Last week, I spoke with Maine school curriculum leaders, superintendents and school board members at their respective conferences. I shared with them the latest thinking that’s gone into our evolving strategic plan for education in Maine.

The vision for moving forward is based on what it takes to overcome the major challenges that have stood in the way of our ability to make significant progress in improving student achievement in recent years.

The vision is defined by a handful of priorities that should form the basis for a new model of schooling for the 21st century. That new model, as I’ve said before, should meet the needs of all students. It should put students — rather than administrative convenience — at the center of all structures, from bus schedules to where and how students learn.

Take a look at the remarks I delivered last week.

The vision and the plan are still evolving. Please use the comments feature in our Newsroom to participate in the discussion, or use the Contact Us link to send us your thoughts directly.

Continue reading “Commissioner’s Update – Nov. 3, 2011” →