Dear Editor:

On June 9, the Wiscasset voters voted down the Wiscasset school budget of $11.2 million. Since then there were two school committee budget workshops. On June 30, the school committee approved a budget of $10.7 million by a divided vote of 4 to 1, essentially a flat budget from the previous year, one committee member believing that budget is still too high. Most notable were the questions never asked.

School expenses are directly related to the number of students. The current enrollment of 348 students was reported to the state.

1. The Richmond School District, with a middle high school and elementary school, similar to Wiscasset except there are 63 more students, has approved a budget for next year of $9.1 million.

2. With ~20% less students, why is the Wiscasset School Budget $1.6 million (~17%) greater than Richmond? In Wiscasset the enrollment has continued to decline and yet the budget has continued to increase. In Maine the average cost per student is $21,717, why is the cost per student at Wiscasset Middle High School $31,430 (44% greater)?

3. With an enrollment of 348, the state estimates that 22 teachers are required. Wiscasset has 49 teachers, as reported by the superintendent at the previous special town meeting. With all these teachers why is the Middle High School academic performance, as reported by the state, so poor? In English language arts 44% of the students fail to meet expectations, in math 69% and in science 75%, significantly worse than the state averages. The elementary school academic performance is slightly better. The state estimates that 3.2 administrative and clerical staff are required, we have 7.5.

The next special town meeting on the Wiscasset School Budget is scheduled for July 23. Attend the next special town meeting and vote down the proposed articles. The taxpayers only option is to vote “no” on the revised budget referendum. 

1: https://www.maine.gov/doe/funding/gpa/eps/resources 

2: Richmond School Department 26/27 Budget Summary 

3: https://www.maine.gov/doe/dashboard  

Edward J. Polewarczyk

Wiscasset