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2011 |
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Wednesday, June 16
Tonight the Maine House voted in favor of LD 1553, 89 to 55, An
Act to Create a Charter School Program in Maine!
Like
the 21 to 13 Senate vote yesterday the House vote was bipartisan.
The debate
lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes, with seven Democrats and six
Republicans speaking in favor, and four Democrats in opposition. |
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NOW is the time to
Act!
Please contact
your Representative a.s.a.p. and ask them to vote ...
"Ought To
Pass" for LD 1553, An Act to Create a Charter School Program
in Maine.
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Please leave messages for Representatives at: 1-800-423-2900.
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Your
messages should be very brief
(they are transcribed and delivered to the legislators at their
desks).
If you can, please join MACS in Augusta and watch the
proceedings in the House Gallery
tomorrow morning! Call our cell phone (542-0370) for updates on the exact
times. |
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To Find YOUR Representative
Click Here!
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Charter
School Day in
The Hall of Flags
Thanks to
everyone who helped make our day at
the State House
"Hall of Flags" such a success! There
were displays by schools, alternative programs, online programs,
and folks envisioning an entirely new charter school.
There were students and staff
from Blue Hill Harbor School and The Community School. A
number of supporters from around Maine joined MACS in keeping
conversations lively!
We had
great discussions with Ed Committee Members, with various Senators
and Representatives, the media, and others who stopped by.
We met with Governor's staff and some students got an interview
with Governor LePage himself.
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Fall 2010 |
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Charter School Forum Report
MACS hosted a very successful, well-attended Forum on Thursday, December 16,
2010 at the Augusta
Civic Center, presenting the latest draft of our
proposed 2011 Charter School Bill.
Participants heard national experts and MACS describe the key components of the bill
and were able to give us feedback about how the bill might affect
their interests. Attendees were also able to network with people statewide and nationally who support public
charter schools. |
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Charter Schools are now
on the
Big Silver Screen: |
"Waiting for Superman"
Now Playing!
Click on Theater for Up-to-Date
Info:
Rockland
-
Strand Theater
Thomaston
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Flagship Cinemas
Portland
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Nickelodeon Theater
Waterville
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Railroad Cinema
Boothbay -
Coming soon to a theater
near you - stay tuned!
Click
here to learn more from the film's official website |
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2009 |
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Nov. 12 - Alternative Education
Conference
Nov 12 & 13 - Juice Conference
- See
MACS' Juice Handout
"Outside
the Box!"
Fall
Tour of New Hampshire Charter Schools
On Friday, October 16 MACS representatives visited The North
Country
Charter School in Littleton, NH.
To visit their website yourself,
Click Here!
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October
Forum
On October 14 MACS
hosted a Maine Education Forum on Public Charter Schools - For Maine Legislators & Policy Makers,
Maine Colleges & Universities, and
Maine Educators
Co-hosts and Presenters Included:
For a
Summary of the Forum
Click Here
For the Agenda &
Information about the Presenters Click Here
Greenville
Public Meeting
to
Discuss Charter Schools
Sponsored by: The
Greenville School Committee
All members of the public were invited to attend
and learn about the Charter School Movement in Maine, and how charter
schools may help rural, isolated school units such as those in
Greenville.
Guest Speaker: MACS Director Judith Jones
Wednesday, June 29, 6:30 p.m.
Greenville Middle/High School Library
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MACS Organizing Meetings:
Portland - July 20 - USM
Belfast - August 3 - Hutchinson Center
(Our guest was Dr. Joe Nathan, Center for Educational Change,
University of Minnesota, founder of the Charter School Movement in
1991.)
Bangor -
TBA
Lewiston/Auburn - TBA
Presque Isle - TBA
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Ed Law Conference
July 20 - USM - Portland
12-1 pm - Charter School
Luncheon & Discussion
1:30-3 pm - MACS Portland Area Meeting
FMI:
www.edlaw.org or
email MACS
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We were
refreshed by attending the National Charter School Conference in
Washington DC in June, along with 3,300 other participants, and
since then we have been gearing up to
promote a new charter school bill for the next legislative session
next January.
Stay Tuned!
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Meanwhile ...
To learn about
charter schools, please check out our links to the left.
For news of our
more distant past,
read on...
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Portland Press
Herald - Maine Sunday Telegram
MAINE VOICES
- July 2, 2009
Progress in Maine education blocked
once again.
A coalition of public school officials and unions kept
charter schools at arm's length.
Read the OP ED
by Joe Gauld, founder of the Hyde Schools.
Click Here!
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Maine News Direct, MAINE
BUSINESS.com
Released 6/30/09
US Ed. Secretary Duncan Chides Maine
Legislators
Click Here!
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Senate Votes
Charter School Bill Down
In a sad commentary on our Government's concern for the children not
currently served well by public education in Maine, the Senate voted
20-14 to "adhere" to their previous decision, not to allow public
charter schools in Maine.
We thank all of
you, our supporters in the Senate and House, in Administration, in
Public and Private Education, and in all walks of life across Maine,
for your continuing efforts to bring charter schools to Maine.
MACS is already
debriefing our campaign this session and looking ahead to the January
2010 second session when we'll have a new opportunity to pass a
charter school bill.
We plan to keep
fighting for the rights of all students and parents, of all income
levels, to have choices within Maine's system of public education.
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Click Here for the Senate Role Call |
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Friday, June 5, Noon:
happily, unexpectedly,
The Maine House voted in favor of LD 1438!
Now the bill is back to the
Senate where the opponents are waiting!
Click
Here for the House Role Call
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Thursday, June 4: Sadly, but
not unexpectedly,
The Senate Voted Against LD 1438 - "Ought Not to
Pass"
by a vote of 22 to 13.
Click Here for the Senate Role Call
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The Maine
Senate is expected to vote on LD 1438 on Monday!
Now is the time to contact your
Senator and encourage
them to support public charter schools in Maine!
Contact MACS if you need help addressing any of their
concerns.
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May 20 Poll by
Critical Insights of Portland shows
70% of Maine People support
charter schools.
Click Here for the
Report (see p. 35).
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Kennebec
Journal Editorial
May 28
Charter schools vote: Schools are for kids
Click Here
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Portland Press Herald Editorial
May 22
Legislature
should back charter school law.
Maine stands to lose too much by resisting
this reasonable reform effort.
Click Here
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The Education Committee,
reacting to the fears of opponents, voted 8-5 "Ought Not to Pass" at
its second Work Session on LD 1438 on May 20.
The bill now goes to the Senate for a vote, which could be any time
within the next two weeks.
Please call or write your Senator to support Charter Schools in Maine!
Click Here for Senate
Contact Information
Voting for LD 1438 were Rep. Casavant, Sen. Weston, Rep. Johnson, Rep.
Nelson, Rep. Wagner - Thank You!
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Sound
Bytes vs
Sound
Data
Steady yourself with
Answers to Opponents' Spin
Click Here
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May 8, 2009
Portland Press Herald Editorial
Casco Bay High's future should be secure
Portland's alternative high school has produced superior results
for less.
"Casco Bay High is a perfect example of what can be achieved through
public charter schools, and figuring out how to make the funding for
such schools work better across districts would be a great help."
For Full Editorial,
Click Here
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 Published:
May 7, 2009
The Harlem Miracle
By
DAVID BROOKS,
Op-Ed Columnist
For Full OP-ED,
Click Here
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May 7, 2009
MPBN Report
Education Committee Considers Charter Schools
Click Here to Read (or Hear) Tom Porter's Report
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Report on the Public
Hearing before the Legislature's Education Committee May 5
Click Here
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Support Grows!
Read Below:
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Kennebec Journal
Editorial Supports Charter Schools in Maine - April 27
Click Here
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School Reform Means Doing What's
Best for Kids
Let's have an honest assessment
of charter schools.
OP Ed in Wall Street Journal
- April 22
by US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
Click Here
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Bangor Daily
News Article - April 20
Click Here
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LD 1438 is
Here!
"An Act to Permit Public Charter Schools in Maine"
Senator Dennis Damon is the prime sponsor, and
co-sponsors are Senators Justin Alfond and Peter Mills and
Representatives John Piotti, Alan Casavant, Gary Knight, Kathleen
Chase, and David Richardson. If any of these live in your district,
please take a moment to send them a note of thanks!
LD 1438 Highlights
LD 1438 Text
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President Obama Quote
- 2/25/09
In his address to a Joint Session of Congress Tuesday night,
the President declared,
“… we know that our schools don't just need more resources. They need
more reform. That is why this budget creates new incentives for
teacher performance, pathways for advancement, and rewards for
success. We'll invest in innovative programs that are already helping
schools meet high standards and close achievement gaps. And we will
expand our commitment to charter schools.”
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National Charter School Conference
Washington, DC June 12-24.
www.nationalcharterconference.org
MACS will be sending a delegation!
If you are interested in attending, call 763-3576 ASAP!
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Why Charter
Schools Now, for Maine?
What Has Changed?
What Will Change?
Click Here
to Find Out!
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Bill Gates Supports Charter Schools
School Reform That Works
By
Bill Gates
Wednesday, January 28, 2009; A15
Bill Gates released an annual letter this week outlining the state of
his foundation and its goals for 2009.
Click Here for excerpts from the section on education as reported
in the Washington Post.
For his full letter,
Click Here.
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Democrats
Now Rule
in Maine as in Washington.
Supporting public
charter schools should be high on the legislative agenda for change -
in education, in social equity, and in economics.
President-Elect Obama
said: "I doubled the number of charter schools in Illinois despite
some reservations from teachers unions. I think it's important to
foster competition inside the public schools." (Presidential Debate,
10/08)
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Obama Picks Arne
Duncan, Chicago Public School Chief as U.S. Secretary of Education
EdWeek, Dec. 16 - "In choosing Arne
Duncan as his nominee for U.S. secretary of education, President-elect
Barack Obama signaled today that his administration intends to take
what both men see as a pragmatic, non-ideological approach to
improving the nation’s schools.
During a press conference announcing the Chicago school system’s chief
executive as his choice, the president-elect praised Mr. Duncan’s
willingness to support controversial policies, such as shutting down
low-performing neighborhood schools and expanding charter schools."
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Bill Gates Supports
the President-elect’s Positions on Education, specifically:
“focusing on teachers who
really do the job well, (and) allowing charter schools to be expanded,
both because there are some great ones and because they serve as a
model.”
(Interview with Wolf Blitzer, CNN, 12/4/08) “We need to keep investing to
improve the lives of the people who have been left out.... The
greatest antidote to inequity in American life is a good system of
public education.... There are public schools and charter schools
serving some of the most disadvantaged students in the country, and
yet they are recruiting great teachers, making the curriculum more
rigorous, using data to see what works, and graduating students ready
for college....That’s why I believe some of the highest-leverage,
long-term investments come from improving public education, especially
for low-income and minority students.”
Excerpts from Gates’ speech to George Washington University, 12/4/08
FMI Click Here
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Environmentalists Take Note!
In support of a sustainable
future, the first
Green Charter
Schools National Conference
was held November 7-9 in Madison, Wisconsin.
FMI
Click Here
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As Presidential
Candidates, Both Obama & McCain
Supported Charter Schools!
Support for charter schools is
a true bipartisan effort, strongly supported by both Democratic and
Republican Presidents and the Congress
since initiated by President Clinton in 1996.
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Democrat
Barack Obama supports Public Charter Schools!
FMI Click Here
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Republican John
McCain
supports Public Charter Schools!
FMI Click Here
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Why Discuss
School Choice Now?
WE MUST! -
Click Here to Find out Why!
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Upcoming
Events |
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Tuesday
May 5 |
Public Rally at Noon
- Cross Office Building, Augusta
Public Hearing
- LD 1438 "An Act to Permit Charter Schools in Maine"
Education Committee, 1 pm, Room 202
FMI Call 763-3576 |
MA CS
Meeting |
The next MACS
Meeting will be announced shortly.
Participation by toll-free Conference Call is welcome!
FMI Call 763-3576
FMI Click Here |
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Recent
Events |
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February
6 |
MACS hosted a luncheon in Augusta
with Todd Ziebarth of the National Alliance for
Public Charter Schools in Washington, DC. Todd will discussed the model bill
recently developed by the Alliance which incorporates the
experience and best practices that have evolved nationally. MACS
members discussed how Maine's bill LR 1349 is tailored to Maine’s special
circumstances. |
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November 7-9 |
The first
Green Charter
Schools National Conference
was held on Nov. 8 in Madison, Wisconsin, sponsored by:
Conference Information
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November 14
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Alternative Education Association Conference
The Fall Conference of the Maine Alternative
Education Association was held on Friday, November 14, 8am to 3pm, at the
China Lake Conference Center. FMI, contact Pender Makin, pmakin@windham.k12.me.us. |
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November 14 & 15
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Youth Peer Leadership Conference
The Maine Youth Action Network’s annual youth
conference was held November 14 & 15 in Bar Harbor. FMI, see
www.MYAN.org or call
874-0060. |
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Click Here for
More Information
on Upcoming Events
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*
The Legislature's
Alternative Education Committee - Final Report
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Get Maine
Students
out of their BOXES!
Click Here for MAC's Handout at the Juice Conference
Charter Schools
could Fuel the Creative Economy
with Creative Workers!
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MACS is actively seeking financial
contributions to fund our activities in support of public school options
for Maine children. Please consider helping with our current
campaign, and
Click Here
for more information.
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Click Here:
for
Recent Stories on the Success of Public School Options in
Other
States!
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Is
Maine's Graduation Rate
Inflated?
What is it, really.
Click on "Maine's Need" on the left sidebar for two reports.
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Please Note: Maine is one of only 10 states without public
charter schools
Maine children are certainly missing out!
Another legislative season will soon be underway, and MACS is
currently working to educate citizens and policy
makers about the importance of:
1) charter schools as a vehicle for public school choice.
2) charter schools as a vehicle for public school improvement.
3) related concepts such as funding the child's education, not
the system.
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Maine Newspapers
Support Public Charter Schools: |
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The Portland Press Herald
Editorial - 2/11/06 |
The Bangor Daily News Editorial - 3/14/06
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2007 Newsletters |
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February 20, Bowdoin College, 6:30 pm to 8 pm.
Dr. Judith Jones, MACS Director will discuss public charter schools with
students whose semester project is to design a hypothetical charter high
school. |
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MPA
-
just sent an email to Principals and Assistant Principals, asking them
to oppose LD 1640. The reasons were the same old same old.
We'll post them eventually, but the answers are already here! |
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MEA - attacked Charter
Schools with Broadside -
Read it! For our
point-by-point answer, click
Here! |
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A
Curious Thing Happened in the Maine Senate on Tuesday - Read
On... |
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1/26/06
Education Committee Expands Support for Public
Charter School Initiative -
Full Story |
A Curious Thing Happened in the Maine Senate Today!It
was expected that the Senate would vote today (March 14) on the bill to
allow public chartered schools for children at risk in
Maine, LD 1640. The bill had
come out of the Education Committee with a 7-5 vote “ought not to pass.”
With such a closely divided report, both proponents and opponents expected a
close vote and were present and prepared for a lively discussion in the
Senate. Two newspapers and Channel 6 were there to cover the debate.
It is uncertain whether the bill will be taken
up for a vote at the next Senate session, this Thursday (it wasn't), or next week
(Tuesday March 21 is the next option).
We’ll let you know as soon as we hear.
Once voted on
in the Senate, the debate will move to the House. Thanks for everybody’s
hard work so far - it’s paying off! |
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