GreatSchools leaders say that in response to research, the company has shifted its methodology in recent years to weigh academic progress more heavily than test scores.
Schools and Education
Local, state and national schools and education news from the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel.
How are GreatSchools ratings calculated?
GreatSchools’ high school rankings are calculated based on three or four education metrics: test scores, academic growth, equity and college readiness. Schools receive scores in each of these categories based on how their data compares with the state average. If sufficient data is not available for a subrating, it will not be calculated. Schools must […]
Waterville schools urge parents to complete applications for free, reduced-price meals
The more information the school system has about family income and other details determines the amount of resources schools receive to benefit students and families, according to officials.
Reading, math scores fell sharply during pandemic, data show
A new national study finds math and reading scores for America’s 9-year-old students fell sharply during the pandemic, underscoring the impact of 2 years of learning disruptions.
High-stakes year begins for kids still learning to read
Mounting evidence from around the country shows that students who spent more time learning remotely during the 2020-2021 school year, many of them Black and Latino, lost about half of an academic year of learning.
Religious schools shun state funding despite Maine victory
Maine’s attorney general warned that the schools would have to abide by state antidiscrimination laws, including those that protect LGBTQ students and faculty, and that requirement has frustrated the families who sued.
Affordable housing crisis creates another barrier for Maine college students
Limited student housing and high rents are leaving students scrambling to find a place to live before school starts.
Photos: Collecting for classrooms
Volunteers collect and organize school supplies at Vassalboro Fire Station on Saturday to be distributed to local classrooms. Photos by Morning Sentinel photographer Michael G. Seamans.
Widespread school resignations leave some local districts scrambling as students prepare to return
The need for ed techs is especially great at some local schools, as the jobs have undertaken more responsibilities without corresponding increases in pay.
Nebraska school officials close newspaper after students publish LGBTQ articles
An email from a school employee cancelling the student paper’s printing services said it was “because the school board and superintendent are unhappy with the last issue’s editorial content.”