Maine Public Schools Battle Charters Over Budget Cuts

Ticked off that the independent schools are treated ... independently

Maine public school administrators lodged a new complaint Monday about the state's two new charter schools: They won't feel any impact of $12.6 million in education aid cuts Gov. Paul LePage ordered late last month to close a $35.5 million hole in the current state budget.

Public school officials say that's not fair, and it reflects a pattern of inequity that marks the LePage administration's push for charter schools. Maine Department of Education officials say the fraction of state aid that follows students to charter schools didn't warrant action as part of this year's emergency, budget-balancing cuts.