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Maine well-positioned for federal Race to the Top educational funding

— AUGUSTA — As the White House prepares to invest literally billions of dollars to support education reforms by states, Maine's experience and reputation engaging in bold innovations positions us well to compete for our share of those funds.

Maine is a recognized leader in innovative practices involving technology in the classroom, expanding rigorous coursework, raising standards and using smart assessments, and advancing efforts to get more high school graduates to go on to college or other post-secondary education.

Maine is putting together a strong application for $75 million or more potential funding for Maine through the U.S. Department of Education's Race to the Top competition.

In order to be successful, however, Maine must pass legislation that does three things or we will not be eligible for the funds.

n Allow and encourage innovative public schools. Gov. Baldacci and I supported legislation last year that would allow charter schools under strict conditions.

The bill came closer to passage than previous charter school proposals in Maine, but still failed.

Rather than fight that battle again with predictable odds, we are working to establish ''innovative public schools'' with charter-like flexibility, but run by public school boards and with certified teachers.

n Remove the prohibition in law against linking student performance to teachers in our data systems. This is not about rewarding or punishing teachers. It is about using real data to continuously improve teacher effectiveness.

n Adopt national Common Core standards to provide high and consistent expectations for our students.

With these elements in place, and our history of innovation, we will be strong contenders. And this is why we have waited until Round Two, due June 1, to file our application.

Our statewide deployment of laptops to every public middle school student in Maine has the world's leading education systems -- like Finland, Singapore and South Korea -- asking Maine for advice.

Under the governor's leadership, we have expanded the program to more than half the state's high schools.

Last year, Maine had the largest increase in the country of students scoring at least a 3 on an AP exam. The number of high school students enrolling in college courses as juniors and seniors through the Aspirations Incentive Program has more than tripled since 2002-03.

These students earn college credits, are exposed to the college experience, and engage in more challenging coursework.

Every public school student in the state takes the PSAT and SAT exams, at the state's expense, to encourage them to pursue higher education.

To graduate, high school students must now complete a college application. These and other programs are encouraging more students to enter college.

Our scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress show that we have some of the highest standards in the country and that our students are in the top five to 10 states in reading and mathematics.

Last year Maine joined the New England Common Assessment Program, joining New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, and saving over $1 million per year on testing, while replacing the Maine Educational Assessment with a similar, but even more rigorous test and set of standards. This collaboration is routinely cited by U.S. Department of Education officials as commendable.

The focus on expanded, rigorous programs can be seen clearly in the newly reorganized districts. The governor's reorganization plan has not only saved districts several million dollars already in the first year of operation, it has led to significant expansion of educational programming for students.

Member communities of RSU 24, which includes Ellsworth and 11 surrounding rural towns, have cut their combined insurance costs in half and found additional savings totaling more than $400,000.

They have managed to save programs like guidance and music and art and advanced placement that would otherwise have been on the chopping block. And they have managed to share resources and teacher training in ways that would not have been possible previously.

RSU 1 in the Bath area has implemented universal pre-kindergarten, added more AP courses and enhanced their gifted and talented program -- all while saving more than $1 million per year.

When federal reviewers look at Maine's application for funds, we know they will see a state that has already been successful and that is eager to pioneer and expand the innovations that we know are making a difference.

— Special to the Press Herald