This is in response to the June 8 letter “Fund Maine’s schools and support its future.”

I do uphold all the highlights that the writer underlines in that article. However, the outcry from different sources relating to the “increasing cost” of education has its own truths. The reality is that the cost of grade K-12 education is unsustainable nationwide, which is the grounded reason for school closings. We annually pay the same or higher tuition for a kindergarten student as for a college freshman.

Presently, the cost of primary/secondary education can vary from $9,000 to $26,000 per student, per year from state to state — while increasing at an “alarming” annual rate of $500 to $1,000 per pupil (a faster rate than the cost of living).

U.S. citizens cannot agree on how or what to educate while school administration offices are engorged with new personnel without rigor for tightening finances (with millions in fund balances) or accountability for fiscal mishaps. Most of Mainers’ ever-increasing property taxes will continuously be allocated to K-12 education, while starving the municipalities of their own operational needs. This trend continues until voters decide to pull the plug at the district school budget meetings or at their referendums.

We have alternatives to stabilize the cost of K-12 education. However, no one is looking for cost savings but for bigger and better school district amenities than the ones in the nearest town. So, the outcry about this topic is the start of a pivotal change to get us all in the right direction.

Sara Languet
Belgrade