Michael Lancor: Moultonborough Academy’s quality of education is in excellent status

To The Daily Sun,

Two recent letters to the editor have criticized the quality of education at Moultonborough Academy (MA) as part of a rationale to encourage voters to vote no on school district budget articles. One writer who encouraged voters to vote “no” stated, “New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) has yet to re-accredit Moultonborough until certain conditions are met."

The NEASC website confirms that MA’s status is still “accredited” and makes it clear that accreditation is not a single visit, but an ongoing process over a 10-year period of time. The March 2024 NEASC report states: 2023 SAT scores put MA in the top 3 high schools in New Hampshire, MA was one of 6 NH high schools to earn the Silver Award on the College Board’s AP Honor Roll, and 75% of MA students earned college credits taught by an MA instructor.

As part of his rationale for voting no for the proposed budget increase, a second writer referred to “a mediocre education” in the school district. The “U.S. News and World Report on U.S. High Schools in 2025” ranked MA #2,842 out of 25,000 U.S. public and private high schools. That puts MA in the top 11.3% of all U.S. high schools (public and private). I would certainly not refer to these accomplishments by MA students and staff as “a mediocre education”.

Everyone who attends the School District Meeting on Saturday, March 15, will have the right and privilege to speak their opinion regarding voting yes or no on budget warrant articles. In my opinion, implying that the “quality of education” is below standard or somehow mediocre should not be part of the formula for voting “no”, for the quality of education at MA is indeed in excellent status.

Michael Lancor

Moultonborough