Fairman discusses NAEP test results with Maine Morning Star
Janet Fairman, an associate professor of education at the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development and co-director of the Maine Education Policy Research Institute (MEPRI), spoke to the Maine Morning Star about the recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test results, which showed Maine students scoring lower than they have in more than 30 years. The article cites a 2023 MEPRI report that found the literacy programs schools in Maine are using can vary widely, and districts aren’t always choosing evidence-supported programs. “A surprising number of schools and teachers don’t have any reading program specified in their district to use. They’re left up to themselves to figure out how to teach reading,” Fairman said. “But the vast majority of school districts in Maine that did have a reading curriculum for early elementary grades, the programs they were selecting have been proven to be ineffective.” Like other states, Fairman said Maine is also struggling to cope with the elevated mental health challenges of students that have lingered in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Kids have been back in person, in classrooms for two years, and we’re still seeing high levels of anxiety and mental health issues and behavior problems,” she said.