Maine’s Department of Education is rolling out two new plans focused on helping schools improve students’ math and reading skills.

The “back to basics” plans for reading and math involve preparing teachers to use evidence-based instruction methods, providing new instructional resources and workshops for teachers, collaborating with schools to set reading achievement goals in early grades, and incorporating “real-world applications” in math instruction.

Thursday’s announcement comes nine months after Maine ranked near the bottom on a national assessment, and showed the largest drop of any state in fourth grade math and reading over pre-pandemic levels.

Beth Lambert, the state’s chief teaching and learning officer, said Gov. Janet Mills directed the department to take a concrete step to strengthen its approach to reading and math skills, and these plans are the result.

“Improving reading and math skills is vital to ensuring that all Maine students reach their full potential,” Mills said in a written statement. “Our goal must be to see that all Maine students do the best they can in reading, math and basic skills.”  

The plan “builds upon” a $10 million literacy grant program for schools Mills created in 2024.

Lambert said the action plans are built around strategies that are supported by peer-reviewed research into what actually develops skills. For reading, that includes a focus on phonics, decoding, learning vocabulary, and being able to comprehend and use words.

The plan also involves the creation of two advisory councils that will oversee the rollout and monitor progress, and act as a troubleshooting venue. The math council will be led by retired Farmington math teacher Victoria Cohen, while Westbrook Superintendent Peter Lancia will oversee the reading council.

Maine doesn’t impose a statewide curriculum, and Lambert said these action plans are living documents designed to guide the department’s approach to providing guidance and resources to districts in honing foundational reading and math skills.

She said the state is also considering having third-party research done into the success of the investment.

‘CONCERNING DECLINES’

Scores in the biannual National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the Nation’s Report Card, were released in January. Results showed that only 33% of Maine fourth graders were proficient in math, and only 26% were deemed proficient in reading, both below the national average.

The national scores showed that students across the country failed to make up for pandemic-era learning losses, but in some areas, Maine saw greater drops than any other state.

But Thursday’s announcement acknowledged that “over the past decade, NAEP scores have shown concerning declines in Maine and other states.”

Lambert said the plans are building on work already underway, but that the needs were emphasized by recent national scores.

“Obviously the national assessment data reinforces what we’ve known are areas that we need to invest in, and that our educators are seeing as well,” she said.

She said the plans aren’t “knee-jerk or quick fixes,” but rather long-term strategies.

The state also drew on data from the Maine Through Year Assessment, which is administered at least twice a year to students in grades three through eight, and 10. The most recent year’s data is still under review, but for the 2023-24 test, 47% of students were at or above state expectations on math, while 65% met that standard for English.

Republicans on the Education Committee said they have been asking the department to focus on math and reading skills for years, and said the action plans seem like a step in the right direction.

“I’m pleased that our calls for returning to the basics have finally been heard,” said Sen. James Libby of Cumberland, the senate minority lead on the committee.

But Libby said an important piece of the plan is measurement. He said committee Republicans have concerns about district-to-district testing consistency in the state-administered exams, an issue they plan to dive into thoroughly when the Legislature returns in January.

“It’s really important if we’re going to spend $10 million that we can measure the results,” he said.

Rep. Kelly Murphy of Scarborough, the lead Democrat on the committee, said she was excited to see the state putting resources behind “continuous student improvement and support for educators.”

“Focusing on evidence-based practices in reading and math and providing teachers with better access to high-quality instructional resources will have a positive impact on students throughout our state,” she said.