Each year, the Maine Education Policy Research Institute conducts policy research in select topic areas for the Maine Legislature's Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. Ideas for studies are proposed in winter by a steering committee of education stakeholders, and final selections are made in late spring by the legislators. The issues that…

In 2017, the National 4-H professional research, knowledge, and competencies (PRKC) taxonomy was updated reflecting the current needs of 4-H youth development professionals. Knowledge and skill gaps of 4-H professionals need to be identified to optimize resource allocation for professional development on the state and regional level. We developed…

This report provides educators and policymakers with information they can use to celebrate their successes, understand their unique challenges, and set meaningful goals to increase opportunity for all students. It is important to note that while AP® Exams are valid measures of students' content mastery of college-level studies in specific academic…

Educators and policymakers who share the goal of equal opportunity in schools often hold differing notions of what entails a just school in multicultural America. Some emphasize the importance of integration and uniform treatment for all, while others point to the benefits of honoring cultural diversity in ways that make minority students feel at…

Guidelines for developing strategies and policies that ensure equal access to education for Maine's homeless children and youth are provided in this document. The first part outlines factors that place students at risk for homelessness. The second part focuses on developing effective school policies and strategies to help homeless children gain…

This paper examines whether the Maine School of Science and Mathematics, a magnet school in its second year of operation, has improved equity of opportunities for Maine students to participate in advanced mathematics and science courses. Data on per pupil expenditures, state aid to school districts, and course offerings were obtained from the…

Soil science education is lacking in terms of accommodations for persons with disabilities. Individuals with disabilities are often excluded from soil science activities in school, and from soil science careers. GLOBE (Global Learning Observations to Benefit the Environment) is a worldwide, hands-on primary and secondary school-based education and…

This paper discusses the low college attainment rates in Maine at all levels of the educational continuum. The percent of Maine adults age 25 and older with associate degrees declined from 6.9% in 1990 to 5.4% in 2000. The percent with bachelors degrees increased slightly from 21.5% in 1995 to 24.1% in 2000, but remains far below the New England…

This booklet contains the complete affirmative action plan of the Maine Department of Educational and Cultural Services, revised and updated as of March 31, 1975. The plan includes a discussion of the internal goals of the department regarding the employment of women and minorities within the department, as well as a discussion of the department's…

Maine should be very proud of its public school system. Without question, since passage of the Sinclair Act in 1957, Maine has made great strides in the last 45 years in improving the quality of its public schools, and in expanding educational opportunities for more and more of its children. Maine citizens have increased their investment four-fold…

The proceedings of a regional working conference on educational and employment equity for Blacks and Hispanics in New England is presented. The purpose of the conference was to address the nine findings and 20 recommendations set forth in a recent New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) report, "Equity and Pluralism," which warns…