In 2026, Mason touted championing education policies that defunded and hurt public education in Maine. In 2011, Mason sponsored and voted for legislation to allow 10 charter schools in Maine, despite warnings charter schools threatened public school funding. In 2021, ten years after the enactment of Mason’s charter school legislation, a state report found Maine charter schools had lower graduation rates and mixed student performance compared to traditional public schools. In 2013, Mason also sponsored and voted for legislation to lift the cap on charter schools, allow some taxpayer money to religious schools, and allow education funding to follow students away from public schools. Mason’s legislation would have effectively repealed a law that banned state funding to sectarian schools. The Maine Education Association warned the legislation effectively defunded public school districts.
2026: Garrett Mason Highlighted His Role In Expanding “School Choice” Policies, Including Charter Schools And Homeschooling. According to Maine Wire, “Mason also pointed to his involvement in expanding school choice options, including charter school legislation and policies affecting homeschool families. He described those efforts as part of a broader conservative record focused on education reform.” [Maine Wire, 4/26/26]
2011: Mason Sponsored And Voted For Legislation To Allow 10 Charter Schools In Maine, Which Governor LePage Signed Into Law. In 2011, according to the State of Maine Legislature, Garrett Mason sponsored and voted for LD 1553, "An Act To Create a Public Charter School Program in Maine." According to the Associated Press via the Bangor Daily News, "Gov. Paul LePage says Maine is now the 41st state to allow charter schools. Fulfilling a campaign promise, LePage on Thursday signed the bill authorizing charter schools, which create innovative educational settings for students who don’t fit into the public schools. The bill he signed would allow no more than 10 public charter schools in the first decade. It would also limit the number of students who can attend them in the first three years to protect smaller noncharter public schools. The charter school bill’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Garrett Mason of Lisbon Falls, says the bill moves Maine ‘from a one-size-fits-all approach to an individualized education for all.’" The vote was on a motion to pass to be engrossed as amended. The Maine Senate passed the legislation by a vote of 21 to 13, then the Maine House passed the bill. The Maine Senate ultimately concurred with the House amendment and Governor LePage signed the bill into law. [State Of Maine Legislature – LD 1553 (2011), Enacted 6/28/11; Maine Senate Roll Call 241, 6/14/11; Associated Press via the Bangor Daily News, 6/29/11]
2021: Ten Years After Mason’s Charter School Legislation Passed, Graduation Rates Were Lower And Student Performance Was Mixed. According to the Portland Press Herald via Gov Tech, "It's been a decade since Maine authorized charter schools, and today they teach less than 2 percent of the state's public school students. Graduation rates have been lower, while student performance has been mixed." [Portland Press Herald via Gov Tech, 6/2/21]
2020 Maine Report: Maine Charter Schools Had Lower Outcomes In Science And Math Achievements And Lower High School Graduation Rates And Post-Secondary Enrollment Than Traditional Public Schools. According to the Portland Press Herald via Gov Tech, "The state report on charter schools released in February 2020 found lower outcomes than non-charter public schools in science and math achievement, as well as in four-year high school graduation rates and post-secondary enrollment." [Portland Press Herald via Gov Tech, 6/2/21]
2021: Maine’s Charter Schools Made Up Less Than 2 Percent Of Maine’s 172,500 Public School Students. According to the Portland Press Herald via Gov Tech, "Overall enrollment in Maine's charter schools makes up less than 2 percent of the state's 172,500 public school students." [Portland Press Herald via Gov Tech, 6/2/21]
2021: Charter School Critics Warned Charter Schools Threatened Public School Funding. According to the Portland Press Herald via Gov Tech, "But in many places around the country, charters have been controversial as critics have voiced concerns that the schools represent an attack on the traditional public school system and threaten funding and resources for traditional schools. According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, charter school growth accelerated rapidly between the 2005-06 school year and 2015-16, but has since slowed." [Portland Press Herald via Gov Tech, 6/2/21]
2013: Garrett Mason Sponsored And Voted For Legislation To Lift The Cap On Charter Schools And Allow Some Taxpayer Funding To Religious Schools. In 2013, according to the State of Maine Legislature, Garrett Mason sponsored and voted for LD 1529, "An Act To Expand School Choice for Maine Students." According to the Bangor Daily News, "A bid by Gov. Paul LePage to lift a 10-school cap on charter schools and route some taxpayer funding to religious schools failed Tuesday night in the Senate by a vote of 29-6. LD 1529, An Act to Expand School Choice for Maine Students, was sponsored by Sen. Garrett Mason, R-Lisbon Falls, on behalf of LePage last month. In addition to removing the cap of 10 charter schools that the Maine Charter School Commission can approve over the course of 10 years, the bill sought to allow colleges and universities to create charter schools and qualify sectarian private schools to receive public funding as long as they comply with standards applicable to other private schools. The bill also would have allowed families of disadvantaged students full school choice with public money covering their tuition, transportation, room and board." The vote was on a motion to accept the majority ought not to pass as amended report. The Maine Senate rejected the legislation by a vote of 29 to 6, killing the legislation. [State Of Maine Legislature – LD 1529 (2013), Introduced 5/9/13; Maine Senate Roll Call 315, 6/18/13; Bangor Daily News, 6/18/13]
Mason’s Legislation Would Have Allowed Sectarian Private Schools To Receive State Funding And Allow Funding To Follow Students Away From Public Schools. According to the Bangor Daily News, "In addition to removing the cap of 10 charter schools that the Maine Charter School Commission can approve over the course of 10 years, the bill sought to allow colleges and universities to create charter schools and qualify sectarian private schools to receive public funding as long as they comply with standards applicable to other private schools. The bill also would have allowed families of disadvantaged students full school choice with public money covering their tuition, transportation, room and board." [Bangor Daily News, 6/18/13]
The Legislation Would Have Effectively Repealed Maine’s 1981 Law Banning Public Funding To Sectarian Schools. According to Central Maine, "Under the proposal from LePage, who was educated at Catholic schools, religious schools would qualify for public funds if they comply with state standards applicable to other private schools. That provision effectively would repeal a 1981 law that prohibits public funding to sectarian schools." [Central Maine, 5/9/13]
Mason’s Legislation Would Have Allowed Education Funding To Follow Students Away From Public Schools. According to the Bangor Daily News, "In addition to removing the cap of 10 charter schools that the Maine Charter School Commission can approve over the course of 10 years, the bill sought to allow colleges and universities to create charter schools and qualify sectarian private schools to receive public funding as long as they comply with standards applicable to other private schools. The bill also would have allowed families of disadvantaged students full school choice with public money covering their tuition, transportation, room and board." [Bangor Daily News, 6/18/13]
The Maine Education Association Opposed Lifting The Cap On Charter Schools And Opposed Allowing State Funding To Follow Students Away From Public Schools, Warning The Policy Effectively Defunded Public School Districts. According to the Portland Press Herald, "Lois Kilby-Chesley, president of the Maine Education Association, said the union opposes lifting the cap in part because charter schools have little track record in the state. She said the union does not oppose charter schools in principle, but opposes the provision that has state funding follow each student from a public school district to a charter school, effectively draining resources from the district." [Portland Press Herald, 1/7/13]