Portland, South Portland and Lewiston schools have proposed budgets that would cut a combined 128 positions and increase taxes. Officials say rising salary and health care costs, and declining enrollment, are stressing their books.
Riley Board
Staff Writer
Riley covers education for the Press Herald. Before moving to Portland, she spent two years in Kenai, Alaska, reporting on local government, schools and natural resources for the public radio station KDLL as part of the Report for America program. Riley originally hails from Sarasota, Florida, and is a graduate of Middlebury College in Vermont, where she served as the editor-in-chief of the college’s student newspaper, The Campus. She has interned at the Burlington Free Press, and at the Smithsonian Institution’s Folklife Magazine in Washington, D.C. Outside of work, Riley is passionate about roller skating, cooking and her cat, Edgar.
Posted inMaine, News, Schools and Education
Portland schools’ $180M budget proposal would cut 20 positions
Dozens turned out for a board meeting to oppose the loss of student-facing staff and a plan to close one of the system’s 3 middle schools.
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Posted inMaine, News, Politics, Schools and Education
Maine school district leaders agree funding formula update is overdue
A bill to reform the long-criticized EPS formula got support from districts around the state at a hearing Monday. Some said it could go even further in reducing inequities.
Posted inMaine, News, Schools and Education
Maine judges won’t recuse themselves from DOJ trans athlete lawsuit
The Trump administration asked 2 federal judges to remove themselves from the case, a lawsuit over transgender athlete participation in sports.
Posted inMaine, News, Politics, Schools and Education
Lawmakers draft overhaul of Maine’s scrutinized school funding formula
Proposed legislation includes 9 changes to the state’s Essential Programs and Services formula, which school leaders, lawmakers and researchers say is inequitable and outdated.
Posted inMaine, News, Schools and Education
Palestine conference canceled by USM over speaker’s sanctions has new location
The academic discussion called the ‘Consequence of Palestine’ will take place at First Parish Congregational Church in Gorham.
Posted inMaine, News, Schools and Education
Portland could consider closing 1 of its 3 middle schools
A resolution, passed by a committee Monday and to be taken up by the full school board in March, is meant to address declining enrollment, financial pressures and underutilization in Maine’s largest district.
Posted inMaine, News, Schools and Education
Bill would extend Maine’s free school lunch to all children in public pre-K
While the state provides universal free school meals, public preschools not located at public school sites are left out, something legislation from Senate President Mattie Daughtry hopes to change.
Posted inMaine, News, Schools and Education
USM cancels Palestine conference over planned speaker’s sanctions
The University of Southern Maine said it would no longer let the event, called ‘The Consequence of Palestine,’ be hosted on its campus after learning one speaker was on a U.S. government sanctions list.
Posted inMaine, News
Maine school districts delicately balance traditional snow days and remote learning
A growing number now switch to remote learning after using a few snow days, although some are hesitant to embrace the practice.