LePage’s school grading system not useful, fair

I feel the new ranking system implemented by Gov. Paul LePage and the state of Maine is not useful for communities, schools or students.

Good education is so much more than the results of a standardized test. I’m a retired elementary employee, a parent and grandparent of students who have graduated from or who attend schools in RSU 3, and I think grades of D and F are unfair.

When I was an ed tech in the Title 1 Reading Program, I was in and out of elementary classrooms at various grade levels and worked with many teachers. I also attended many meetings about individual students as teachers, administrators and support staff made plans to help that particular student to improve. These plans did not always work, but If the first plan was unsuccessful, it was revised.

I saw a lot of good individual and classroom teaching and learning. This does not happen without hard work and much flexibility from teachers and support staff as they try to meet the needs of each student.

The goals were not always accomplished, but many were and there was often progress in the right direction for a better education. Educators need our support to continue and improve all that they do. A student who works hard and moves toward a goal should not be given a D or F, and neither should our schools.

Gail Suomi, Unity

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