Maine

News, analysis, and opinion about K-12 education in Maine
School buses parked in Helena, Mont., ahead of the beginning of the school year on Aug. 20, 2021.
Some districts are pulling back on decisions to outsource bus services in an effort to save money and improve service.
Iris Samuels/AP
School & District Management Late Arrivals, Steep Costs: Why Some Districts Ditch Third-Party Bus Companies
Districts are facing a host of transportation challenges. Some have addressed them by deciding to bring buses back in house.
Mark Lieberman, November 30, 2023
•
6 min read
People sign "I love you" while gathered at a vigil for the victims of Wednesday's mass shootings, on Oct. 29, 2023, outside the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Lewiston, Maine.
People sign "I love you" while gathered at a vigil for the victims of Wednesday's mass shootings, on Oct. 29, 2023, outside the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Lewiston, Maine.
Matt Rourke/AP
School Climate & Safety Lewiston Schools Plan Reopening; Parents Feel Like Nothing Will Be the Same
Schools in the Maine city will reopen Tuesday after a mass shooting that killed 18 people.
Kendra Caruso, Sun Journal, October 30, 2023
•
4 min read
People linger after a vigil for the victims of Wednesday's mass shootings, on Oct. 29, 2023, outside the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Lewiston, Maine.
People linger after a vigil for the victims of the Oct. 25 mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine. The vigil took place on Oct. 29, 2023, outside the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Lewiston.
Matt Rourke/AP
School Climate & Safety 'We Really Didn’t Know What to Do': How a District Regrouped After a Mass Shooting
The superintendent of a community rocked by a 2022 mass shooting discusses what the district did after the violence.
Caitlynn Peetz, October 30, 2023
•
9 min read
Jess Paquette expresses her support for her city in the wake of Wednesday's mass shootings at a restaurant and bowling alley, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, in Lewiston, Maine. Police continue their manhunt for the suspect. Authorities urged residents to lock themselves in their homes and schools announced closures on Thursday. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Jess Paquette expresses her support for her city in the wake of Wednesday's mass shootings at a restaurant and bowling alley, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, in Lewiston, Maine. Police continue their manhunt for the suspect. Authorities urged residents to lock themselves in their homes and schools announced closures.
Robert F. Bukaty/AP
School Climate & Safety Educators Grapple with Grief, Horror in Aftermath of Maine Mass Shooting
Maine educators worried about their safety and their students after a gunman killed 18 people.
Libby Stanford, October 26, 2023
•
5 min read
Photo illustration of cell phone with red circle and slash.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
Families & the Community District Leaders Are Walking a Fine Line on Cellphone Policies. What That Looks Like
Administrators point to strategic ways to design student cellphone policies that parents won't oppose.
Elizabeth Heubeck, September 25, 2023
•
5 min read
Students at the Maurice J. Tobin K-8 School in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood eat lunch on Sept. 4, 2013.
Students at the Maurice J. Tobin K-8 School in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood eat lunch on Sept. 4, 2013.
Steven Senne/AP
States Massachusetts Joins Short List of States Providing Free School Meals to All
States are stepping in where federal COVID-relief aid dropped off.
Caitlyn Meisner, August 16, 2023
•
4 min read
Woman clutching knees next to prescription bottle: opioid crisis.
iStock/Getty
States As States Dole Out Billions for Opioid Relief, Educators Rarely Get a Say
Most states haven't included a district representative or state education department employee on their council for doling out opioid funds.
Mark Lieberman, August 4, 2023
•
4 min read
Students eat lunch of homemade pizza and caesar salad at the Albert D. Lawton Intermediate School, in Essex Junction, Vt., on June 9, 2022.
Students eat lunch at Albert D. Lawton Intermediate School in Essex Junction, Vt., on June 9, 2022.
Lisa Rathke/AP
States Six States Have Made School Meals Free to All Students. Will More Follow?
The new state laws provide universal school meals permanently, affecting 8 million students.
Arianna Prothero, June 23, 2023
•
5 min read
Supporters of a bill to create a "parents' bill of rights" attend a rally outside the New Hampshire Statehouse on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, in Concord, N.H. The rally was held ahead of a public hearing on the bill in the House Education Committee.
Supporters of a bill to create a "parents' bill of rights" attend a rally outside the New Hampshire Statehouse on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, in Concord, N.H. New Hampshire is one of six states where parents have sued districts over keeping their children's pronouns secret and allegedly violating their rights.
Holly Ramer/AP
Equity & Diversity Parents Are Suing Schools Over Pronoun Policies. Here's What You Need to Know
Parents in six states have sued school districts for not requiring staff to disclose their children's chosen names and pronouns.
Eesha Pendharkar, May 12, 2023
•
11 min read
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, center, with Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., left, and Rep. Julia Letlow, R-La., speaks about proposed legislation dubbed the "Parents Bill of Rights," Wednesday, March 1, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, center, with Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., left, and Rep. Julia Letlow, R-La., speaks about proposed legislation dubbed the "Parents Bill of Rights," Wednesday, March 1, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Law & Courts Lawsuit Alleges Maine School District Violated Parental Rights Over Child's Social Transition
A mom claims her child's school district is supporting their social transition at school without informing her.
Eesha Pendharkar, May 4, 2023
•
9 min read
Close up of a heat pump against a brick wall
E+/Getty
School & District Management Four Things to Know From a State's Push to Switch Schools to Heat Pumps
Installing a heat pump is complex, but the payoff is well worth it, says an expert in Maine who's pushing their adoption in schools.
Mark Lieberman, January 30, 2023
•
4 min read
New Mexico educator Christopher Nunez receives a Milken Educator Award on Oct. 21, 2022 in Las Cruces, NM.
New Mexico educator Christopher Nunez receives a Milken Educator Award on Oct. 21in Las Cruces.
Milken Family Foundation
Science How These Teachers Center Student Voice in Science Class
Three award-winning teachers discuss connecting curricula to students’ lives and helping kids see themselves as scientists.
Sarah Schwartz, December 27, 2022
•
6 min read
Image of a clock, calendar, and a pencil.
Tatomm/iStock/Getty
Recruitment & Retention Schools Don't Embrace Flexible Work: Ideas From 3 Superintendents on How to Do It
Schools' traditional schedules and practices can be adapted to support some flexible work options, even for teachers.
Elizabeth Heubeck, December 5, 2022
•
5 min read
Image of a child's hand on a keyboard.
kiankhoon/IStock/Getty
IT Infrastructure & Management Q&A The Essential Tech Question for Schools: What Are the Teacher's Objectives?
One district technology director outlines the challenges that are unique to smaller districts.
Lauraine Langreo, October 18, 2022
•
3 min read
Load More ▼