LEWISTON — Lewiston-Auburn parents whose high school students are enrolled in a Portland charter school said Saturday they were frustrated to learn — four days before school starts — that unlike last year, there will be no bus from L-A to Portland.
“I teach at Lewiston High School; so does my husband,” said Kathy County of Auburn. Her son, Jacob Willette, will be a freshman at Baxter Academy for Technology and Science, a public charter school paid for by taxpayers.
Charter schools, created by Gov. Paul LePage’s administration, receive tax money from the state and from the towns and cities of the students. If 12 students from Lewiston attend Baxter, then Lewiston must pay for those 12 students to be enrolled in the charter school. The money comes from local school budgets.
At Auburn Middle School, County’s son became active in a robotics program. He’s all about engineering, science and technology, his mother said. County said she’s a big advocate of public education. “I love my school district, but Baxter is offering things Jacob would not get here.”
After learning about Baxter, which got good reviews in 2013-14, its first year of operation, the family applied. Their son was accepted.
The family has another child with Down syndrome. With both parents teaching in Lewiston, another child going to school in Auburn, bus service to Portland was critical, County said. “They literally promoted it. It was a selling point to us.”
She learned Saturday that there will be no bus, that Lewiston-Auburn Baxter students can catch a bus in Lisbon or Gray.
“I was angry, frustrated,” County said. “This does not give me time to make new arrangements.”
Ditto for Dawn Hartill of Lewiston, whose son will be a Baxter sophomore.
The timing of the announcement is “ridiculous,” Hartill said. “They should have gotten the whole Lewiston-Auburn group of parents together to solve it.”
Marnie Morneault of Lewiston, whose son will be a freshman, said she’s “frustrated and disappointed. … We’ve worked our schedules out. This makes it challenging.”
An email to Lewiston-Auburn parents was sent at 5:35 p.m. Friday by Michele LaForge, Baxter’s head of school. Of the 24 students from Lewiston-Auburn enrolled at Baxter, 16 will be affected by the change, LaForge said Saturday.
“Our Lewiston-Auburn families are a joy to have. I couldn’t be more happy to have them,” LaForge said.
She acknowledged the timing of the decision was “too close. I provided it as soon as I had it.”
Baxter is a new school, beginning its second year. All summer, enrollment kept changing as some students left and new ones enrolled, all from different towns and cities, she said. That meant final transportation decisions weren’t made until late.
Hartill said she spoke to the Baxter principal and learned the school gained students but did not add buses. That’s probably why, Hartill said, transportation is being cut.
Bingo.
LaForge said Saturday that Baxter Academy has gained students from all directions, north and south, including Kennebunk. Last year, 126 students were enrolled at Baxter; this year, 230, with some on a waiting list.
Last year there were three buses. This year there are three buses.
The school had to renovate the basement to create new classrooms. The staff was nearly doubled, LaForge said. There isn’t enough money in the budget to pay for more busing, LaForge said, adding that the priority went to programs.
Parents can pick up rides in Lisbon or Gray. The school is “worth the energy” parents may have to invest in getting their students to school, she said.
Hartill pointed out that Lewiston’s tax dollars pay for her son’s Baxter enrollment, including transportation.
“There’s a line item on the Lewiston school budget that shows the charter school gets $415 per student for transportation. Taxpayers pay for transportation,” Hartill said.
LaForge agreed, but said the money doesn’t cover the cost. State regulations say the charter school must provide transportation options to students within a 25-mile radius. Offering pickups in Lisbon and Gray meet that requirement, she said.
Hartill said she’s looking into car-pooling to Lisbon but is uncomfortable with car-pooling versus a bus driver.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” County said.
bwashuk@sunjournal.com
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