2004-2005 News Releases

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“The Condition of K-12 Public Education in Maine” in its 10th Year of Publication

June 30, 2006

The Maine Education Policy Research Institute at the University of Southern Maine presented the 10th edition of “The Condition of K-12 Public Education in Maine” to the Maine State Legislature earlier this spring.

A decade ago the Legislature commissioned the first “Condition” report to monitor the progress of Maine’s K-12 public education system. The report has grown into a useful diagnostic tool as the assessment of student learning and monitoring of per-pupil expenditures have become more important in the advent of the federal legislation, “No Child Left Behind” (NCLB).

“The availability of reliable data assembled in one document is critical for Maine’s public-education policymakers,” said David Silvernail, the co-author of the annual study and director of USM’s Maine Education Policy Research Institute. “Compliance with “No Child Left Behind” and keeping apace with the ongoing implementation of the “Maine Learning Results” requires administrators to have a keen understanding of the current environment,” said Silvernail.

“In the interest of providing Maine’s youth with the best quality public education, USM is pleased to provide this research service to Maine and its citizens,” said Betty Lou Whitford, dean and professor of USM’s College of Education and Human Development.

A sampling of few of the report’s findings includes:

While Maine’s total population remained steady, public-school enrollments declined in 2003-2004.

The average per-pupil operating expenditures increased by 4.4percent, the smallest percentage increase in five years.

In 2003-2004, and again in 2004-2005, the average pupil/teacher ratios were at their lowest in 10 years.

The number of Maine’s full-time teachers with a Master’s degree was significantly below the national average.

The Maine Education Policy Research Institute is a nonpartisan organization funded by the Maine State Legislature, the University of Maine, and the University of Southern Maine.

Copies of the report are available at www.usm.maine.edu/cepare. For more information, contact Beth Shepard-Rabadam at 207-780-5456.

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