Irish poet William Butler Yeats once said, “Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire.”
How true that is. However, I would even say that Yeats did not go far enough. For too long in Maine, we have not only limited ourselves to filling the buckets, we have been using them to put out the fires. Maine needs an education policy that lights fires in the minds of young people.
I can confidently say that we have made a significant leap forward.
Last year, Maine was one of only 11 states in the union that did not allow charter schools. The Legislature, looking to expand education options, passed a bill last summer to allow 10 charter schools to open in Maine over the next decade.
The success of charter schools nationwide has been astounding, with a 75 percent increase in enrollment over the past five years and rave reviews from students and parents. I can’t wait to see the results in Maine.
I encourage those who are interested to follow the work of the Maine Charter School Commission, which was formed by last year’s legislation, as it considers and grants charters to new schools in Maine.
Another giant leap forward was the implementation of standards-based education in Maine — an initiative passed in April. The bill attaches a proficiency requirement to Maine’s high school diplomas, telling schools and students that in order to obtain a diploma, kids must demonstrate proficiency in key subjects, not just obtain a passing letter grade.
For too long, we treated students like items on an assembly line, advancing them all at the same pace despite the fact that some learn faster than others. We granted them a piece of paper and sent them on their way.
Standards-based education raises the bar. It sets a goal. It also tells colleges and employers that a Maine high school diploma means something. Furthermore, the new law maintains local control, leaving it up to each school district to decide how best to reach the proficiency requirements. This bill is a crucial step toward reframing the education process in terms of learning, not just passing.
One of the most important bills we reported out of the Education Committee concerned performance evaluation for teachers and administrators. It creates the Maine Educator Effectiveness Council and tasks it with developing standards for a performance evaluation system. The council will be composed of teachers, administrators and the education commissioner or his designee.
Under the evaluation program, teachers will be given effectiveness ratings, which will provide an important tool for evaluation and feedback. Teachers with two consecutive years of failing grades could have their teaching contract revoked. Teachers who believe they received an unfair rating can appeal.
This bill is not about “punishing” teachers. It is about educators helping other educators to improve in their work through the use of objective indicators such as passing rates, student and parent feedback and test scores.
Education has been one of Gov. LePage’s primary themes. Specifically, he has sought to align our education system with the evolving needs of today’s economy so that our children are not left behind when they graduate, and so that Maine’s businesses can hire young people with the skills that they need.
To that end, the Legislature passed several bills to expand career and technical education. For example, we changed the law so that a high school or community college student will no longer have to pay a fee to enroll in an electrical education program. Moreover, those wishing to apprentice with a master electrician will have an easier time finding that opportunity, because licensed electricians can now supervise two helpers instead of just one.
Additionally, we required that traditional and career high schools follow the same calendar, and that high school kids in technical programs can get college credit. Linking education with work will be another major goal in the future.
Our schools are not there to give people jobs or give politicians hollow political victories. That’s “filling the bucket.”
Schools are there to make sure students learn — to make sure they find their passion and harness it for a happy, rewarding life. That’s called lighting a fire.
Rep. Michael McClellan, R-Raymond, is serving his first term in the Maine House of Representatives. He serves on Education and Cultural Affairs Committee and the Committee on Regulatory Fairness and Reform.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
