A 2012 reform measure should be retooled, say Maine education officials, sending tremors through districts where transition has already begun.
Noel K. Gallagher
Noel Gallagher covers K-12 and higher education issues statewide. Her stories are a mix of breaking news and trend stories. In recent years, they’ve ranged from why college costs so much, the launch of the state’s first charter schools, how a school welcomed a transgender student and why Maine schools have a hard time finding teachers. She’s enough of a news nerd to enjoy sitting through legislative education committee meetings and hours-long school board meetings so you don’t have to.
The Maine Press Association has honored Noel’s work, but she says she writes for the readers, in the firm belief that an informed citizenry is key to a healthy democracy.
Noel is a California native who has worked at wire services, online websites and newspapers across the country. She was in Washington D.C. during the early Clinton years, covering AIDS activism in 1990s San Francisco, documenting the business of wine in Sonoma County and riding out the boom and bust cycle of the early Internet era in early 2000s Silicon Valley. She arrived in Maine at the beginning of the recession and wrote quite a bit about the downturn here.
In her free time, Noel writes the occasional cookbook review, spends an inordinate amount of time at the Portland Public Library and hangs out with her three fabulous kids and wonderful husband. She is not a former member of the band Oasis.
Sponsor of bill to allow guns in cars on school campuses now wants to kill it
In the aftermath of the Parkland school massacre, Rep. John Martin tells the Education Committee that the time isn’t right to discuss the bill.
Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine helped develop lawmaker’s school safety bill
The group, which fiercely opposes expanded gun controls, says the proposed $20 million bond would fund practical policies and safeguards.
Gun bills may surface in Maine Legislature as national debate rages
Democrats would like a bump-stock ban and 2 other measures to come up for action, but they will need some Republican support for bills to be introduced at this point in the legislative session.
Maine students joining national walkout after Florida shootings
Students from at least 5 Maine high schools are taking part in a student-driven movement to protest the gun violence that is claiming lives in schools.
Head of UMaine System has financial stake in firm seeking multimillion-dollar contract for Orono campus
The system’s audit committee recommends James Page recuse himself if company linked to James W. Sewall wins the contract to provide energy to UMaine.
Bill would restore money slashed from school-based health clinics
Educators say the 16 clinics help students without access to a doctor and serve many rural and low-income families.
Bills to increase Maine’s accountability for intellectually disabled get strong support
The bills come following a federal report that criticized the Department of Health and Human Services for failing to investigate deaths and injuries among people whose care it oversees.
LePage wins battle in fight over workforce development funding
The Maine State Workforce Board supports his plan to require that the agencies devote 70 percent of their federal funding to job training.
Bill would forbid schools from denying lunch to students who can’t pay
The legislation, approved by a committee Thursday, is aimed at ending so-called ‘food-shaming’ by giving students with overdrawn accounts no lunch, or a cold alternative to a hot meal.