LEWISTON – Education advocates want the state to kill a plan that would postpone part of the Learning Results for another year.
They say students and businesses will suffer if Maine doesn’t get its act together soon.
“We know the work is hard. We know it takes time. But we also know if you don’t go forward you may go backward,” said Peter Geiger, chairman of the Maine Coalition for Excellence in Education, at a news conference Friday.
The state adopted the Maine Learning Results, a complete set of education standards, in 1997. The standards are being phased in now.
Education Commissioner Susan Gendron could not be reached for comment Friday.
Schools have been working for years to develop tests, projects and other assessments that accurately determine whether students have met the standards. A recent Maine Department of Education survey showed most school systems, including Lewiston and Auburn, are still in the middle of that work.
In his State of the State address in January, Gov. John Baldacci said he wanted a temporary moratorium on Learning Results assessments. Lawmakers offered to give schools another year to finish their work by amending a Learning Results bill that was held over from last session.
Last week, the Legislature’s Education Committee voted in favor of the amended bill. It now must go to the House and Senate for a vote.
Members of the Maine Coalition for Excellence in Education are upset about two things: First, that the amendment never got a public hearing. Second, that the year-long moratorium might go through.
“That could just send out the signal Stop what you’re doing,'” Geiger said.
The original bill, which offered schools greater Learning Results support, got a public hearing last year. Since it was held over and then amended, it didn’t require a second public hearing. That, advocates say, prevented people from sharing their concerns with the Education Committee.
“The public has been denied the opportunity to testify,” Geiger said.
They want schools, with state help, to push forward with the Learning Results so students can get a better education and be well-prepared for work.
“A moratorium will really throw the whole movement off the tracks,” said Richmond Superintendent Denison Gallaudet, a member of the coalition.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.