Small Maine town votes to close a school that serves 5 students

Small Maine town votes to close a school that serves 5 students

East Range has four classrooms, two of which are not used for regular instruction. Photo by Daniel O’ConnorDaniel O’Connor is a Report for America corps member who covers rural government as part of the partnership between The Maine Monitor and the Bangor Daily News, with additional support from BDN and Monitor readers. The remote Washington County town of Topsfield voted Thursday to close its five-student school, opting to send a shrinking stud…

Small Maine town votes to close a school that serves 5 students

The remote Washington County town of Topsfield voted Thursday to close its five-student school, opting to send a shrinking student population elsewhere. Residents voted 42 to 18 to shutter the East Range II School after high costs began to drive students from out of town elsewhere, bringing the number of students down from 25 in 2023 to the small total it has today. Turnout was robust in a town with only about 175 residents and 130 registered vo…