A new plan for school district consolidation goes before the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee at 1 p.m. today at the Cross Office Building, Room 202, in Augusta.

The plan was created by members of the Legislature’s leadership, the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, the education committee, the Rural Caucus and others in response to Gov. John Baldacci’s call for cutting the state’s 290 school districts to 26 to save $250 million in the state budget in three years. His call triggered a half dozen other proposals.