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Severity: critical · Category: academics · Last updated: May 10, 2026
Gorham School Department Fact Sheet #2, distributed by Superintendent Heather Perry via the district's Apptegy platform before the June 9 referendum, argues the FY27 budget is a 'solid ROI' because 'only 5 of 15 Cumberland County schools score higher than we do in state assessments.' This is a deliberately framed selective presentation. The document uses Maine's state assessment — a test with a documented 40-point gap versus the federal NAEP — and omits that Gorham fell from #1 in Maine to #25 in three years. Voters are being asked to approve $60.5M on June 9 based on this one-sided picture.
WHAT VOTERS RECEIVED — AND WHY IT IS MISLEADING
This is an official Gorham School Department communication distributed to residents in the 30 days before the June 9, 2026 referendum vote. It was sent through the district's Apptegy platform by Superintendent Heather Perry after the public Q&A process closed — meaning voters have no forum to challenge the claims before they cast their ballots.
The document makes four claims. Three are misleading by omission. One is not directly contradicted.
An official district communication distributed to voters in the 30 days before the June 9 referendum uses Maine's state assessment scores to claim 'solid ROI.' It omits: the federal NAEP showing Maine at 30-year lows; the 40-point gap between state and federal proficiency figures; Gorham's decline from #1 to #25 in Maine; and the fact that the highest-scoring districts in the same chart are the most expensive ones. Voters see a favorable snapshot with no trend, no federal data, and no FY27 cost figures.
Document: Gorham School Department Fact Sheet #2 (May 2026, distributed via Apptegy)
Reference: Official pre-referendum communication — Gorham School Department branded 'DID YOU KNOW? FY 27 Proposed School Budget' · Distributed via Apptegy district communications platform · Forwarded by Superintendent Heather Perry · Referendum: June 9, 2026
Q&A: Not raised in Budget Workshop Q&A — this fact sheet was published after the Q&A process closed, leaving voters no forum to challenge the claims before the vote