Early in the campaign we said education could become a hot battleground for the gubernatorial candidates. Eliot Cutler and Libby Mitchell went toe to toe back in July over education reform. Cutler has since released detailed plans for Maine’s education system should he be elected. Speaking at Southern Maine Community College, Mitchell outline her own education reform package. While not as expansive as Cutler’s reforms, Mitchell’s plans are still well worth exploring. Today we’ll look at Mitchell’s views on early education and boosting college graduation rates.
Mitchell has been labeled as a promoter of the status-quo in education by some. This was an opportunity to escape that, or explain why the status-quo might not be such a bad thing. Steve Rowe, Mitchell’s former primary opponent, spoke highly of the plan he helped develop. “This was not about good sound bites and not about politics,” Rowe said. “It was about the challenges facing Maine’s Education system.”
Some of Mitchell’s opponents were pessimistic about her reforms. Eliot Cutler said Mitchell had only block education reform in Maine. A spokesman for Paul LePage said Mitchel had already blown her chance to elevate Maine’s education system while in the Legislature. LePage himself reportedly “laughed out loud” when asked about Mitchell’s reforms, calling them the same old failed policies. Shawn Moody however called the reforms “good, solid, sound suggestions.”
Early Education
Steve Rowe’s fingerprints are all over one piece Mitchell’s reforms: state-wide pre-K. As mentioned in our critique of Cutler’s ed reforms, Rowe touted the merits of early education during his primary run. Rowe said that early education prepares children to enter K-12 ready to learn and reduces the number of high school dropouts. “Quality early care and education is one of the best economic investments we can make,” said Rowe. “We must make it a priority.” Rowe also stated that early education would save the state “hundreds of millions” in remedial spending each year.
Currently 99 out of Maine’s 218 school districts have early learning programs. Mitchell would expand those programs to every district. The candidate said early education would increase student achievement and reduce, as Rowe said, remedial spending. “Extending pre-kindergarten services to every district throughout the state will ensure that all Maine children are getting the start they deserve and will arrive in kindergarten with the tools they need to succeed,” said the Mitchell campaign. In fact Mitchell said Maine could not have “enough preschool education” for its children.
Our piece on Eliot Cutler’s education reforms explored the pros and cons of universal pre-k. While such programs can lead to gains in student achievement, the cost can be prohibitive. St. Charles Parish in New Orleans will implement universal pre-k at the start of the next school year. The program, which will serve roughly 340 4-year-olds, will cost $7 million to start up: $5 million to construction costs, $900k to instructional equipment and materials, $900k to transportation, and $67k to child nutrition start-up. The yearly operating cost would be around $3.3 million. However, the benefits to education, the economy, and reductions in crime outweigh the costs in the eyes of the Parish School Board.
Strategies for Children conducted a study(pdf warning) in 2006 on early education in Massachusetts. The study looked at plans nationwide and possible plans in the Bay State. Strategies for Children showed early education increased graduation rates, college attendance, and early detection of possible learning issues. The study also pointed out the economic benefits of pre-k. In the long term, the study showed reductions in crime, welfare need, and reduced costs in special education. Students who attend quality pre-k programs were more likely to be employed and earn more as adults than their peers. Those students were also more likely to own their own homes and maintain savings accounts.
Strategies for Children stated that a quality pre-k system would cost Massachusetts $600 million, in addition to what the state already spent on early education. That cost averaged out to around $3,000 per child. Maine voters will have to assess the costs and the benefits of such a program. Do they believe the state is able to make this type of investment now, no matter how large the return might be?
College Attendance
Mitchell seeks to boost Maine’s high school graduation and college attendance rates. Roughly 1 in 5 Maine students will not complete high school. 73%, as of 2005, did move on to post-secondary education. Only 37% of Mainers 25-64 hold a college degree, 10% bellow the New England average. To raise college attendance rates Mitchell will create a grant program to cover tuition for the first year, provided the student attends one of the UMaine System schools, Maine Community Colleges, or Maine Maritime Academy. This will likely have some impact on getting recent high school graduates to attend school in-state and encouraging others already in the workforce to return to school. The economic benefits might include a better trained workforce to attract higher paying jobs to the state. Of course there are many other factors that influence the business climate of the state.
Maine’s New England neighbors provide grants available based on financial need. Massachusetts has a program to specifically target non-tradition students – the Part-Time Grant Program. Texans can apply for a TEXAS( Towards Excellence, Access, and Success) grant which will cover their entire tuition costs. The program is need based and tied to academic performance both in high school and college. Due to an $18 million budget hole, the grant program could face up to a 7% cut in funding. Other state grant programs are likely to take hits as well.
Mitchell also has plans to establish an education investment fund. This “Earn to Learn” fund would match $25 million with investments from business and tax incentives to urge more Mainers to complete four-year college degrees. The program will partner students with business for on the job training while in school through internships. Those who have left school with unfinished degrees will be helped to return. Parents who would like to continue their education would also receive help. Further information on how these goals will exactly be accomplished will be interesting to see. This piece of Mitchell’s plan could spur higher college graduate rates and in turn provide benefits to Maine’s economy.
Tomorrow we’ll continue to examine Mitchell’s outline, looking at her plans to increase high school graduation rates, possible curriculum changes, and how all of this will be funded.
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