MAINE
"Today, though, schools and the people who work in them are being asked to do something utterly unprecedented, which is to ensure that every student—not some, or even most, but every student—meets rigorous learning standards. This is something that no previous generation of educators has ever been asked to do, and while the past demands on our schools could be met by simply expanding programs and hiring more people—by building more science labs and creating more special education programs—the challenge before us today can only be met by fundamentally changing how we do the business of schooling."
- —Stephen L. Bowen
- Maine Commissioner of Education
Secondary Initiatives
Rigor and relevance—these are the words that describe Maine’s strategy for high school transformation. We know that, whether we set expectations high or low, students will meet them. We owe it to them to expect more.
Maine now exceeds the national average for the percentage of students taking Advanced Placement courses and scoring at least a three on the exam. And we are embarking on a pilot program that will allow students in ten or more high schools to engage in rigorous programs of study such as the International Baccalaureate. Sitting in class for enough hours is no basis for graduation, which is why Maine has endorsed a transition to a standards-based diploma and so many of our schools are working on standards-based programs. New England has a reputation for educational innovation and leadership. Our states score in the top tier on national exams, and Maine recently joined New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont to administer a common assessment in reading in mathematics for grades three through eight.
Maine needs to challenge its policy makers and educators to think differently about resource allocation to insure that we feed innovation, not perpetuate existing systems or programs that no longer meet the needs of our students.
- High School Advanced Placement Initiative
- Through the Advanced Placement Program, the Advanced Placement Incentive Grant, the Advanced Placement Test Fee Reduction Grant, and AP4ALL, Maine has seen a significant increase in the number of students enrolling in and succeeding in Advanced Placement coursework and exams. The Maine Department of Education believes that more students should be recruited for advanced coursework and that any student willing to accept the challenge of Advance Placement coursework be considered for admission in an Advanced Placement course, particularly those that may not fit the traditional profile of an Advanced Placement student.
- Almost one third of Maine’s Class of 2009 took at least one Advanced Placement exam during high school in more than thirty subjects, which is nearly five percentage points higher than the national average. And 18.2 percent of all graduating Maine public school students took an Advanced Placement exam and scored a three or above, compared to 15.9 percent nationally (according to the College Board, a score of three or above translates roughly to a C to B- and is predictive of college success).
- Standards-based Education Systems
- Maine is working with two pilot school districts and eight others working to implement the Re-Inventing Schools Coalition’s standards-based education system, in which students progress only when they have mastered the material they need to know, rather than when they have finished a course or met credit requirements.
- Maine is also one of eight states that signed on to pilot the National Center for Education and the Economy’s Board Examination Systems initiative. The pilot program will offer students in ten or more high schools the opportunity to engage in a rigorous international course of study that give them clear learning expectations, significant feedback, and an opportunity to achieve a distinguished certificate through one of five world-class curriculum and assessment programs.
- Maine Course Pathways Project
- The Maine Course Pathways Project is developing a system to document, through detailed course syllabi, whether all Maine high school students are being given a fair opportunity to engage in a true college-preparatory course of study, and to demonstrate achievement of the Maine Learning Results in ways that honor student choice, unique learning preferences, and individual career aspirations. Following a two-year pilot program, the Maine Course Pathways went statewide in 2009–2010.
- High School Aspirations Incentive Program
- Maine has allocated $280,000 a year for high school juniors and seniors to enroll in college courses through its High School Aspirations Incentive Program. As part of this program, students may take courses at any of Maine’s Community College and University campuses, including courses at University College centers statewide.
- Systems of Intervention
- Maine is currently working on an aggressive implementation plan for Response to Intervention. The National Center on Response to Intervention has provided training for fifteen facilitators who will hold regional meetings throughout the state. These meetings will provide basic professional development and lead school teams through Maine’s Readiness Checklist, which will help the Maine Department of Education gather statewide data that will be analyzed to determine what technical assistance and professional development schools will need to implement a K–12 system of interventions by July 2012.
Department of Education Contact
- DEBORAH FRIEDMAN
- Maine Lead
- deborah.friedman@maine.gov
