Mascenic School District needs accountability
We agree on the need to provide a high-quality education for children. State assessment test results show that Mascenic Regional High School seniors graduating in May achieved these proficiency percentages: math, 25%; science, 21%; reading, 68%, reflecting long-term inadequate educational instruction. Half of the students planning to attend college next year are not prepared for undergraduate studies. State data also reveal that 117 New Ipswich students [16.3%] have opted out of Mascenic schools, using Education Freedom Accounts to fund education alternatives, the state’s second-highest opt-out percentage.
The requested funding for the 2026-27 school year is $27,513 per student. Mascenic represents over 70% of New Ipswich property taxes, which are doubling every 6 to 10 years with annual funding increases. Senior citizens on fixed income cannot afford this level of taxation. Property taxes are frequently the largest annual expense for seniors, often exceeding 35% of their annual income, which is unaffordable.
The district did not dispute any of the facts stated above during the school deliberative meeting session on Feb. 4. The staff’s only response was to limit further discussion on school funding. There is no urgency to change to improve education results after two years of default budgets.
I recommend voting against the proposed Mascenic operating budget and all related warrant articles to send a message that the state of Mascenic schools is unacceptable. A no vote invokes the default budget for the third consecutive year. The Mascenic schools need immediate reforms to retain and attract students with the roll-out of the state’s open enrollment policy or risk paying tuition with New Ipswich tax dollars to other school districts. Open enrollment forces districts to compete for students by improving educational results and providing a higher-quality education for all children, which we agree with.