2014 "Education Indicators for Maine" Report: Maine’s education pipeline, from early childhood through post secondary, student data and the role of community in education
The second statewide snapshot of Maine’s education pipeline, from early childhood through post secondary education, has been published by Educate Maine, a business-led education advocacy organization. "Education Indicators for Maine" reports where Maine students stand within ten education indicators, compares them to students throughout New England, and connects new five-year benchmarks to each indicator.
The ten indicators follow the path of each Maine child as he or she grows and learns, looking at: participation in educational programs in early childhood, because those experiences lay the foundation on which all future education is based; performance from first grade through high school, because of the importance of demonstrating proficiency at one level in order to be ready to achieve at the next level; and post-secondary outcomes because, ultimately, it is educational attainment that our communities and state seeks to measure and celebrate.
"We are pleased to release benchmarks in this year’s report to help identify where we stand today regarding each indicator, and where we hope, and expect, to be five years from now," said Tim Hussey, Educate Maine’s board chair and president and CEO of Hussey Seating. "This report is intended to inform, promote discussion, and serve as a call to action. Whether a parent or a teacher, a community member or policymaker, we hope that the findings of this report increase engagement, prompt positive dialogue, and strengthen the support needed to continue promising strategies to increase educational opportunity for Maine’s students," said Hussey.
Coinciding with the report, the organization launched "Educating Maine", a campaign to engage Mainers about the roles they can play in student educational experiences and educational attainment. The board and staff at Educate Maine hope the campaign helps citizens and businesses alike, throughout Maine, begin or continue positive and productive conversations about the great work happening in education across our state. Businesses and organizations are being asked to declare their support to help Maine achieve its education and indicator benchmarks by signing the "Educating Maine Proclamation". Mainers interested in participating in the campaign are asked to submit a brief written or video entry, completing the statement: "I help educate Maine by..." Signatures and comments are being collected on Educate Maine’s website, and will be displayed at Educate Maine's annual "The Pipeline to Prosperity” Symposium on December 5, 2014.
TEN “EDUCATION INDICATORS” FOR MAINEPreschool participation; Public prekindergarten enrollment; Full-day kindergarten availability; Fourth grade reading and math proficiency; Eighth grade reading and math proficiency; High school proficiency and graduation; College enrollment; College completion; College cost and student debt; and Mainers with college degrees.
Educate Maine is a business-led education advocacy organization whose mission is to champion college and career readiness and increased education attainment. With the goal to help every Maine student graduate high school prepared for success in postsecondary education and the workplace, Educate Maine believes in the importance of educational efforts that span early childhood through adult learning. For more information, visit www.educatemaine.org.
