education

Maine’s new education commissioner steps into a position that has been in flux for 8 years. The former teacher, principal and superintendent joins us to talk about her priorities, including restoring faith in Maine’s public schools, addressing the teacher shortage, and determining the role of charter schools.

In the wake of the fatal school shooting in Parkland, Florida earlier this year, schools across Maine are taking steps to respond and increasing security measures.

U.S. Sen. Angus King has joined more than 40 Democratic senators to oppose a reported plan by the U.S. Department of Education to use some federal funds to pay for guns and firearms training in schools.

Across Maine, thousands of high school seniors are graduating and preparing for the next chapter in their lives. But for many, particularly students in rural Maine, the future is uncertain. Graduating seniors in the western Maine town of Rumford told Maine Public how they imagine their own futures, and whether that future might include returning to their hometown.

The number of young people in Maine has been declining for decades. The trend concerns many independent and private town academies in the state. Some have lost up to a quarter of their students over the last ten years. 

Maine schools are struggling with a shortage of teachers, particularly for areas such as Special Ed and world languages. How do we compare with other states? Why aren’t there enough qualified teachers to meet the demand, and what's being done about it? Some districts have found creative solutions to fill the need.

Guests: Catharine Biddle, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, University of Maine College of Education and Human Development

Lois Kilby-Chesley, President, Maine Education Association

Barbara Slote, Grade 7 Language Arts Teacher, Westbrook Middle School 

Like a lot of states, Maine has a shortage of teachers. According to the U.S. Department of Education, schools are struggling to find people to fill positions ranging from librarians to Spanish teachers.

Broadcasting from Houlton High School:

What factors lead to the health or decline of rural towns in Maine? We learn about efforts to boost rural economies through education, greater access to services—from health care to broadband—and through smart use of the natural resources and assets that these communities already have.

Guests: Kristen Wells, former executive director, Aroostook Aspirations Initiative

Please note that Maine Calling airs one hour later than usual today, from 2-3 pm, due to national news coverage of the Las Vegas shootings.

Ten years ago, school consolidation combined many school districts across Maine. Since then, some districts have pulled out, while a few cite benefits: saving on costs and resources. Now the state is setting forth a new consolidation approach. What's in store for Maine's K-12 public schools?

Guests: Steven Bailey, Executive Director, Maine School Management Association

Award-winning author Nicholson Baker spent parts of a semester as a substitute teacher in Maine. He chronicles his experiences in his bestselling book, which is just out in paperback.  This is from the NY Times review of Substitute: “Baker’s book may be the most revealing depiction of the contemporary American classroom that we have to date.”

How has Maine's laptop program fared in middle schools since it began 15 years ago, and what is the future of the program? We'll learn about the role of technology in our schools, as well as policy implications of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) program.

Guests: Damian Bebell, Assistant Research Professor at the Lynch School of Education at Boston College; Senior Research Associate at the Center for the Study of Testing, Evaluation, and Educational Policy (CSTEEP) at Boston College