Consolidating the 107 Supervisory Administrative Units (SAUs) that manage all school districts into 12 that each would have its own elected administrator would save money and bring academic teaching decisions closer to the local level, according to a Republican-led study committee report that embraced the reform proposal.

“The majority thinks that over the years we have ceded control of education to superintendents who do not directly answer to the voters,” the report said.

“We believe we can achieve cost savings and at the same time return local control of academics to our elected school boards where it belongs.”

Democratic members on the six-person panel said the idea is moving forward without enough thought.

They maintained there’s no evidence it would cut costs, and they charged

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