Lewiston High School: Breakfast, lunch, day off, raffle for iPods, gift cards, school store items.

Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School: Breakfast, lunch, day off, a share of $10,000 in scholarships.

Mt. Blue High School: Breakfast, lunch, day off, ice cream served by principal.

Poland Regional High School: Light breakfast, day off

Edward Little High School: Nothing.

Mountain Valley High School: Nothing.

Free iPods, food, gift cards and days off
Schools entice more to sign up for SATs

LEWISTON – It’s a sweet deal if you can get it.

Free food. Free money. Prizes that appeal to every teenager’s lust for gadgets and gear.

The catch? Saturday school and the SAT.

“If you can motivate kids, they’ll do amazing things for you,” said Michael Hutchins, assistant principal at Lewiston High School.

Last summer, the Maine Department of Education announced plans to replace the state’s high school test with the college entrance SAT this April. Education officials believed the SAT would still judge student learning, and would also encourage teens to consider college.

Many school administrators lauded the change. Because the old state test didn’t have an effect on students’ futures, administrators often had trouble getting them to take it seriously.

But with the SAT, they faced a different problem. The grueling, half-day exam would be held on a Saturday.

For schools, the stakes are high. If they don’t get at least 95 percent of juniors to take the exam, they could be deemed a failing school and, ultimately, risk the loss of federal funds.

Statewide, more than 70 percent of juniors willingly take the test in preparation for college applications. But that still leaves many more needing convincing.

So, how to get hundreds of bleary-eyed teenagers to go to school and take a test on a weekend?

“I don’t want to say ‘trick them’ but provide incentives for them,” said Hutchins.

To ensure all 325 juniors are in their seats April 1, Lewiston High School has given working students an explanation letter to hand to their bosses. On the day of the test, the school will offer breakfast, lunch and raffles for iPods, gift cards and items from the school store. If 95 percent of juniors show, they’ll get a day off.

Administrators told students about the plan a few days ago.

“I didn’t see any sourpusses or kids objecting,” Hutchins said.

At Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, which draws students from eight SAD 17 towns, juniors will get free food and time off, too. And April 1 test-takers will have a chance to share $10,000 in college scholarships.

Some people call them “gimmicks,” Principal Ted Moccia said. He also calls them “incentives.”

Although some students will show up just because they want to take the college prep test, Moccia knows others who will need the pull of money, meals and time off.

“I think it’s going to vary from kid to kid,” he said. “Like you differentiate instruction in the classroom, you have to look at this from different perspectives.”

Department of Education officials say it’s a sticky situation. Students should be motivated internally to take the test. But if it takes cool stuff to get them in the door, that’s OK.

Still, officials said, schools need to be careful not to go overboard, giving students the impression that money, gadgets and free days matter more than learning, college or their futures.

In their efforts to entice students, school leaders seem to be keeping a balance so far.

“People are doing things not heavy-handed or terribly dramatic, but they’re taking steps to make sure kids show up,” said Deputy Education Commissioner Patrick Phillips.

All high schools will provide state-funded transportation. Most will offer breakfast. Many will give students a day off to compensate for coming in on a Saturday. A few plan to run raffles or promote a festive, inviting atmosphere.

Some, however, have simply told the teens to show up – or else.

“We’ve made it a graduation requirement,” said Jim Miller, principal of Edward Little High School in Auburn.

Students may get breakfast, but no time off, no money and no chance at an iPod.

It will be the same for teens at Mountain Valley High School in Rumford.

“We want them to focus on the test, not a day off or a free meal at Subway,” said Principal Matthew Gilbert.

Although his 150 juniors won’t get free stuff, Gilbert believes they’ll still show up and do their best. He hasn’t heard any complaints yet about the absence of incentives.

Well, near absence.

“Show up and get a free SAT,” he said.

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