Pine State News

In the Center for Education Reform's 2024 Parent Power Index, Maine secured the twenty-sixth position, with an Overall Parent Power Index Score of 69%.

The index, designed to assess the degree of parental power in each state, highlights key indicators such as Choice Programs, Charter Schools and Innovation. 

Maine scored a 75% in Choice Programs, which represents families' ability to access and choose programs that best fit their needs. 

The state's Charter Schools system, which is based on the availability of alternative educational options for students and families, scored a 62%.

In the final category of Innovation, scored on the state's dedication to fostering creative and personalized learning environments, Maine earned an 72%.

While Florida claims the top spot with a 93% overall score, states like Arizona, Indiana, Ohio, and North Carolina follow closely behind in the top rankings, emphasizing a national trend towards prioritizing parental involvement in education.

Kansas, South Dakota, and North Dakota round out the bottom of the list along with six other states that received a grade of ‘F’.

The Parent Power Index serves as a valuable resource for families across the country, offering insights into state-level educational policies and opportunities. 

Through the index's interactive map, parents can explore the status of parental empowerment in their state and discover avenues to advocate for greater involvement and choice in education.

"The Pine Tree State moves up seven slots for parent power this year, resulting from very powerful parents who challenged their state's restriction on utilizing religious schools in their 150 year old choice program. Still, it is dependent on not having a high school so real opportunity is limited here as is among the tiny charter school environment. Thankfully innovation is alive in districts like St. George Municipal School Unit, which ceded from its district to be able to personalize education for students to achieve success in the future," the Parent Power Index notes.

"Governor Mills, the daughter of a public-school teacher and someone who raised five daughters who attended public schools, has yet to publicly acknowledge the power of school choice. Her leadership impartiality is mirrored in the state legislature. It may be time for new leadership to bring school choice options to the Pine Tree state. **First term began in 2023 (two-term limit).** Gov. Wes Moore’s fiscal year 2024 budget called for a 20% cut to the state’s $10 million Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today (BOOST) program, a scholarship for low income families to leave a struggling school and attend a provider of their choice. Baltimore alone had 23 schools that did not have a single student proficient in Math in 2022," Parent Power Index said in its assessment of the state’s “Policy Environment.”