Casco Bay High School Principal Derek Pierce has been nominated for the 2014 Larry O’Toole Award, given by the Nellie Mae Education Foundation to an individual or organization that has exhibited great leadership through innovation or courage in moving student-centered approaches to learning forward.

This year, public voting will decide who wins the $100,000 prize.

I’m a Portland resident, so who I vote for should be a “no brainer.” However, as a conscientious individual, I decided to see for myself if I thought the scholastic results warranted it.

Using Maine High School Assessment test results and graduation rates from the last five years (graduation rates from 2014 were not available), I tried to take an impartial look at this question.

CBHS graduation rates have been 10 percent to 15 percent below the state average, though a steady increase has been seen, and in 2013 rates reached 81.3 percent. But without the 2014 numbers, it’s hard to give an enthusiastic thumbs up.

As for test scores, CBHS exceeded the state average in reading and science in four of the last five years; in writing for five of the last five years; and in math for two of the last five years. Again, good, but a large variation from year to year (up to 24 percent for math) does raise some concern.

CBHS students are selected by lottery to ensure fairness; however, the wait list policy is somewhat disturbing. If students from the wait list are needed to fill a particular class, demographics, not wait list standing, is used. Selecting students based solely on demographics is a questionable policy (and possibly unconstitutional, according to a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision).

Excluding this one issue, which needs attention, CBHS is a solid school that gets my vote and should get yours. Go to the Portland Public Schools website and vote before Sept. 30.

Dr. Tim Rozan

Portland

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