SKOWHEGAN, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Governor LePage and Education Commissioner Steven Bowen have unveiled four new bills surrounding Maine's public and private schools, and they're drawing opposition from some education leaders.
One bill would allow public tuition dollars to fund private religious schools. Currently, if a town doesn't have a high school, students have the option of going to private schools and getting state help; with this new bill, religious schools would be eligible for tax dollar funding as well.
The second bill allows open enrollment at all of Maine's schools, giving students the option of choosing where they want to go to school. Commissioner Bowen says for schools already suffering from low enrollment, this could help them attract more students.
Where the oppostition lies... Maine Education Association President, Chris Galgay, says open enrollment would close those schools down. MEA is a union representing Maine teachers, affiliated with the National Education Administration.
Galgay says schools that don't have enough money or resources to compete with others would have no chance; once the student leaves, the money follows.
He also says it gives families with more means an unfair advantage. Students with parents who work regular schedules would have no transportation to a school 20 miles away. Galgay says Maine should be more focused on making sure every school offers the students in their district a well-rounded education.
The third bill would put in place stricter standards for all Maine teachers to meet; something else Galgay opposes.
He says the way this bill works, government would have more control over teachers, and use the guidelines as a way to fire educators. Bowen says that's nowhere near the truth. He says these guidelines would make it easier for districts to filter out which teachers are making the cut, and give those teachers feedback and time to improve. He also says the guidelines would be decided with input from teachers all across the state.
The final bill focuses on a better connection between vocational schools and community colleges. Credits would be transferable, making it easier for students to focus on a specific trade. It would also require school districts to have the same class schedule as vocational schools near them, making it easier for students to go back and forth between the two.
The bills still need approval from the legislature. Commissioner Bowen also says there are still a number of details to be worked out with each of them.
NEWS CENTER