Maine Department of Education has approved Alternative Organization Structure (AOS) 98’s bid to take part in an education service center, Superintendent Keith Laser shared in an email Dec. 14.

“It's a big deal because this is the first year it’s been extended for AOS's to be involved,” Laser said in an interview.

The center will need a board of trustees, and the AOS 98 school committee – Georgetown Central, Edgecomb Eddy, Southport Central schools and Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Community School District – decided Nov. 24 it wants the entire AOS 98 committee to serve as the trustees, with the same breakdown in votes between all participating school districts.

“That's to at least get us going, to make decisions on what we're doing,” said Laser.

Because, in the case of AOS’s, leadership of ESC's is predominantly superintendents, Laser said the application was drafted to include him as the executive director. This means Laser's salary of $120,820 will cost AOS 98 about $54,000.

An ESC must offer, and members must buy, at least two services to qualify for any state subsidy, according to the DOE’s website. The new AOS 98 ESC will offer three, said Laser: special services, superintendent's office and financial services. “We can expand and offer more … We have a lot of employees from the CSD that have expertise that the other schools could use like security and safety with Kyle (Canada), with Dave (Benner)'s services. Schools can contract them through the Education Service Center.”

Schools will also still receive subsidies based on the Maine DOE Essential Programs and Services formula, though AOS 98 schools will still be classified as minimum receivers. However, in the ESC program, minimum receivers could see 30-70% of the cost per pupil, a number chosen by Maine DOE Commissioner Pender Makin depending on available funds and ESC participants. Laser said he has heard that the cost could be as high as $260 per pupil, but will likely be closer to $90.

The incentives are much more than the subsidies, said Laser. The ESC will give AOS 98 schools an easier way to coordinate services and to bring other school systems into the mix should needs arise. Laser said the school committee and future ESC board wants to take things as they come, though, and will meet in January to decide how. “The sky is the limit to what an education service center can offer … and if the program goes away – hey, we're still an AOS.”