Evaluation of Maine school district websites

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Action steps

This page captures a snapshot of the information contributed by Sunshine Review users after they've studied the information made available on Maine school district websites.

See also: School districts websites, state-by-state comparison, to compare what you can find on Maine' school district websites to what can be found on school district websites in other states.

Reading the chart

In the chart below:

	means that information is included on the government website
	means that the information was not provided on the government website
P	means that information was partially provided

Check the Sunshine Review page about each school district for more detailed information about what information is available on the school district website, along with recommendations SR users have made for positive changes.

• See sample transparency legislation at the Sunshine Standard

Conclusions chart

2012

Sunshine Review evaluated the nine largest school districts, due to consolidation, in Maine in 2012. The schools averaged a "D" website transparency grade.

	Taxes?	Budget?	Meetings?	Elected officials?	Admin. Officials?	Contracts?	Audits?	Public records?	Academics?	Background checks?
Y	0	4	4	5	7	0	1	0	7	4
P	1	1	3	4	1	2	0	0	0	1
N	8	4	2	0	1	7	8	9	2	4

Comparison chart

School district	Grade	Taxes	Budget	Meetings	Elected Officials	Admin. Officials	Contracts	Audits	Public records	Academics	Background checks
Bangor School Department, Maine	F	N	N	N	Y	P	N	N	N	Y	N
Berwick School Department, Maine	F	N	N	P	P	Y	N	N	N	Y	N
Bonny Eagle School Department, Maine	D	N	Y	P	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y	N
Lewiston School Department, Maine	C	P	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y	Y
Oxford Hills School Department, Maine	F	N	P	P	P	N	P	N	N	N	P
Portland School Department, Maine	C-	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	N	N	Y	N
Sanford School Department, Maine	D-	N	N	N	P	Y	N	N	N	Y	Y
Topsham School Department, Maine	D	N	N	Y	P	Y	N	N	N	Y	Y
Waterboro School Department, Maine	C	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	N	N	Y

All rated districts

School district	Grade	Taxes	Budget	Meetings	Elected Officials	Admin. Officials	Contracts	Audits	Public records	Academics	Background checks
Bangor School Department, Maine	F	N	N	N	Y	P	N	N	N	Y	N
Berwick School Department, Maine	F	N	N	P	P	Y	N	N	N	Y	N
Bonny Eagle School Department, Maine	D	N	Y	P	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y	N
Lewiston School Department, Maine	C	P	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y	Y
Oxford Hills School Department, Maine	F	N	P	P	P	N	P	N	N	N	P
Portland School Department, Maine	C-	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	N	N	Y	N
Sanford School Department, Maine	D-	N	N	N	P	Y	N	N	N	Y	Y
Topsham School Department, Maine	D	N	N	Y	P	Y	N	N	N	Y	Y
Waterboro School Department, Maine	C	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	N	N	Y

Correcting errors

If you discover an error in this chart or on one of the articles about an Maine school district, you can correct it immediately or report the error.