notes and References

1. News: Baldacci sees 'greatness' in state's future. https://web.archive.org/web/20121023051916/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-70879236.html. dead. October 23, 2012. 2009-02-09. January 9, 2003. Carrier. Paul. Portland Press-Herald.
2. News: School district consolidation plan gets chilly reception . 2009-02-09 . February 1, 2007 . Smith . Peter . The Forecaster . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070716065810/http://www.theforecaster.net/story.php?storyid=9365 . July 16, 2007 .
3. News: School plan 'dead' . https://web.archive.org/web/20090131083814/http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/5877584.html . dead . January 31, 2009 . 2009-02-09 . January 28, 2009 . Doug . Harlow . Morning Sentinel.
4. News: 10 towns shoot down RSU 15 consolidation . 2009-02-09 . January 28, 2009 . Nok-Noi . Ricker . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090131040521/http://bangornews.com/detail/98229.html . January 31, 2009.
5. Web site: SAU and Town Cross Reference.