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10 schools branded as 'lowest-achieving' in Maine

A Portland school is among those now eligible for federal funds – if dramatic reform plans are made.

By Kelley Bouchard kbouchard@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Education named the state's 10 "persistently lowest-achieving schools" on Tuesday, including an elementary school in Portland.

Riverton Community School and the nine others are now eligible to share $12 million in federal grants if they pursue aggressive improvement plans, said Education Commissioner Susan Gendron.

The 10 schools have demonstrated low reading and math proficiency over three years and little progress under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The schools are divided into two categories, based on eligibility for Title I funding, which targets students from low-income families.

Riverton is among five Title I schools in Maine that have failed to show progress according to federal criteria for two or more years. The others are Deer Isle-Stonington High School, Longley Elementary School in Lewiston, Houlton High School and Sumner Memorial High School in Sullivan.

The other category is for Maine high schools that are eligible for Title I funding but whose districts use the money in other schools. The five lowest-achieving schools in that category are Carrabec High School in North Anson, Hodgdon High, Lake Region High in Naples, Livermore Falls High and Madison Area High School.

Portland Superintendent Jim Morse said he notified Riverton Principal Nancy Kopack about the state's announcement on Tuesday afternoon, and she, in turn, informed her staff.

"I'm taking it very seriously," Morse said. "There's a lot of money attached to this and Riverton could use it for extensive staff development and redesign."

Morse acknowledged that being one of the lowest-achieving schools in Maine isn't a good label to have, but he said it presents a great opportunity for Riverton.

"I'm choosing to view it as the cup being half-full," Morse said. "Riverton staff is perfectly capable of rising to this challenge."

Schools are eligible to apply for improvement grants for up to three years, provided they agree to aggressive reform plans, Gendron said.

Under federal guidelines, schools must choose one of these reform models:

• Redesign or replace the staff.

•  Convert to a charter school. (Maine law doesn't allow charter schools.)

•  Transform through comprehensive reforms.

•  Close and transfer students to higher-performing schools in the district.

Identifying low-achieving schools is a focus of Maine's application for competitive Race to the Top federal funding.

If Maine receives funding, additional schools will have a chance to participate in similar reform efforts, Gendron said.

Staff Writer Kelley Bouchard can be contacted at 791-6328 or at: kbouchard@pressherald.com