While reading the article, Lepage Fields Tough Questions At School, in the Morning Sentinel, by Kelley Bouchard, http://kbouchard.mainetoday.com, Ms. Paula was startled by the statement that The state of Utah only spends $5,706 per pupil in their education system, while Maine spends $11,644 per student.
How could the discrepancy be so great? Are we really wasting that many resources? Well, Ms. Paula had to find out. Here is the truth according to the Utah state government, and the Maine state government. Utah in its most recent release of figures 2007-08 spent $8,224.00 per student. Up 111% since 1970. Maine in its latest release of figures 2008-09 spent $9,625 per student an increase of 2.5% over the last report. That brings the State of Maine within $1401 of Utah in its per student spending. Utah's total spending for education for the year reported was $4.42 Billion, while Maine's Total spending for education was $1.4 Billion.
Comparing these two states is ridiculous. Maine Ranks among the lowest in the nation with its per student spending. Maine is also the lowest spender in the northeast. I suggest that whom ever is giving King Paul his relevant data, supply him with relevant data sets. We are moving forward in a new administration that will need to find cuts everywhere, so please lets be sure to get the facts straight.
These facts came from: www.maine.gov/education/data/ppcosts/2009/geninfo
and: www.utaheducationfacts.com
Here is an update to this entry Sunday, Dec. 19th by: Ms. Paula Page, for some reason the link above now sends you to a Maine government page and the relevant page has been moved to the 2006-2007 document. Why? This link was in the right place and worked after the posting of this article. Now the State of Maine has hidden the 2008-2009 info in the wrong year. Well, here is the new link for this page: www.maine.gov/education/data/ppcosts/2009/geninfo.htm . Thank you, Mike for letting us know about this sudden change in state file placement.
To Ms. Paula education is all Maine has left to give it's children, even if they up and leave the state after we educate them. They become our ambassadors, for they are us.
Well, for today, I say "Be, think, Do" all of Maine depends upon you.
Bye for now, Ms. Paula
Great post! I read that article myself. So I guess newspaper reporters believe everything they are told. I was under the impression that they checked facts before publishing an article and this was on the front page of the Portland Press Harold.
ReplyDeleteThanks Paula for checking the things this guy says. He doesn't seem too bright. Maybe he should go back to school.
Hey Paula, it looks like the State of Maine removed the page you linked to.
ReplyDelete