Topsfield, Maine, Faces Critical Vote on School Closure as Enrollment Plummets
The remote town of Topsfield, Maine, located approximately 25 miles from the US-Canada border, is on the verge of closing its only school after student enrollment dwindled to just five pupils. Residents of this small community, with a population of 175, will cast their ballots on April 30 to decide the fate of East Range II School.
Financial Strain and Declining Numbers Force Tough Decision
The school is now on the chopping block, with locals weighing whether it is worth spending $434,000 next year to educate students from preschool through second grade. According to reports from the Bangor Daily News, the alternative is to close the school and send all students to other institutions, which would cost less than $200,000 annually.
Amanda Belanger, the Eastern Maine Area School Superintendent, addressed the community at a hearing on Wednesday, stating, "It is emotional to close the school in a town, but we do feel it's in the best interest of the students in the town." The school currently has five students enrolled and employs two teachers to educate them. The building features four classrooms, a library, a gymnasium, and staff including a cook and custodian.
Historical Context and Legal Requirements Compound Challenges
East Range II School began the academic year with eight students, but three have since withdrawn. In 2023, the school had 25 students, many of whom came from the neighboring town of Vanceboro, which closed its own school in 2015. However, Vanceboro was spending $23,000 per student last school year, prompting them to redirect students to a school in Danforth, where tuition was only $11,000 per student.
This move forced East Range's student enrollment below 10, triggering a Maine law that requires the district to offer students the option to attend elsewhere. At Wednesday's hearing, residents voiced frustrations over legal mandates for keeping the school open, such as the requirement to provide a certified special education teacher even if one is not needed.
Community Voices Express Concerns and Frustrations
Local resident Deborah Mello argued, "It's not feasible for the town of Topsfield. We cannot afford it, and it's not like the children don't have a school to go to." Another resident, Alan Harriman, added, "It sounds like we've been burdened with something severely by this program and that program by the Department of Education, to the point where a small school can't even exist."
Parental concerns were also highlighted, with Jenna Stoddard, whose son is set to start preschool next fall, worrying about the implications of closure. She questioned, "That's a pretty fair distance for a kid, a four-year-old, who is now on a bus all by himself. [If] school starts at [7.45am], what time is the bus picking four-year-olds up here? And what time is he going to get home at?"
Vote Details and Future Implications
The future of East Range II School will be determined by a ballot vote on April 30, with polls open from 2:30 PM to 6:30 PM at the Topsfield Town Office. If the decision is made to close the school, the building and its associated costs will be transferred to the town, marking the end of an era for this small educational institution.
