Using data provided by Lewiston School Superintendent Bill Webster, I submit the following money trail for the Lewiston School Department:

• The 2014-2015 budget closed June 30 with a $2,000,000 surplus;

• The Maine Legislature voted to send Lewiston $533,000 for schools;

• A new audit requirement has $500,000 being paid to the city from the school budget;

• The remaining $2,033,000 was not in the 2015-16 budget voted by the people, so $2,033,000 will be used for the 2016-17 school year;

• In June, $400,000 was taken from the 2015-16 special education budget to pay for fixing several overcrowded K-1 classes;

• In August, another $100,000 was taken from special education to fix overcrowded fourth-grade classes

• No information was provided to show what specific budget lines in the special education budget the $500,000 will be taken from.

All of that money and yet Lewiston taxpayers had to pay a tax increase for the schools this year.

Strange that the money was found after the people voted on the school budget. The referendum vote should be worded so that money “found” after the people have voted can be used to help reduce tax increases.

I have additional concerns: The results of Proficiency Based Learning started in first grade (2014-2015) will not be released to the public. The specific process, procedure and verified reading level standards for grades 9-12 have not been released to the public but it is reported that students have “met the standard” in reading. No reading level inventory of textbooks and materials are available .

Crystal Ward, Lewiston

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