Dennysville residents are being asked whether they're willing to end school choice in order to save on elementary school tuition costs that are the drivers for a proposed nearly 80% increase in the local tax rate. At a special town meeting set for Monday, July 29, at 6 p.m. at the town office, residents will vote on whether or not to enter an exclusive contract with the Pembroke School Committee to send all Dennysville students to that town's school. In order for the contract to take effect, Pembroke residents also will need to approve it.
      On July 17, the Pembroke School Committee voted unanimously to offer a two-year tuition agreement with the Dennysville School Committee to accept Dennysville students at a tuition rate of $14,000 per student, which is less than the $16,250 per student rate that is estimated that Pembroke can charge for the coming year. As another option, the board also voted to offer an exclusive tuition contract to accept all Dennysville students at $10,000 per student. The contract would eliminate school choice for Dennysville students.
      Then on July 23, the Dennysville School Committee met for a nearly two-hour-long discussion about the issue, with more than 25 residents in attendance and with some strong emotions expressed about school choice and the possible tax rate hike. The board decided unanimously to accept the tuition agreement of $14,000 with Pembroke but did not act on the question of entering into an exclusive contract, since the issue will be moot if the town's residents don't approve it at the July 29 meeting.
      The board also agreed to two budget proposals that the superintendent's office had drawn up, depending on the town's vote. Under the first budget option, which would preserve school choice, the local share for the school budget would increase by $231,186, or 109%. Because of some changes in special education costs, that is less than the nearly 125% hike in the budget that had previously been approved by the board. Under the second budget option, which would eliminate school choice, the local share would increase by $131,164, or only 62%. Both options use surplus funds so that only $657 would remain in that fund balance. At a special town meeting on June 25, Dennysville residents had voted to use up to $85,000 in the fund balance to cover an overage for expenses in the regular and special education budgets for the current school year.
      AOS 77 Superintendent MaryEllen Day says that those attending the July 23 school board meeting expressed a range of views, with some parents not pleased about the possibility of losing school choice, since they are happy with their children going to the Edmunds Consolidated School. Others, though, feared they would lose their home, as they "can't afford for their taxes to double." She notes, "There was an emotional side versus a money side."
      She points out that the savings in the Dennysville school budget, with either option, will be "on the backs of the Pembroke taxpayer," as the town will receive less per-student tuition revenue. "They are trying to help you out," she says she told those at the meeting.
      Currently there are 25 elementary students in Dennysville, with 15 attending the Edmunds Consolidated School and 10 already going to Pembroke. The estimated tuition amount at Edmunds for the coming year is $12,000, but there are additional special education costs that make the cost about the same as what Pembroke charges. Dennysville is not allowed to have an exclusive contract with the Edmunds school, since it's an Education in Unorganized Territory (EUT) school.
      In addition to the tuition costs, an exclusive contract would reduce special education costs. Pembroke charges a sending town for any 1-on-1 ed techs, speech and occupational therapy services for special education students, but Edmunds also charges over and above those amounts for percentages of services provided by the special ed director or a special ed teacher for a particular student. Day notes that there will be both tuition cost and special ed cost savings with an exclusive contract with Pembroke.
      The hike in the Dennysville school budget is being partly driven by the increase in the number of elementary and high school students in the town, with the number rising from 29 to 39 in the past three years. During this past year, seven new students moved into town. "Some were special needs students, with significant special ed costs," Day notes. Since the town is billed only twice a year for students attending the Edmunds school, the AOS 77 office was not aware how many children had moved into town until late in the school year.
      Day notes that a tuition agreement or contract "is the only way to save the town money on taxes." Under the original budget that had been approved by the Dennysville school board in May, the nearly 125% hike in the local share was projected to lead to a nearly 80% increase in local property taxes, from a tax rate of 19 mills to 34. The town of Dennysville itself does have some surplus funds it could use to lessen the tax hike, but, if it does, the town may be in the same boat next year, with a depleted surplus account.
      As for the issue of school choice, Day notes that is only a possibility in towns that do not have their own school. After the closure of its elementary school, Robbinston residents have had school choice, but the town has an agreement with Calais and will only pay that tuition rate, no matter where the student goes to school.
      Following the decision on July 29 on whether or not to have a tuition contract with Pembroke, Dennysville voters will hold another special town meeting on adopting the school budget for the town.