- By Brian Hubbell at 10/21/2009 - 19:08
- MDI
- By Brian Hubbell at 02/05/2010 - 22:26
- State
- By Brian Hubbell at 02/05/2010 - 14:54
- State
February 8
February 7
February 6
- President Obama's quest for a renewed, tougher No Child Left Behind, Editorial, Washington Post
- Scarborough schools facing $2 million loss, Edward D. Murphy, Press Herald
- Portland a pioneer in examination of special ed programs, Senator Bill Diamond, Press Herald
- Board OKs Rockland-St. George consolidation, Heather Steeves, Bangor Daily News
- [Western Foothills, Dixfield, Rumford] RSU 10 superintendent: Aid cut could have been worse, Eileen Adams, Sun Journal
February 5
- [Dept of blood money wars]
- Members of school board assess criticism of special ed, Kelley Bouchard, Press Herald
- [Freeport, Pownal, Durham] School district may contract out bus service, Dennis Hoey, Press Herald
- [Wales, Litchfield, Sabattus] RSU 4 sets forum on school status, Betty Adams, Kennebec Journal
- [Rockland, Thomaston, St. George] 'Devastating' cuts face Regional School Unit 13, Stephen Betts, Herald Gazette
- [Waldoboro] SAD 40 board declines to support Many Flags, Andrew Benore, Herald Gazette
- Teachers' union responds: THEY'RE LYING!, Tony Payne, Herald Gazette
February 4
- [Dept. of the magic 8-ball] Lawmakers Consider Change to School Consolidation Law, Josie Huang, MPBN
- Ed Committee votes to delay reorganization penalties
- Education Committee schedule
- City schools sweeten retirement incentive, Kelley Bouchard, Press Herald
- [Hallowell, Farmingdale, Dresden, Richmond, Monmouth] RSU 2 cut among state's largest, Meghan V. Malloy, Kennebec Journal
- Too late for Chelsea to get divorce from RSU 12?, Jil Crochere, Kennebec Journal
- [Canaan, Cornville, Mercer, Norridgewock, Skowhegan, Smithfield] School budget outlook bleak, Doug Harlow, Morning Sentinel
- SAD 54 panel to discuss Cornville school closing, Robert Gauvin, Morning Sentinel
- [Jay] No special town meeting needed for school's use of money, Donna M. Perry, Sun Journal
- [Dover-Foxcroft, Charleston, Monson, Sebec, Greenville, Guilford, Sangerville, Abbot, Parkman, Wellington, Cambridge] Schools look to offset reduced state subsidies, Diana Bowley, Bangor Daily News
February 3
- $92M School Funding Drop, Redistribution Causing Tensions, Laurie Costigan, Ellsworth American
- Rankings of the States 2009 and Estimates of School Statistics 2010, NEA
- Education spending, not tax cuts, best job creator, Greg Kesich, Press Herald
- [Kennebunk, Kennebunkport] RSU 21, Wells-Ogunquit students fare well on NECAP tests, Deborah Mcdermott, seacoastonline.com
- [The (50-year) view from Kansas] Kansas school consolidation: it won’t be the first time, Bob Weeks
...“A bunch of school districts got together and filed a lawsuit against the State claiming not enough state aid,” and the Legislature responded by establishing a mechanism requiring unification of smaller weaker school districts.
- [View from Vermont] Consolidation or Merger?, Rep. Peter Peltz, vtdigger.org
- Hancock County loses $3.9M in school funds, Rich Hewitt, Bangor Daily News
- Test results in for Maine’s students, Keith Edwards, Kennebec Journal
- State: Students' test scores 'sound', Kelley Bouchard, Press Herald
- State funding for school districts varies widely, Bonnie Washuk, Sun Journal
- [Alfred, Limerick, Lyman, Newfield, Shapleigh, Waterboro] RSU 57 towns want school budget cut, Dan Bustard, keepmecurrent.com
- [Cumberland, North Yarmouth] School chief: 'Everything on the table' in SAD 51 budget, including jobs, buildings, Alex Lear, Forecaster
- Falmouth sports boosters see threat in pay-to-play proposal, Peggy Roberts, Forecaster
- Brunswick schools face $2.8M loss from state; staff cuts, larger classes loom, Steve Mistler, Forecaster
- Bar Harbor facing $2 million deficit, Mac Smith, Bar Harbor Times
- [Waldoboro] SAD 40's draft budget combines classes, cuts staff, Andrew Benore, Herald Gazette
February 2
- Reorganization Penalties Must Go, Gordon Donaldson, Maine Small Schools Coalition
- GPA 2010-11 in spreadsheet formats (preliminary, 2/01/2010)
- [Rumbles from Cumberland Co.] 7 school boards in greater Portland call for new state funding formula, Randy Billings, Forecaster
- Maine October 2009 NECAP Test Results
- President Obama seeks to revamp No Child Left Behind teaching standards, Nick Anderson, Washington Post
- States Rush to Join Testing Consortia, Stephen Sawchuk, Ed Week
- Education Hell: Rhetoric vs. Reality, Edurati
- [National Board Certified Teachers] State right to dump teacher salary subsidy, Editorial, Press Herald
- [Augusta] Au revoir, francais?, Karlene Hale, Capital Weekly
- Most Maine school districts to lose state aid, AP
- Oxford Hills proposes cutting principals, Leslie H. Dixon, Sun Journal
February 1
- Funding Outlook and Financial Strategies, DoE
- Preliminary FY11 General Purpose Aid for Local Schools, DoE
- Spreadsheet shows GPA cuts and consolidation penalties, MSMA
- [Teachers' health insurance] Probing Politics: Intentional or just a multi-million dollar mistake?, Tony Payne, Forecaster
- Muncipalites meet LD 1 challenge, MMA, Legislative Bulletin
- [Topsham] SAD 75 budget picture darkens, Darcie Moore, Times Record
- [Dept of the magic 8-ball] Error in Alna; RSU 12 budget actually defeated, John Hale, Capital Weekly
January 31
January 30
- Shrinking Government, Editorial, Bangor Daily News
- State’s LD1 report unfairly criticizes schools again, MSMA
- #Why rural ME exceeds EPS
- EPS formula underfunds rural #MEschools by labor market adjust factor. York/Cumb +6%; Machias -15%
- In rural areas, #MEschools that match programs of Scarborough or Cape will always cost more per-pupil. There are simply fewer students in the denominator. Alternative is to accept offering rural students less.
- Quantification of EPS underfunding small #MEschools
- Report: Special-ed overhaul could save city $2.5 million, Kelley Bouchard, Press Herald
- Education Committee to debate school budget approval procedures on Thursday, Steve Bowen, MHPC
- [Pittfield, Burnham, Detroit] SAD 53 reviews options with funding cuts, Christopher Cousins, Bangor Daily News
January 29
January 28
- [Blue Hill, Brooksville, Castine and Penobscot, Surry] Union 93 hires former chief: Consolidation still poses challenge, Rich Hewitt, Bangor Daily News
- [Ellsworth] RSU 24 Board Considers Intra-District School Choice, Cyndi Wood, Ellsworth American
- [Department of collapsed headroom] LD 1 Progress Report 2009, State Planning Office
- [Portland] Residents are urged to lobby governor, Kelley Bouchard, Press Herald
January 27
January 26
- [VT engages NESSC] Vermont must accelerate learning, reduce drop-outs and develop work force, Gary Gilbert, Burlington Free Press
- [...So Goes Vermont] Video update: Early ed main focus at UVM gubernatorial candidate forum, Steve Cormier, VTdigger.org
- [Dept of Orders of Magnitude] MEDMS Financial System Upgrade for FY 2011, DoE informational letter
- Three bills would alter school consolidation law, Susan M. Cover, Press Herald
- [Kingfield, Coplin Plt. Highland Plt.] Legislation would allow neighboring plantations to join SAD 58, Susan M. Cover, Morning Sentinel
- [Burlington, Edinburg, Enfield, Howland, Maxfield, Passadumkeag, Atkinson, Brownville, LaGrange, Lake View Plantation, Milo] Greenbush, SADs 31, 41 share services, Nick Sambides Jr., Bangor Daily News
- [Litchfield, Sabattus, Wales] RSU 4 tries plan to avert closing, Betty Adams, Kennebec Journal
- [Alna, Chelsea, Palermo, Somerville, Westport Island, Whitefield, Windsor, Wiscasset] 8-town district to vote on $26.1M school budget referendum, Kennebec Journal
- [Pittsfield, Burnham, Detroit] SAD 53 consolidation waiver hearing set for Feb. 22 , Mike Lange, SV Weekly
January 25
- LD 1739 dead, but the fight to retain school budget voting rights continues..., Steve Bowen, MHPC
- Reports, hearings and work sessions today at the Legislature's Education Committee...
- Portland backing off on pledge to help schools, Kelley Bouchard, Press Herald
- [Pittsfield, Burnham, Detroit] SAD 53 faces possible consolidation penalty, Scott Monroe, Morning Sentinel
January 24
January 23
January 22
- [Precipitation in the Rockies] Denver Public Schools receive $10 million grant from Gates Foundation for teacher evaluation, Jeremy P. Meyer, Denver Post
- [So goes Vermont] A Vote for School Consolidation, Susan Allen, Times Argus
- Orrington, Dedham consider school pact, Nok-Noi Ricker, Bangor Daily News
- [Waterville, Winslow, Vassalboro] Over some objections, $1.66 million school budget approved, Scott Monroe, Morning Sentinel
January 21
- State waives minimum local share for aid to schools, Leslie Dixon, Sun Journal
- Camden Select Board encouraged to reduce school spending, Heather Steeves, Bangor Daily News
- Maranacook budget targets staff, Matthew Stone, Kennebec Journal
- SAD 4 votes to transfer ownership of schools to Parkman, Guilford, Diana Bowley, Bangor Daily News
- Bill targets graduation rate increase, Press Herald
January 20
- [Oxford Hills] GPA, state reduction of local mill rate expectation, and where have all the supers gone?, Duke Harrington, Oxford Bear
- [View from Vermont] Striking a balance in education spending, Armando Vilaseca, Times Argus
- [Dept of the magic 8-ball: Windsor, Chelsea, Palermo, Somerville, Whitefield, Alna, Wiscasset, Westport Island] RSU 12 budget up for fourth vote at polls, John Hale, Capital Weekly
- [Oxford] "Unprecedented" cuts seen in school services and staff, Leslie H. Dixon, Sun Journal
- [Brownville, Milo] SAD 41 weighs closing LaGrange school, Diana Bowley, Bangor Daily News
- Stability amid a sea change, and The Report Card's last mark, Matthew Stone, The Report Card
- [Moscow, Bingham] SAD 13, 74 merger defeated, Erin Rhoda, Morning Sentinel
- Portland high school teachers may take on more classes, Kelley Bouchard, Press Herald
- D.C., Virginia seek $450 million in federal education funds, Bill Turque, Washington Post
- Kingfield Board updated on school funding woes, David Hart, Irregular
January 19
- [Alfred, Limerick, Lyman, Newfield, Shapleigh, Waterboro] Testing highs, lows seen in RSU 57, Dan Bustard, keepmecurrent.com
- Obama's school grants reveal how far behind Maine lags, Stephen Bowen, Bangor Daily News
- Return to smaller schools, and also walk to them, Charles Robertson, Kennebec Journal
- [The view from Mississippi] Barbour: 2 groups, maybe 3, pay for merger study, AP
January 18
January 17
- [Dept of the magic 8-ball: Alna, Chelsea, Palermo, Somervile, Westport Island, Whitefield, Windsor, Wiscasset] RSU 12: So far so good, Betty Adams, Kennebec Journal
January 16
January 15
- Preventing program cuts, Matthew Stone, The Report Card
- Educators and school administrators decry budget cuts, Rebekah Metzler, Sun Journal
- Teachers, officials make pleas on budget, Matthew Stone, Press Herald
- [Rockland] Rockland weighs closure of MacDougal School, Heather Steeves, Bangor Daily News
- Meeting summary, Maine Children's Growth Council, Dec. 7, 2009
January 14
- [Shapleigh, Massabesic] RSU 57 teachers union feels shut out, Dan Bustard, keepmecurrent.com
- Brunswick School Board opts for administrative shuffle instead of new school principal, Steve Mistler, Forecaster
- Holding States, Nation to Educational Account: Executive Summary, Quality Counts 2010, Ed Week
- MPBN Story on Charter Schools, South Portland Teachers' Association Blog
- [Ellsworth] RSU 24: Laptop repair money depleted, WLBZ-2
- [Windham, Raymond] RSU 14 board reduces WHS graduation requirements, Emily Parkhurst, The Independent
- [Dept. of silver linings: Saco] RSU 23 budget picture improves for now, Dan Bustard, Scarborough Current
January 13
- [Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Arundel] Creating a vision for RSU 21, Kristen Schulze Muszynski, Journal Tribune
- At 'the top of the chart' or 'racing to catch up?', Matthew Stone, The Report Card
- [Dept. of the magic 8-ball] (Sheepscot Valley) 4th try for budget, Matthew Stone, Kennebec Journal
- State: Acton schools must consolidate, Dan Bustard, keepmecurrent.com
- [Starks] Elementary school may close doors, Erin Rhoda, Morning Sentinel
- [Dept. of consolidated transportation and phys. ed] (Madison) 'We're saving the world and the kids', Erin Rhoda, Morning Sentinel
- Will Pensions Bankrupt Your District?, Kurt Eisele-Dyrli, District Administration
- Teachers' union shift is a step toward reform, Editorial, Press Herald
January 12
- Taking the lead on reform?, Matthew Stone, The Report Card
- The Weingarten Speech, Andrew Rotherham, Eduwonk
- Won’t Get Fooled Again… Again, Mike Antonucci, EIA Intercepts
- A New Path Forward: Four Approaches to Teaching and Better Schools, Randi Weingarten, AFT, address to National Press Club
- Scarborough schools cuts lower-level sports teams, Tess Nacelewicz, Current
- Union head to propose tying test scores, teacher evaluations, Nick Anderson, Washington Post
- States Lower Test Standards for a High School Diploma, Ian Urbina, New York Times
- Education: Debunking the Case for National Standards - Alfie Kohn, Edurati
January 11
- NESSC, Common Core, Gates, & RttT: View from CT
- Furlough days for schools considered, Matthew Stone, Kennebec Journal
- The next wave...
- [Edgecomb, Georgetown, Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor, Southport]Edgecomb School, Town Officials Discuss Possible Consolidation And Expansion, John Maguire, Lincoln County News
- [Jay, Livermore, Livermore Falls] School panels to discuss consolidation, Donna M. Perry, Sun Journal
- [Camden, Rockport, Hope, Appleton, Lincolnville] Five towns to begin school district reorganization talks, Kim Lincoln, Herald Gazette
- Final Report of the Study Commission Regarding Teachers' Compensation, Legislature's Office of Policy and Legal Analysis, December 2009
- Testimony needed on GPA cut impact on schools, MSMA
- Study shows how dumb we might be, Jay Mathews, Washington Post
- School districts eye local furlough days, Matthew Stone, Press Herald
January 10
- Brief Summary of Background Materials Compiled for the Study Commission Regarding Teachers’ Compensation, Office of Policy & Legal Analysis, 12/09/2009
- Meeting Agenda, Study Commission Regarding Teachers' Compensation, 12/14/2009
- What Makes a Great Teacher?, Amanda Ripley, The Atlantic
- [Department of How Things Actually Fall Into Place] Meeting Summary, Maine Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Initiative, November 9, 2009 (Invest Early in Maine)
- [Lee, Springfield, Webster, Winn] SAD 30 superintendent to resign effective June 30, Nick Sambides Jr., Bangor Daily News
- Jackman, or bust, Working in Maine
..."if someone wanted to create a policy designed to destroy what vitality and hope remains in Maine's rural outposts, they couldn't have come up with anything better than school consolidation." While this might not be received happily by the current administration in power, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone that understands life in Maine's small communities to disagree with that statement.
- 150 Years of Education in Maine: 1820 - 1970: Sesqui-centennial History of Maine’s Educational System and the Growth and Development of the Maine Department Of Education
- [Special Ed] Public, private approaches debated, Matthew Stone, Kennebec Journal
- [Augusta] City, schools face bleak financial times, Keith Edwards, Kennebec Journal
- Small gifts, big impact, Kelley Bouchard, Press Herald
- [Rockland, Thomaston, St. George] Health care and school consolidation, Stephen Betts, Herald Gazette
January 9
- [Rumble from Eddington] Elections and Silver Mornings, Eddington News
- State — not cities — needs to fix budget, Bangor City Council, Bangor Daily News
- Education reform requires more than taking potshots, Adam Leach, Bangor Daily News
- Innovative program would establish funding for rural areas, Susan M. Cover, Kennebec Journal
- [Bingham, Moscow, Anson, Solon, Embden, New Portland.] Voters to decide on school merger, Erin Rhoda, Morning Sentinel
- When officials e-mail, trouble is online, Bill Nemitz, Press Herald
January 8
- [Eastport] Bleak financial picture painted for area schools, Edward French, Quoddy Tides
- Teachers Should Be Seen and Not Heard, Anthony Mullen, Teacher of Year Road Diary
- [RISC] Educators, Public Invited to Education Reform Session, DoE press release
- [Rockland, Thomaston] Regional School Unit 13 OKs payments to encourage retirements, Stephen Betts, Herald Gazette
- [Waldoboro, Warren, Union, Washington, Friendship] SAD 40 board unanimously supports all district elementary schools, Andrew Benore, Herald Gazette
- [Rockland, Thomaston, St. George] Regional School Unit 13 board puts brakes on high school consolidation, Stephen Betts, Herald Gazette
[...So goes Washington state] Ready to merge 295 school districts into 150?, Brad Shannon, The Olympian
- [South Portland] Furlough?, Tom Major, SPTA Major Blog
- Castine principal resigns, takes job in Pennsylvania, Rich Hewitt, Bangor Daily News
- Maranacook vote keeps drama, sports; tax seen, Matthew Stone, Kennebec Journal
- [Portland] Public's views sought as school layoffs loom, Kelley Bouchard, Press Herald
- Best Practices in Action 'Momentum Building' Regional High School Conference, Nashua, NH, April 8-9, New England Secondary School Consortium
January 7
- [New England Secondary School Consortium: View from Connecticut] We need to keep close eye on common national standards plan, Eileen FitzGerald, News Times
- Commissioner warns of future school cuts, Gillian Graham, Scarborough Leader
- [Rumble from Arundel] Consolidated school board gunning for Arundel, Jon Renell, Kennebunk-Kennebunkport Post
- Dover-Foxcroft system has failed to find any consolidation partners, Diana Bowley, Bangor Daily News
- [Department of consolidated influence] Pursuing political favors, John Christie, Bangor Daily News
- High school review begins in Kittery, Deborah Mcdermott, York Weekly
- New special education regulations not likely to save district much money, Leslie H. Dixon, Sun Journal
- [Alfred, Limerick, Lyman, Newfield, Shapleigh, Waterboro] RSU 57 faces either large tax increases or severe cuts, Dan Bustard, Waterboro Reporter
January 6
- Avoiding a state-to-local cost shift, Matthew Stone, The Report Card
- [Department of Reverse Largess] Waiver of Minimum Local Required Share in FY 2011, Commissioner Gendron, DoE informational letter
- [South Berwick] Superintendent sure SAD 35 will see staff, program cuts, Jason Claffey, Fosters Democrat
- Should Education Be a Race?, Jim Burke, Learning in Maine
- Legislature's Education Committee agenda for Jan 4-8, 2010
- South Portland city, schools facing dramatic cuts, layoffs, Tess Nacelewicz, Current
- Skeptics pepper Gendron with questions, concerns, Dan Bustard, Waterboro Reporter
- [Topsham, Harpswell] Group sues to prevent closing of West Harpswell School, Steve Mistler, The Forecaster
- [Topsham, Harpswell] Lawsuit challenges closing of Harpswell school, Dennis Hoey, Press Herald
- [Waterville, Vassalboro, Winslow] New-look budget in district, Scott Monroe, Morning Sentinel
- [Houlton, Hodgdon] School panels may try more collaboration, Jen Lynds, Bangor Daily News
- Augusta schools to plug budget hole with stimulus funds, Karlene Hale, Capital Weekly
- Foreign students living and learning at Dirigo High School, Eileen M. Adams, Sun Journal
January 5
- [Ellsworth] Video interview with Bill Webster, superintendent of RSU 24, Chris Crockett, Ellsowrth American
- Budget Tops Agenda as Lawmakers Reconvene, MPBN
- [International Baccalaureate] In this school program, the goal is to ask 'why?' Ann Kim, Press Herald
- Gendron points to ways schools can trim costs, Kelley Bouchard, Press Herald
- [Solon] Board to vote on closing Embden Elementary School, Erin Rhoda, Morning Sentinel
- Comparing State Math Standards, Pam Kenney, Learning in Maine
- [Harpswell, Topsham] School closing foes go to court, Beth Brogan, Times Record
January 4, 2010
- Department of Education uses Grinch’s calculator, Alan B. Cobo-Lewis, Bangor Daily News
- $73 million in proposed GPA cut shifts burden to locals, MSMA
- [Wales, Sabattus, Litchfield] RSU #4 Schools Hold Two-Day Event to Create Common Vision, press release
- Working to become higher paid, Matthew Stone, The Report Card
- [Camden, Rockland regions] Full steam ahead, Herald Gazette
- Teacher Pay Shake-Up, Editorial, Bangor Daily News
- Appropriations panel to hear testimony on cuts Tuesday, Susan M. Cover, Kennebec Journal
- [Maranacook] $10,000 to cut in RSU 38: 7th-grade sports, play are at risk, Matthew Stone, Kennebec Journal
- {Maranacook] Winter carnival might help restore activities cut in RSU 38 budget, Matthew Stone, Kennebec Journal
January 3
January 2, 2010
- By Brian Hubbell at 01/29/2010 - 18:31
- State
- By Brian Hubbell at 01/24/2010 - 20:54
- State
- By Brian Hubbell at 01/15/2010 - 07:42
- State
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- By Brian Hubbell at 11/06/2009 - 22:08
- State
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