Many Maine Schools are Not Making the Grade

Maine schools are not making the grade.

According to the latest statistics from the Maine Department of Education, a new ranking system indicates that 75 percent of the state’s schools are operating at a less than average standard – grade C or lower.

Embarrassingly enough, there were only 10 high schools in the entire state to receive A ratings.

The new school letter grade system has received substantial resistance from the critics in recent weeks, calling it a senseless tactic for kicking a school while it is down. Yet, the LePage administration says the new system is an easy way to recognize the top schools and educators in the state – a system that pulls no punches in regards to what schools are strong and which may need further support.

However, the Maine Education Association disagrees, saying that with the state relying on standardized tests to determine a school’s grade, it positions wealthier, more educated families against those less fortunate.

“Research shows that children on free and reduced lunch score lower on standardized tests,” said MEA executive director, Rob Walker. “When we look at these letter grades given to our schools by the Department of Education, the school districts that scored the lowest are also the ones that have the most students on free and reduced lunch. Since when did it become OK to tell poorer communities that their students are failing when they’re faced with obstacles out of their control?”

Maine is now the 14th state in the nation to utilize a school grading system.

To find out if your school made the grade, click here.