A subcommittee of state Legislators formed to make recommendations for school administration consolidation wants to see Maine’s 290 school districts reduced to 80 by July 1, 2008.

The subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee reported its recommendations to the full Appropriations Committee today.

The subcommittee said the state should have a maximum of 80 school districts, with at least 2,500 students in each district.

Exceptions would be made to the 2,500-student minimum for districts in rural areas where it might not be practical to create a district that large.

Subcommittee leader Rep. Emily Cain, D-Orono, noted school systems that already have more than 2,500 students would be required to participate in the consolidation process.

Commissioner of Education Susan Gendron and the Department of Education would be charged with recommending, initially, which school systems could be consolidated together. Regional steering committees made up of community members would then consider those recommendations and work out the details of how existing districts would consolidate into larger districts.

Consolidation plans would have to be submitted by Nov. 15 of this year and the new regional school districts would have to be operational by July 1, 2008.

The proposal is now in the hands of the full Appropriations Committee and would also need approval by the full Legislature and Gov. John Baldacci, who proposed the administrative cuts to save money.