The demographics of the year-round populations of both towns are similar, yet Moultonborough's graduating class of 1994 went on to attend four year colleges at twice the rate of Pittsfield's students.

The school districts argued that Moultonborough's ability to spend $1,922 more per pupil than Pittsfield, enabled Moultonborough to provide its students with the skills and encouragement necessary to pursue an education at a four year college.

7. FACILITIES

Claremont - Stevens High School lost its NEASC accreditation partly because its facilities were in such poor condition. There have been no funds appropriated for building improvements at the high school in the last four years.

Funding restrictions and frozen budgets have left Stevens with 35 of its 45 classrooms at the high school not meeting state building codes for electrical wiring. Only seven classrooms are wired for technology; floors and carpeting are badly worn and need to be replaced and the school has biology labs that are unfinished. Claremont also lacks a systematic maintenance program to do basic upkeep and repairs.

Prior to the 1996/97 school year, there was an open bulkhead in the playground area of the Way Elementary School and its heating system was in such poor condition that frost would accumulate on the inside of the windows.

At one time some of the elementary school buildings did not have cafeterias, gymnasiums, art rooms, music rooms, or nursing stations, and only half time guidance counselors and nurses.

Theses problems existed for at least fourteen years before the district was able to address them, because the problems at Stevens High School required attention first.

In 1995, Claremont was able to pass a $6.6 million bond on its second attempt and resolved some of these problems by closing three schools, including the Way School, and renovating the three remaining elementary schools and middle school. The bond came at the expense of cutting necessary staff and programs, requiring the level funding of future budgets, and transferring all money from the maintenance budget to cover other areas for the 1995 school year. The bond did not address the instructional and intervention needs that existed in Claremont's schools.

Pittsfield - The middle and high school are combined into one building that was built in the 1940's with additions built in the 1950's and 1960's. It is extremely overcrowded. The shortage of space is sometimes relieved by two classes being conducted in the same room at the same time. The building does not meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The library of the Middle High School is a makeshift space that has been converted from a classroom into a substandard library.