Chuck Ellis sits down with Allen Sarvinas of the Maine Education Initiative, Parental Rights in Education and Maine Civic Action to cut through the muddy waters of local school budgets.

They ask why budgets are growing while enrollment falls and results lag, looking at special education growth (27% in Westbrook), administrative costs, teacher union contracts, and state mandates on rural towns. Allen also offers practical steps, from running for school board to voting on budgets in May referendums.