We need to enforce job placement programs for all education. All Colleges and Tech programs should have to base their tuition rates off of how many people place jobs each year, after completing the program. Schools with the lowest rates of job placement, are required to lower tuition rates. If a student has a change of mind in their career choice, after completing the course and doesn't want to be included in job placement, must sign a document stating so. That way it will not go against the school. Also if a school has to refer students to out of state jobs due to a low job opportunity in Maine. That should also require the school to accept less applications for that career program. If the demand for the job isn't there.. It's not fair to allow people to spend their money to go to school for nothing. I think even a completed study in liberal arts or core classes should require a type of management course as well, that way once completed they can achieve a job in management, while continuing their education to go for their major. Also a pay-rate should be considered for those who have received higher education. No one who goes to a tech school should have to be stuck only getting $8.50 an hour. Having to pay $200 a month in school loans. While also trying to pay for a home, car ect.. Education is very important. So is financial stability and benefits. Once we have achieved a higher education, we should be guaranteed a job with decent pay and benefits. There should be no reason people should struggle after college or a tech school. I think it would also cut down on some programs. Yes it may hurt the ones teaching it.. but if you think how much money it would save You, or your children in the long run for them not attempting at some empty career. We would be in a better place. We need guaranteed education that is actually going to pay off. If the schools can't guarantee you a job, with decent pay and benefits after completing their program..Then really.. what is the sense of having that program available? People can't afford to pay for empty promises.

I am a strong supporter of CTE and worry out high school and middle school guidance departments are steering student to the centers because they feel the student is not "college material" thus setting them up to struggle when they get there. Most CTE are offering college level programing and offering dual enrollments so these students are infact COLLEGE STUDENTS. This is a reason to stop sending kids there to give them something to do with their hands and start promoting this as a Pre-community college and 4 year college institution and is preparing students with nationally recognized certifications and a start on college. Maybe we should consider moving CTE centers under the Maine State Community College system. STop the sterotype of the CTE as the Dumping Ground and celebrate its achievements, opportunities and relationships with COLLEGE and CAREER!

$17,000 per child, per school year. That's how much is spent average to send the public school children, preK-12 to school in our town. We home school our two children, along with at least 10 other children that we know of in our town, yet we, along with the other families mentioned, pay for our own curriculum, field trips, extra-curricular activities lessons and fees, transportation fees, computer and supplies. This is a great savings to the taxpayers of our town to have these kids home educated and we feel that we should either be eligible for a property tax break or some sort of credit to offset the fact that we pay for others' education and our own.

Changing the college year to start Oct 15 (or even Sept 15) would allow students to get good-paying summer jobs in Maine, where the tourist season runs through at least mid-September. Many resorts and businesses remain open until Columbus Day weekend. Now students are out in early May, with no employers hiring yet; then these students have to leave mid-August to get back to class. They are losing income opportunities (to pay back their student loans!) and they are not getting the experience as an employee to build their resumes. Tourism is a major economic engine in this state. And there are many students who are training for jobs in the hospitality industry (hotels, restaurants) - but they can't work as much as they'd like with the current academic calendar. A generation ago, schools started after Labor Day and finished mid-June. I know this means the first semester would not be complete before the Xmas break, but that seems like a silly rationale, given the benefits of an Oct-Jun academic calendar in our higher ed institutions. Ideally other states will join in and the momentum will swing back to the "old" calendar again. This wouldn't save money in the state's budget, but it would offer opportunity for students to work, get experience and increase their income - that is economic development with no additional cost.

Although, I have spoken with legislators, state office personnel, schools and superintendents about the solution to illiteracy....I have not yet spoken to the illiterate parents directly- because they can not read and most work two jobs for low pay. What I have experienced to date over several years are there are few decision makers in the group when the subject is the solution to illiteracy. They would rather let someone else do the work....like NCLB...but it is and has failed...

This solution to illiteracy can in truth be actualized within 15 minutes of classroom time and the opinion of an eighth grader...

That will start the health promotions process --that domino effect-
yet few Superintendents recently responded to support this health promotions learning research for their school district-- it ended up in spam...or deleted, I guess. I can only suggest that it is the fear of something or that a request for a few minutes of their time is too large a request for generalizable knowledge and information that can save a nation's illiterate population. I am rambling here...because this can not be explained in a few words...
It would cost nothing for Maine for the first step- the data collection step (Dissertation PhD for Public Service Leadership) and could support all of us with a new direction that resolves illiteracy for many begining with our students in as few as 16 weeks. Illiteracy is expensive and harmful and does not need to continue when the solution exists, again as in all current matters it is bound up in a political battle...this one has lasted 50 years. We can't wait any longer for it is blocking the growth of a nation. The savings can be large and the solution will help the kids, teachers, parents and community...Where are the decision makers? ...so we can get started to resolve this problem ....let Maine take that first step we have been sitting on this solution for too long.

My homeschooled 5th grader uses a refurbished computer. As a parent I buy curriculum, supplies and also furnish my time to educate my child. My husband and I also work and pay taxes, both income and property to educate, feed and support other people's children. What's next, free memory foam mattresses for them all? Pretty pathetic when the recipients of government largesse are given (for free) much better equipment than the producers of said largesse can provide their own children.
Who polices the usage of these computers? I just read an article detailing the anecdotal observations of a parent and student that a large percentage of students use their laptops for non-school fun during class(games, email, ****) WHAT!!!??? Is it too much to ask that my tx dollars not be used for high-schoolers to look at ***********?
Huge savings could be accomplished by getting rid of this wasteful program. Extremely poor oversight just begs for abuses, and this program is a prime example.