Helen Thompson School

06/02/2026

Your Voice. Your Schools. Your Vote.

Your Vote Shapes Our Future On Tuesday, June 9, residents of our community will have the opportunit...

06/02/2026

Every Voice Matters: Vote on June 9

On Tuesday, June 9, our community will have an important opportunity to help shape the future of our schools by voting on the proposed school budget referendum.

This vote is about more than numbers on a page—it is about investing in the students, staff, programs, and opportunities that make our schools strong and our community vibrant. The proposed budget is designed to support quality educational experiences, maintain essential services, and ensure that our schools continue to meet the needs of all learners.

Strong schools are the foundation of a strong community. They help attract families, support local economic growth, and prepare the next generation for success. The decisions we make today will have a lasting impact on the opportunities available to our students tomorrow.

Whether you are a parent, taxpayer, staff member, alumni, business owner, or community supporter, your voice matters. Participating in the referendum is one of the most direct ways to influence the future of public education in our community.

Please remember to vote on Tuesday, June 9, 2026.

Together, we support our schools and our community. Together, we build a bright future.

Vote June 9. Every voice matters.

06/01/2026

Aligning Resources with Enrollment: Building a Sustainable Budget for MSAD 11

The FY 2026–2027 budget reflects the difficult but necessary work of aligning district resources wi...

06/01/2026

Aligning Resources with Enrollment: Building a Sustainable Budget for MSAD 11

The FY 2026–2027 budget reflects the difficult but necessary work of aligning district resources with changing student enrollment while continuing to address rising operational costs. Over the past several years, MSAD 11 has experienced a steady decline in enrollment, resulting in fewer students to serve and changing demands across grade levels and programs. As a result, the district has carefully reviewed staffing, programming, and operational expenditures to ensure resources are aligned with current student needs.

Importantly, the proposed FY 2026–2027 budget includes no new positions. The budget focuses on maintaining essential services while managing significant cost increases that are largely outside of the district's control. Rising health insurance costs, the State of Maine's Paid Family and Medical Leave requirements, MaineCare SEED obligations, transportation expenses, contracted special education services, and substitute staffing all contribute to increased budget pressures. These required increases total more than $900,000.

To offset these unavoidable cost increases and maintain long-term financial sustainability, the district implemented staffing and organizational reductions across multiple areas of the school system. These decisions were not made lightly. Each position and expenditure was evaluated based on enrollment trends, student needs, operational efficiency, and the district's ability to continue providing a high-quality educational experience for students.

Throughout the budget development process, approximately $2.4 million in reductions were identified and incorporated into the budget. These reductions reflect the district's commitment to responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources while adapting to enrollment declines and fiscal realities. The goal is not simply to reduce spending, but to ensure that district resources are aligned with current enrollment and positioned to support students in a financially sustainable manner.

Key Message

The proposed FY 2026–2027 budget adds no new positions, addresses significant mandated and contractual cost increases, and aligns staffing and resources with declining enrollment to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of MSAD 11 while continuing to serve students effectively.

06/01/2026

MSAD 11 continues to operate as one of the lower-spending school districts in Maine when measured by resident expenditures per pupil. According to 2024–2025 Maine Department of Education expenditure data, MSAD 11 ranks 199th out of 261 school districts statewide in total per-pupil expenditures, meaning that 198 districts spend more per student and only 62 districts spend less.

Across individual expenditure categories, MSAD 11 generally ranks in the middle to lower half of Maine districts. The district's highest spending rank is in Student & Staff Support (75th), followed by Transportation (106th) and Other Instruction (116th). Expenditures for Facilities & Maintenance (127th) and School Administration (136th) are near the statewide midpoint, while spending for Special Education (167th), Regular Instruction (184th), and System Administration (220th) remains below most Maine districts. These rankings demonstrate a consistent pattern of fiscal restraint across major operational areas.

To provide additional context, MSAD 11's current spending levels were compared to neighboring districts using the district's enrollment of 1,718 students. If MSAD 11 spent at the same per-pupil rate as the statewide average, the district's budget would increase by approximately $6.36 million. Matching the spending levels of neighboring districts would result in estimated budget increases ranging from approximately $2.64 million to $6.51 million, depending on the district used for comparison.

These comparisons illustrate that MSAD 11 delivers educational services while maintaining expenditure levels that are significantly below many neighboring districts and below the majority of districts across the State of Maine. The data suggest that the district's overall spending profile remains comparatively conservative when evaluated on a per-student basis.

06/01/2026

Putting MSAD 11's Budget Into Perspective: A Comparison of Per-Pupil Expenditures Across Maine

MSAD 11 continues to operate as one of the lower-spending school districts in Maine when measured b...

06/01/2026

MSAD 11: Investing in Students, Supporting Our Communities

MSAD 11: Investing in Students, Supporting Our Communities When people think about MSAD 11, they...

06/01/2026

Understanding How MSAD 11 Costs Are Shared

Understanding How MSAD 11 Costs Are Shared As residents consider the upcoming MSAD 11 budget vote,...

06/01/2026

Understanding How MSAD 11 Costs are Shared 06.01.2026

05/29/2026

MSAD #11 Transportation Newsletter ~ June, 2026