Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

Public education needs a shift in emphasis from overly complex standards and exhaustive assessment protocols, towards rigorous yet greatly simplified standards that provide more time for teachers to teach students. While all levels of public education are critical, a Beardsley administration would make early childhood education and services a priority, along with its value-added opportunity to reduce subsequent remediation, special education and social stratification of students.

School consolidation should be modified to address the critical and unique relationshiop between rural communities and their elementary schools.

I support the development of Charter Schools and parental choice in education.

In higher education, I would promote a free standing University of Maine with a strong research capability, and establish a priority for strengthened career and professional education in State universities and colleges.

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