Maine was one of 10 states awarded additional federal grant money Thursday to turn around struggling schools. It’s part of the same pot of funds awarded to Lewiston last year for Montello Elementary School. The latest grants from the U.S. Department of Education’s School Improvement Grants program ranged from $46.7 million for Texas to $1.1 […]
Department of Education
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
For the third time, Auburn to vote on school budget
AUBURN — Retiree Priscilla Miller voted against the Auburn school budget last month and in June. When she goes to the polls Tuesday — the third time this year — Miller said she’ll vote yes. “I don’t think they have it where it should be,” Miller said. “The deal is, it shouldn’t be more than […]
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Posted inFranklin, The Franklin Journal
Board considering expansion of day-treatment program
FARMINGTON — RSU 9 school directors are considering a request to expand the day-treatment program at the high school to allow two middle school students to be served. If the district is not able to serve the students locally, they would need to be sent out of district at a cost of more than $70,000. […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen resigns
AUGUSTA – Maine Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen announced Friday that he will resign effective Sept. 12 to take a job with the national Council of Chief State School Officers, according to a statement from Gov. Paul LePage. Bowen, who was appointed by LePage in March 2011, will be the organization’s strategic initiative director of innovation […]
Posted inMaine
Maine graduation rates rise for 3rd year
LEWISTON — Efforts to help more high schoolers graduate are working, even if year-to-year statistics have dipped, local school leaders said. On Monday, the state Department of Education announced that the four-year graduation rate for Maine schools rose for the third year in a row to an average of 85.34 percent. Locally, Lewiston High, Buckfield […]
Posted insj-web
Public vs. charter debate heats up
AUGUSTA — Maine public school administrators lodged a new complaint Monday about the state’s two new charter schools: They won’t feel any impact of $12.6 million in education aid cuts Gov. Paul LePage ordered late last month to close a $35.5 million hole in the current state budget. Public school officials say that’s not fair, […]
Posted inLetters
D. Casey: Education officials copping out
The emphasis on more training of teachers to handle discipline in the public school system is simply ludicrous (Nov. 26). The problem lies with the inability to deal with disruptive children due to restrictions set by state regulations. The reluctance of the Department of Education to pursue an answer does not set well with members […]
Posted inOur View
Restraint law needs tweaking by Legislature
There’s a reason adults must supervise children. Because, as all parents know, children are impulsive and sometimes do stupid things — even to each other. Ideally, when that happens a well-meaning adult can quickly step in and keep a dangerous situation from becoming worse. Yet a year after the Maine Department of Education adopted new […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Education department to request proposals from schools for $2M in grant money
PORTLAND, Maine — The Maine Department of Education soon will try again to award $1 million in grant money it controversially rescinded from four communities in May, but the lawmaker representing at least one of those grant recipients said the damage already has been done. State education officials informed schools in Portland, Biddeford, Fryeburg and […]
Posted inMaine
Study: Maine students don’t feel challenged by their classwork
AUGUSTA — Tens of thousands of Maine kids do not find school very challenging, according to a survey of school-age children in 2011. The finding does not surprise some state leaders who have been pushing for more challenging classes. “This shows we have more work to do, and we are working on it,” Education Commissioner […]