As civil rights activist Malcolm X said, “Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs only to the people who prepare for it today.”
Like many in our community, I was shocked by the latest National Assessment of Education Progress Report showing how Maine students are performing at the lowest levels in decades. Data shows that Maine fourth and eighth grade students are below the national average in test scores in math and reading over the last several years. These reports don’t show that our students are failing, rather it shows that, in a complex, post-pandemic world, we are failing to keep up with the challenges our students face. We must be preparing our students for success—and that starts with the buildings we send them to.
Maine’s school buildings reflect decades of wear and tear. Districts struggle with leaky roofs, outdated heating systems and challenges accommodating new technology and safety standards. It is difficult to foster an environment for successful learning when building upkeep isn’t meeting current needs. The newly formed Governor’s Commission on School Construction has been tasked with reviewing school construction needs throughout the state and finding new solutions for increasing equity and overall impact. The Commission will be searching for alternative funding models and ways to increase the rate of construction and renovations in Maine schools. The Commission is expected to release its findings to the Legislature in April.
We have outdated school infrastructure from Kittery to Fort Kent. The latest report produced by the Maine Education Policy Research Institute highlights the status of state policies and practices for funding school facilities and ways to maintain Pre K-12 schools to meet the safety and learning needs of students and staff. The report highlights the inefficient funding structure for new capital projects and school renovations. Schools that seek assistance may wait years, or even decades, before they move up the priority list. Maine’s current school funding model also places a strong reliance on local funding and the community’s ability to fund a school or project.
The state must work with communities to find a unique solution to how we fund new schools. In a time when there is a housing crisis and every community is tasked with participating in the development of new units of housing to meet the demand, we need to recognize that updating and expanding school infrastructure to meet the increase in population is essential. It cannot all fall on the backs of property taxpayers.
I am a firm believer that a quality education is the foundation for a successful future. Let’s invest in our future by ensuring up-to-date facilities meet the needs of Maine students in a changing world. We need sustainable funding sources that are equitable and prioritizes students. They say it takes a village to raise a child, let’s work together to ensure every child in our state has an accessible and safe school to attend.
If you have questions, ideas or comments throughout the legislative session, please feel free to contact me at Stacy.Brenner@legislature.maine.gov or my legislative office at (207) 287-1515. You can also follow my Facebook page at Facebook.com/SenatorStacyBrenner for more frequent updates.