Fourteen southern Maine communities held referendum elections on Tuesday considering proposals to consolidate public school districts as required under state law.

In early results, Kennebunkport residents voted 1,714 to 733 to approve a plan to merge with Kennebunk and Arundel schools, while Old Orchard Beach residents voted 3,194 to 1,700 to approve a plan to merge with Saco and Dayton schools.

North Yarmouth residents voted 1,689 to 689 to approve a plan to merge with Falmouth and Cumberland schools. Cumberland voters also approved the plan, 3,505 to 1,242.

Freeport residents voted 2,464 to 2,217 to approve a plan to merge with Durham and Pownal schools.

Results from other southern Maine communities were unavailable at press time.
Across the state Tuesday, municipalities voted on 18 merger plans aimed at consolidating districts.

Five proposals in southern Maine would create new "regional school units" by combining Falmouth, Cumberland and North Yarmouth; Freeport, Durham and Pownal; Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel; Saco, Dayton and Old Orchard Beach; and Windham and Raymond.

The Legislature passed a law in 2007 that requires most of Maine's 288 school districts to merge and bring the number of districts down to 80. Districts with fewer than 2,500 students must consolidate unless they have special circumstances approved by the Maine Department of Education.

The consolidation plans call for similar steps to form new regional school committees, merge administration teams, combine employee unions and share debt and other costs. Communities that fail to merge as required risk losing a portion of state education aid.

Before Tuesday, three merger proposals had been approved by local voters and the Department of Education, and 40 others were in progress. All 43 merger plans must be voted on by Jan. 30, said David Connerty-Marin, the department's spokesman.

Some consolidation plans have been more controversial than others.
The Freeport School Committee initially rejected a merger plan that the Pownal and Durham school boards had approved. The Freeport committee later voted 5-2 for the plan, despite lingering concerns about a merger.

The Falmouth School Committee voted 4-3 to recommend against merging with School Administrative District 51, which consists of North Yarmouth and Cumberland, to form a new Casco Bay School District.

Voters considering a merger of Windham and Raymond schools were expected to weigh the fact that Raymond students may still be able to choose where they go to high school with taxpayer-funded tuition. While most Raymond students attend Windham High School, Raymond voters also decided Tuesday whether students will continue to have that choice.

Arundel, which has a 623-student elementary school, would merge with SAD 71, which consists of Kennebunk and Kennebunkport and includes 2,244 students. It would become Regional School Unit 57.

A merger of School Union 7, made up of Saco and Dayton, with the Old Orchard Beach School Department would create RSU 56.