SCHOOL BUDGET

May 20 2026EDUCATION

Schools need more money—here's how the budget hike affects local homeowners

The Baldwin-Whitehall school system plans to spend about 100. 7 million dollars next year, which is nearly 10 million more than this year’s spending. To cover the gap, leaders suggest raising property taxes by 4. 7 percent. The current tax rate sits at 25 mills, but if the plan passes, it will climb

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May 18 2026POLITICS

Reducing School Costs Through State‑Wide Health Coverage

School districts in Maine are facing a sharp rise in health insurance expenses. In one district with more than 600 staff members, premiums have climbed by over $1 million, pushing the total employer outlay to nearly $10 million. These figures only represent the portion paid by schools; employees the

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May 14 2026EDUCATION

Highlands Schools Keep Taxes Steady Despite Budget Gap

The Highlands School District plans to keep its property tax rate unchanged for a fourth straight year, even though the upcoming budget shows a $4 million shortfall. Finance Director Paul Paradise notes that only eight districts in the county have avoided tax hikes over the past three years, and

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May 06 2026EDUCATION

Tax Rise Plan Aims to Patch School Budget Gap

The Tyrone Area School District is looking at a 4. 9% hike in the state Act 1 Index to close a projected $1. 2 million shortfall for the 2026‑27 school year. This move would bring in roughly $491, 000 more money and cut the deficit to about $740, 000. State lawmakers have added only modest amounts

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May 02 2026FINANCE

School spending gets a fresh look in Southwick

The Southwick-Tolland-Granville regional schools face a familiar problem: how to balance their $30 million budget when towns want deeper cuts. At a recent meeting, the school committee chair admitted the system’s finances could be clearer. He asked locals to understand that school budgets don’t work

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Apr 28 2026EDUCATION

Parents and teachers protest Lee County schools' budget choices

A big crowd is gathering outside Lee County schools' main office in Fort Myers this Wednesday evening. They're not happy about planned budget cuts and teacher job losses. The protest runs from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at 2855 Colonial Blvd. People are upset about losing teachers and programs they care about.

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Apr 16 2026FINANCE

Southwick pushes schools to trim budget after tough town cuts

The town of Southwick has taken big steps to tighten its own spending, cutting budgets by 5% last year and another 10% this year. But even with those reductions, the school district’s costs keep climbing, forcing officials to ask for more savings. The Select Board approved a letter asking the region

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Apr 05 2026EDUCATION

Budget Crunch Forces School District to Weigh Tax Hikes

Spring Cove School District faces a $2 million gap for the 2026‑27 school year. The district plans to spend about $34 million, while revenue is only $32 million, a difference that could threaten programs and maintenance. The projected costs are up 2. 5 percent from last year, whereas revenue grew

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Jan 10 2026EDUCATION

Ridgefield Schools: Balancing the Books Mid-Year

Ridgefield's schools are keeping a close eye on their money. They've checked in halfway through the year and things seem okay. But there are some worries, like special education costs and health benefits. Special education is a big deal. It's costing more than expected. The district is spending ext

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Nov 26 2025EDUCATION

Barberton Schools Face Big Money Trouble: What's Next?

Barberton City Schools are in a tough spot. They're looking at a huge $9. 2 million budget shortfall. This news came out during a recent meeting where teachers and the school board had a serious talk about what went wrong and how to fix it. Teachers are worried. They want to know how this happened

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