Education

Policy:
1. The state budget has increased by approximately 60% under the current administration. Money is not the problem, as some would lead you to believe.

2. Contract with Maine people, including top Maine higher education institutions such as the University of Maine for new and improved training programs for existing teachers in the regional school units
3. Upgrade the State Board of Education higher education institutional approval process
4. Improve AI-enhanced analytical reasoning skills in Maine schools
5. Support multicultural exercises that involve reading, writing and other academic areas, and reduce bias toward radical cultures that exist inside some Maine schools
6. Address chronic absenteeism through a case audits and improved relationships between the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services
7. Establish a “New Horizons Grant Program”
8. Raise the minimum standards for high school graduation. Lead an effort to stop passing students through to the next grade level when they have not met standards
9. Strengthen teacher mentorship
10. Maine Lottery proceeds a permanent source of school funding
11. First Year Promise Program to replace Maine State Grant Program and the “free” Maine Community College Program

Rationale:
Maine has dropped to the bottom of state rankings in pre-kindergarten – 12th grade education. The science shows that the majority of students are not at grade level in critical areas such as reading and mathematics. These results can be improved by exposing more children to traditional modes of education: traditional mathematics, language, writing, reading, science, civics, physical education and personal finance, among other academic areas.  

Money is not the problem. Utilize fund savings from Department of Education position reductions. There is no good reason for the massive growth in this state agency. Let teachers teach.

 

Funding university expertise is a win-win proposition for pre-k-12 schools. When a grant is gained by the University of Maine, and superior training is provided to Maine teachers.

Variability in the rigor of teacher training in institutions of higher education in Maine exists. The State Board must redouble its efforts to hold all colleges accountable. The program with the most content rigor is the University of Maine, but all need to do better. New teacher preparation must be a priority.

A robust, modernized “AI Across the Curriculum” program needs to be implemented. Top private schools like the "School House" in Long Island, NY prove this. These students are not simply on their phones scrolling across the web. Supplement the Maine Learning Results with hands on experiential exercises in public schools. Maine should redouble its efforts to increase teacher training rigor.

 

Better pay should reward teaching excellence, not simply years of experience. Stress the connection between quantitative skills and the softer, qualitative reasoning skills.

 

Maine education institutions must pay more regard to assuring that children in school receive uninterrupted lessons. This is an administrative function. There is no excuse for the interruptions that parents see in some school systems.
 

Moral and ethical decay in schools need to be reversed. The Libby Administration will pursue the failed bill that sought to eliminate filthy content in schools by putting those publications on restricted reserve in libraries, with content access controlled by parents. 

 

Orderly offerings challenging students above grade level will yield superior results. Good school results need to be rewarded by grant access. 

An improved state intervention is needed to reduce chronic absenteeism. Maine is one of only a few states not to have reported updated truancy rates on “FutureEd,” which tracks chronic absenteeism nationally. Why? Follow-up on Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) home visits appears to be poor, since reports have surfaced that students have missed 40 and 50 school days following the family check-ins. There is little evidence that the “Attendance Toolkit” on the MDOE website has a significant impact either. The new “Building Assets, Reducing Risks (B.A.R.R.) program adopted by the MDOE may help create positive bonds between teachers and students, and is one of the few current programs that show promise.

Seek development of excellence and opportunity in extra-curricular offerings, including music, art, sports, robotics, and a wide array of other opportunities. The Libby Administration will propose competition against other schools in New England (and the rest of the nation), funded through a “New Horizons” grant program for Maine schools.

Maine compares poorly to Massachusetts' results. The “MassCore” program includes the following state-law minimums to be college and career ready (see Maine in CAPS).
1. Four years of English; SAME AS MAINE
2. Four years of mathematics; MAINE IS 2 YEARS
3. Three years of lab-based science; MAINE IS ONE YEAR OF LAB STUDY
4. Three years of history; MAINE IS TWO YEARS
5. Two years of the same foreign language; SAME AS MAINE
6. One year of an arts program; and SAME AS MAINE
7. Five additional "core" courses such as business education, health, and/or technology; MAINE COMPARES WELL, BUT THE LEGISLATURE HAS CONSTANTLY FOCUSED ON CULTURE CHANGE INITIATIVES.

A permanent fund for education should be established from the proceeds of the Maine Lottery. This will fulfill a broken promise to Maine citizens decades ago. Maine lottery proceeds will no longer be used for anything other than Maine teaching and learning. Gambling on our children will be a sure bet by funneling proceeds in the right direction.

Strengthening the existing teacher mentorships can bridge a gap through conveyance of real-world and personalized teaching strategies that help young teachers cope with quantitative and qualitative methods during those challenging first few years of teaching.

Maine should double the size of the Maine Grant Program that is housed in the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME). The Department of Education should partner with the University of Maine System, Maine Maritime Academy, the Community College System, and the private colleges and universities to appeal to out-of-state students. 

“First Year Promise” grants for all students pursuing higher education can replace the “free” community college program. Grants should be portable to any Maine college and the program will be an extension of the Maine State Grant Program.  There are important reasons for this.  Some studies show that students who complete a first year of college are more likely to attain a degree.  A complete elimination of the Community College scholarship makes little sense when looking at preparation for a career in the trades. By establishing a first-year promise program for Maine students at Maine institutions, the state eliminates the recruiting and admissions damage the was caused to private and public institutions of higher education from the "free" program. By way of example, the typical Maine Maritime Academy student needs to be in their programs of study for the full four years.  This made recruitment of Maine students to Maine Maritime very difficult. A "First-Year Promise" program will eliminate the placement bias that has existed for the past several years.