District 8 Legislative Update - Happy Thanksgiving
November 24, 2009 -
Hi everyone,
We've had a fantastic November, weather-wise, but it won't be long before there's snow on the ground. Here are some handy tips for getting your home or apartment ready for the winter months.
Community Update
Last week, I had the opportunity to tour the Portland Public Library and see all of the great renovations taking place. When the library reopens next year, there will be an intuitive redesign of the layout, additional computers with broadband access for public use, teen and children's sections, and green roofs for community use.
The renovations are coming right along, and I can't wait to have a 21st century library in our community!
Race to the Top Guidelines Announced
On Tuesday, November 17th Commissioner Gendron analyzed and answered questions about the newly released guidelines for the Race to the Top Fund in our Education Committee meeting. The Race to the Top Fund is a national competition among states for $4.35 billion under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Some of the goals are to improve education quality, statewide results and student outcomes.
Maine will submit an application for the competitive grant on June 1st, 2010. We are eligible for a $25 -$75 million grant (FYI - Maine's two-year education budget is $2.3 billion). There are 500 total points that the state will be judged on, and the following materials break down the sections. Maine has some major strengths, including our scores in academic standards, assessments and data systems. However, we will have to tweak many statutes in order to score well. For example, in order to show that we have innovative schools in Maine, we will have to identify our highly qualified teachers, leaders and principals, and demonstrate a link to student performance.
FairPoint Bankruptcy
Last month, FairPoint Communications filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The important thing to remember is that despite going into bankruptcy, FairPoint customers should not see their service affected. These proceedings, however, are a setback to our goal of expanding broadband access to all corners of Maine. As Maine moves into the 21st Century, the importance of expanding access to technologies can not be overstated. Technology is the backbone of education, economic development and public safety, and despite these bankruptcy proceedings, we as a state must do what we can to ensure universal access to business improving technologies.
Closing
As always, I'd love to hear from you! I hope you have a great Thanksgiving!
-Justin
