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  • National Overview
  • Select Your State
  • About The Index

PARENT POWER!

  • National Overview
  • Select Your State
  • About The Index
Menu
  • National Overview
  • Select Your State
  • About The Index

PARENT POWER!

  • National Overview
  • Select Your State
  • About The Index
Menu
  • National Overview
  • Select Your State
  • About The Index

Maine

U.S.
Rank

#33
Overall PPI Score:
63.5%
PPI Grade Key:
← Back to Maine state overview
A
B
C
D
F
  • Opportunity
  • Innovation
  • Policy Environment

Charter Schools

Score:

62%

Grade:

D

Rank:

#37

The beauty of Maine notwithstanding, the environment for charters here is hardly green. 

Fast Facts:

Law passed: 2011

Most recently amended: 2019

Number of charter schools: 10

Number of charter students: 2,497

Cap on the number of schools allowed:? Yes, 10 maximum schools

Virtual charters allowed? Yes

Charter Law Analysis:

AUTHORIZERS: Local districts and the Maine Charter School Commission, but local districts have not been active authorizers. Any applicant can submit an application directly to the Commission. Only the Commission can authorize virtual charters.

The state board of education heavily regulates the Maine Charter School Commission, effectively making it a weak authorizer that passes unnecessary regulations on to the schools it oversees.  There is no appeals process for decisions made by either type of authorizer, which removes the ability for charter applicants to fight back against arbitrary or capricious application decisions.

GROWTH: Potential growth of charter schools was significantly damaged with legislation in 2019. It made the cap of 10 charter schools permanent and included district-authorized charter schools within the cap. The cap was previously set to expire in 2022 and had only included state-authorized charter schools.

OPERATIONS: Maine law exempts charter schools from most regulations that apply to districts. However, the state heavily regulates charter applicants, which adversely affects the ability of successful charter schools to expand. 

EQUITY: A 2007 Maryland Court of Appeals ruling reaffirmed the State Board of Education’s decision that the law requires charter students be funded in a “commensurate” manner and at the same level as traditional public schools. However, school districts set charter school funding first, and appealing inequities in funding to the Board can be an onerous process. Funding inequities persist. In reality, they receive, on average, only two-thirds of the total funding the traditional district schools receive.

Learn More:

Maine Charter School Law

Maine Association of Charter Schools

Choice Programs (Scholarships, Vouchers, Tax Credits, etc.)

Score:

62%

Grade:

D

Rank:

#32

The second oldest program in the country, dating back to 1873, allows students who do not have public schools in their towns to take their money to the school of choice.

Fast Facts:

Law enacted: 1873

Number of programs: 1

Statewide Participation: 5,374

Types of programs: Voucher

Choice Laws & Analysis:

Voucher
Town Tuitioning Program
Through Maine’s voucher program, students that live in small towns without public elementary or high schools can use vouchers to attend public schools in different towns, or non-religious private schools. It currently serves 5,400 students and the voucher limit is $9,272 for K-8 and $11,093 for high school. This program does not have income limitations or enrollment caps.

Learn More:

EdChoice Analysis on Maine

Federation for Children Choice Program Information

2019 ALEC Report Card on American Education

Teacher Quality

Score:

68%

Grade:

D

Rank:

#37

Does not support performance pay statewide; needs to improve its data collection of teacher prep programs.

TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT: 71%
General Teacher Preparation 62%
Elementary Teacher Preparation 75%
Secondary Teacher Preparation 78%
Special Education Teacher Preparation 72%
Alternate Routes 70%  

STAFFING AND SUPPORT: 71%
Hiring 75%
Retaining Effective Teachers 67%

TEACHER EVALUATION: 68%

TEACHER COMPENSATION: 62%

Learn More:

National Council for Teacher Quality State Teacher Policy Database

Charter Schools

Score:

62%

Grade:

D

Rank:

#37

The beauty of Maine notwithstanding, the environment for charters here is hardly green. 

Fast Facts:

Law passed: 2011

Most recently amended: 2019

Number of charter schools: 10

Number of charter students: 2,497

Cap on the number of schools allowed:? Yes, 10 maximum schools

Virtual charters allowed? Yes

Charter Law Analysis:

AUTHORIZERS: Local districts and the Maine Charter School Commission, but local districts have not been active authorizers. Any applicant can submit an application directly to the Commission. Only the Commission can authorize virtual charters.

The state board of education heavily regulates the Maine Charter School Commission, effectively making it a weak authorizer that passes unnecessary regulations on to the schools it oversees.  There is no appeals process for decisions made by either type of authorizer, which removes the ability for charter applicants to fight back against arbitrary or capricious application decisions.

GROWTH: Potential growth of charter schools was significantly damaged with legislation in 2019. It made the cap of 10 charter schools permanent and included district-authorized charter schools within the cap. The cap was previously set to expire in 2022 and had only included state-authorized charter schools.

OPERATIONS: Maine law exempts charter schools from most regulations that apply to districts. However, the state heavily regulates charter applicants, which adversely affects the ability of successful charter schools to expand. 

EQUITY: A 2007 Maryland Court of Appeals ruling reaffirmed the State Board of Education’s decision that the law requires charter students be funded in a “commensurate” manner and at the same level as traditional public schools. However, school districts set charter school funding first, and appealing inequities in funding to the Board can be an onerous process. Funding inequities persist. In reality, they receive, on average, only two-thirds of the total funding the traditional district schools receive.

Learn More:

Maine Charter School Law

Maine Association of Charter Schools

Choice Programs (Scholarships, Vouchers, Tax Credits, etc.)

Score:

62%

Grade:

D

Rank:

#32

The second oldest program in the country, dating back to 1873, allows students who do not have public schools in their towns to take their money to the school of choice.

Fast Facts:

Law enacted: 1873

Number of programs: 1

Statewide Participation: 5,374

Types of programs: Voucher

Choice Laws & Analysis:

Voucher
Town Tuitioning Program
Through Maine’s voucher program, students that live in small towns without public elementary or high schools can use vouchers to attend public schools in different towns, or non-religious private schools. It currently serves 5,400 students and the voucher limit is $9,272 for K-8 and $11,093 for high school. This program does not have income limitations or enrollment caps.

Learn More:

EdChoice Analysis on Maine

Federation for Children Choice Program Information

2019 ALEC Report Card on American Education

Teacher Quality

Score:

68%

Grade:

D

Rank:

#37

Does not support performance pay statewide; needs to improve its data collection of teacher prep programs.

TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT: 71%
General Teacher Preparation 62%
Elementary Teacher Preparation 75%
Secondary Teacher Preparation 78%
Special Education Teacher Preparation 72%
Alternate Routes 70%  

STAFFING AND SUPPORT: 71%
Hiring 75%
Retaining Effective Teachers 67%

TEACHER EVALUATION: 68%

TEACHER COMPENSATION: 62%

Learn More:

National Council for Teacher Quality State Teacher Policy Database

Digital & Personalized Learning

Digital Learning:

Score:

72%

Grade:

C

Rank:

#36

The Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) was the first 1:1 student-to-device initiative in the nation. In 2002, Maine provided every 7th and 8th grade student and teacher in the state a portal device, along with support that was needed to effectively use them. The MLTI provides participating schools with educational technology packages with either HP or Apple, and also awards grants for schools to purchase their own. MLTI provides professional development training so teachers can use the technology in an effective and efficient way. 

Maine has taken measures to make sure schools have connectivity across the state. The Maine School and Library Network is an association of 1000 schools and libraries that receive internet connectivity through funding from Maine Telecommunications Education Access Fund and the Federal E-Rate Program.

Bandwidth: 100% of students in Maine can access the Internet at speeds of 100 kbps per student, and many students are connected at higher speeds.

Personalized Learning:

Maine has enacted legislation to promote personalized learning in their state. The Innovative, Autonomous Public Schools, Innovative Public School Zones statue gives schools various flexibilities to focus on diverse students needs, such as curriculum, new models of instruction, seat time, teacher development, and more.

The state also has the Maine Cohort for Customized Learning, which is a coalition of individuals, organizations and districts in Maine, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania that advocate for personalized learning in schools.

Learn More:

Maine Learning Technology Initiative

Maine School and Library Network

The Innovative, Autonomous Public Schools, Innovative Public School Zones

Maine Cohort for Customized Learning

COVID-19 Response

Governor Mills closed schools on March 15th and then extended the closure for the remainder of the school year on April 7th. One early step Maine took was to waive many requirements that would prevent schools from adapting to the new circumstances; these decisions can be seen in March 23rd and 25th announcements. The state posted guidelines for remote learning and while not requiring districts to submit plans for remote learning, as nearly every other state did, it did ask districts to report if they did devise a plan. The state aired a daily virtual lesson on public television, led by teachers there and tried to address access to devices and the internet, Teachers were offered professional development specific to online teaching, and the state developed a website of resources for students, parents, teachers, and school administrators.

Maine did not take substantial steps to ensure increased access to devices or internet for those who were in need.

July 29, Maine announced that all schools in the state are recommended for in-person teaching. The state subsequently amended that and has approved all schools to offer in-person instruction, but the decision is up to the districts.

Fast Facts

4th Grade Math Proficiency:

33%

8th Grade Math Proficiency:

24%

12th Grade Math Proficiency:

24% (nat'l average)

4th Grade Reading Proficiency:

30%

8th Grade Reading Proficiency:

30%

12th Grade Reading Proficiency:

37% (nat'l average)

Graduation Rate:

87%

Average SAT Score:

1081/1600

Average ACT Score:

25.1/36

Public School Enrollment:

173,215

Percent Enrolled in Charter Schools:

1.4%

Average Student Funding:

$14,892.00
Digital & Personalized Learning
Digital Learning:

Score:

72%

Grade:

C

Rank:

#36

The Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) was the first 1:1 student-to-device initiative in the nation. In 2002, Maine provided every 7th and 8th grade student and teacher in the state a portal device, along with support that was needed to effectively use them. The MLTI provides participating schools with educational technology packages with either HP or Apple, and also awards grants for schools to purchase their own. MLTI provides professional development training so teachers can use the technology in an effective and efficient way. 

Maine has taken measures to make sure schools have connectivity across the state. The Maine School and Library Network is an association of 1000 schools and libraries that receive internet connectivity through funding from Maine Telecommunications Education Access Fund and the Federal E-Rate Program.

Bandwidth: 100% of students in Maine can access the Internet at speeds of 100 kbps per student, and many students are connected at higher speeds.

Personalized Learning:

Maine has enacted legislation to promote personalized learning in their state. The Innovative, Autonomous Public Schools, Innovative Public School Zones statue gives schools various flexibilities to focus on diverse students needs, such as curriculum, new models of instruction, seat time, teacher development, and more.

The state also has the Maine Cohort for Customized Learning, which is a coalition of individuals, organizations and districts in Maine, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania that advocate for personalized learning in schools.

Learn More:

Maine Learning Technology Initiative

Maine School and Library Network

The Innovative, Autonomous Public Schools, Innovative Public School Zones

Maine Cohort for Customized Learning

COVID-19 Response

Governor Mills closed schools on March 15th and then extended the closure for the remainder of the school year on April 7th. One early step Maine took was to waive many requirements that would prevent schools from adapting to the new circumstances; these decisions can be seen in March 23rd and 25th announcements. The state posted guidelines for remote learning and while not requiring districts to submit plans for remote learning, as nearly every other state did, it did ask districts to report if they did devise a plan. The state aired a daily virtual lesson on public television, led by teachers there and tried to address access to devices and the internet, Teachers were offered professional development specific to online teaching, and the state developed a website of resources for students, parents, teachers, and school administrators.

Maine did not take substantial steps to ensure increased access to devices or internet for those who were in need.

July 29, Maine announced that all schools in the state are recommended for in-person teaching. The state subsequently amended that and has approved all schools to offer in-person instruction, but the decision is up to the districts.

Fast Facts

4th Grade Math Proficiency:

33%

8th Grade Math Proficiency:

24%

12th Grade Math Proficiency:

24% (nat’l average)

4th Grade Reading Proficiency:

30%

8th Grade Reading Proficiency:

30%

12th Grade Reading Proficiency:

37% (nat’l average)

Graduation Rate:

87%

Average SAT Score:

1081/1600

Average ACT Score:

25.1/36

Public School Enrollment:

173,215

Percent Enrolled in Charter Schools:

1.4%

Average Student Funding:

$14,892.00

Leadership

Your governor:

Janet Mills (D)

First term began in 2019 (two-term limit)

Governor Janet Mills has firmly stated she opposes both private and public school choice: “I firmly oppose taking tax dollars from the public education system to fund new private or charter schools, and I do not support lifting the cap on new charters.  When not opposing choice initiatives she has signed a bill instituting a permanent cap on charter schools and a bill capping the number of students who can enroll at the state’s two virtual charter schools.

State Legislature:

The legislature in Maine is essentially hostile to parent power. A Democratic majority in both chambers sides with the unions most of the time. The 2019 bill to make the cap of 10 maximum charter schools permanent was a real setback, but not the only bad vote. There could hardly be a more difficult environment to pass legislation that would enable all students in Maine to have expanded educational opportunities.

Constitutional Issues

Blaine is dead and opportunity is consequently growing in the Pine Tree state.  In December 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court argued in Carson v. Makin and in a 6-3 ruling, that a state may not prohibit families that participate in educational choice programs from selecting schools that provide religious instruction.  The case was initially filed by Maine families who were denied a choice of a private school simply because it was religious. Chief Justice Roberts, writing for the majority, held that Maine “violated the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment” when it prohibited parents from choosing religious educational options in a school choice program.

Learn More:

Institute for Justice: Maine School Choice and State Constitution

Transparency

School and district report cards are easily located on Maine’s DOE homepage under Testing & Accountability, and clicking ESSA Dashboard. Report cards are easy to navigate and give you the option to view a high level snapshot or dig deep into detailed information on students, staff, student behavior, per-pupil spending, and academic performance. Educational options are also easily found from Maine’s DOE homepage.

School board elections are not held during the general election cycle, they are held at different times of the year, which usually means lower voter turnout.

Leadership
Your governor:

Janet Mills (D)

First term began in 2019 (two-term limit)

Governor Janet Mills has firmly stated she opposes both private and public school choice: “I firmly oppose taking tax dollars from the public education system to fund new private or charter schools, and I do not support lifting the cap on new charters.  When not opposing choice initiatives she has signed a bill instituting a permanent cap on charter schools and a bill capping the number of students who can enroll at the state’s two virtual charter schools.

State Legislature:

The legislature in Maine is essentially hostile to parent power. A Democratic majority in both chambers sides with the unions most of the time. The 2019 bill to make the cap of 10 maximum charter schools permanent was a real setback, but not the only bad vote. There could hardly be a more difficult environment to pass legislation that would enable all students in Maine to have expanded educational opportunities.

Constitutional Issues

Blaine is dead and opportunity is consequently growing in the Pine Tree state.  In December 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court argued in Carson v. Makin and in a 6-3 ruling, that a state may not prohibit families that participate in educational choice programs from selecting schools that provide religious instruction.  The case was initially filed by Maine families who were denied a choice of a private school simply because it was religious. Chief Justice Roberts, writing for the majority, held that Maine “violated the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment” when it prohibited parents from choosing religious educational options in a school choice program.

Learn More:

Institute for Justice: Maine School Choice and State Constitution

Transparency

School and district report cards are easily located on Maine’s DOE homepage under Testing & Accountability, and clicking ESSA Dashboard. Report cards are easy to navigate and give you the option to view a high level snapshot or dig deep into detailed information on students, staff, student behavior, per-pupil spending, and academic performance. Educational options are also easily found from Maine’s DOE homepage.

School board elections are not held during the general election cycle, they are held at different times of the year, which usually means lower voter turnout.

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Charter Schools

Charter schools are public schools, open by choice, free from most rules and regulations that hamper traditional public schools and held accountable for results.

Since 1991, when charter schools were first established in Minnesota, the principle has remained the same — increased operational autonomy in exchange for increased accountability for outcomes. This freedom to innovate allows academically excellent charter schools to flourish.

As of 2020, there were more than 7,300 charter schools across the country with more than 3.3 million students, with demand higher everywhere they are located. Forty-six states, including Washington, D.C. have charter school laws. West Virginia enacted the most recent law in 2019. All charter laws are not created equal, however, and in fact, many are so flawed that they allow for only minimal opportunity for parents. PPI draws from CER’s newest Charter School Law Rankings and Scorecard, produced in the summer of 2020. For the US as a whole, the glass is more empty than full when it comes to meaningful charter choices.

Since 1996, CER has researched, analyzed, and ranked charter school laws, taking the content of each law into consideration as well as how it impacts charter schools on the ground. This Parent Power Index looks at four main areas of each state’s law:

If it allows for multiple authorizers, and if applicants have the ability to appeal a denial; whether it allows for growth, particularly with no caps on number of schools or enrollment; if schools and teachers have freedom to innovate; and if there is equitable funding of schools, including for facilities and transportation.

Charter schools are the most analyzed public school reform in decades. Since 1996, CER has studied their impact, their environment, and their practice and made recommendations for how to improve each law. The Parent Power Index charter score is based on whether the law allows for freedom and flexibility that can ensure parents, teachers and the general public are able to build vibrant, successful charter schools without undue interference from flawed state regulators, with equitable funding and parents in the driver’s seat. More about how this works can be found in CER publications, most notably Charting a New Course and The Future of School.

In addition, past rankings document how states have grown or confined charter schools and what best practices should be followed. Finally CER has provided a model charter school law for policymakers that is the standard bearer for advocates who believe that parents, not systems, should drive education.

Choice Programs

Educational choice is best defined as the availability of a multitude of public programs that provide parents with the ability to include private and religious entities – schools, tutoring, and other organizations – in their choices. Those programs are enacted at the state level, allowing in a wide variety of ways that the funds allocated for education in a state either follow the student to the institution the parent chooses or, as in the case of tax credits, public funds are redistributed to support the choices parents make, rather than automatically going to government based school districts.

These options are often referred to as scholarship programs, vouchers, tax credits, education accounts and more.

The existence of a higher degree of educational choice in a community or state, particularly for lower income students, has been found to be a significant factor in improving education and ensuring all students have access to the best school that meets their individual needs. Where once private options were only available to the more advantaged, most choice programs today ensure that those without resources have the power to shape their student’s education and invest in their future.

PPI 2020 assesses the extent to which every state gives families better and more abundant educational options through various mechanisms. Choice programs are analyzed and evaluated on their potential to reach all children across a state and for the degree to which they can actually support the full choice of parents, as opposed to only providing a modest amount of financial support. Programs where a significant population of parents can obtain scholarships or vouchers to send their children to the school of their choice score higher than those that have limitations based on geography, income, and student eligibility constraints.

To determine scores, PPI relies on well-established organizations which study, advance and support such programs. The scores were developed with this lens, and on information and ratings from EdChoice’s School Choice in America Dashboard, American Legislative Exchange Council’s Report Card on American Education: 23rd Edition, and American Federation for Children’s School Choice Interactive Map.

Teacher Quality

Teacher Quality is an equally important facet of ensuring greater educational opportunity. There is a direct correlation between quality teachers and student achievement, and teachers have the power to foster highly effective learning environments and leave a lasting impact on the future of their students. State teacher policies are critical in ensuring that students have the opportunity to receive the best education possible. Without schools full of well-prepared teachers who are held accountable either directly to the parent or to taxpayers for student achievement, opportunity can be meaningless. Most states vary widely in the criteria used to train, hire, retain, evaluate, reward and advance teachers, and local rules also influence that criteria greatly, as do teachers unions. PPI looked again to the expert analysis of the National Council of Teacher Quality, and from several aspects of their work PPI extrapolated final teacher quality scores. (NCTQ does not grade each state.)

Relying solely on the rich data collected from the National Council on Teacher Quality, states are measured by across a wide range of policy categories: Training and Recruitment, Staffing and Support, Evaluation, and Compensation. The score is by no means comprehensive about teacher quality across every community and state, but it is based on the extent to which states rigorously expect, manage and measure different aspects of teacher training, hiring, evaluation and compensation. States score higher when they have strong, data-driven, performance-based accountability systems that ensure teachers are rewarded, retained, and advanced based on their effectiveness. Likewise, states that establish rigorous teacher preparation programs and offer alternative licensing programs earn higher scores.

For more information about the Teacher Quality landscape, please see the National Council on Teacher Quality’s detailed analysis in their State Teacher Policy Database.

Innovation

States are measured on their increasing commitment to and practice of innovative approaches to education that include digital learning models and pathways, full or in part, encouraging personalized learning through focus on competency and mastery – even on a pilot level – or by allowing flexibility in schools and school districts that want to do it. Personalized learning models value mastery of material over traditional subject matter time tests, and competency over end of course grades. While these practices are best decided locally, closest to the student, states can motivate, incentivize, fund, discourage or encourage.

To determine scores, the PPI drew heavily from ExcelinEd’s 2019 State Progress Toward Next Generation Learning, Aurora Institute’s 2020 Future-Focused State Policy Actions to Transform K-12 Education, and KnowledgeWorks’ 2019 State Policy Framework for Personalized Learning.

COVID-19 Response

When COVID-19 reached our shores in early 2020, states were forced to close their schools for in-person instruction. Whether and how to continue teaching and set expectations for continued learning outside of the classroom was a big debate. Many states and schools quickly pivoted to delivering education remotely, either through technology enabled tools or with low-tech paper packets and phone calls, or a combination of both. The response from schools and school districts varied widely, with some being willing to adapt and some actually discouraging both teaching and learning. CER tracked those responses (and continues to do so, given the fluidity of the situation). States that were encouraging, set expectations, and demanded that schools figure out whatever they could to keep moving students forward, tended to have more schools and districts that responded well and worked to deliver education regardless of challenges. Many states that had digital or virtual learning programs in place were able to make a more seamless shift. Innovative leaders at local and state levels rose to the occasion. But many states and localities dragged their feet and, in some cases, outright discouraged schooling to keep going, including forbidding teachers in some areas to be required to do any face to face teaching via technology.

States were evaluated based on reviewing their official notices and declarations, and by reviewing a broad array of surveys and data many groups have been maintaining. This score also factors in states’ prior commitments to expanding broadband and internet access and how they worked to provide devices to keep students learning and engaged.

What was, and is, a challenging and unprecedented time for schools, teachers, and parents was also an opportunity to look at states’ and schools’ abilities to adapt, be flexible, and innovate.

For more on Education Innovation, check out the CER ACTION Series:

  • Virtual Events & Videos
  • Key Data
  • Resources
  • Publications

Leadership

Improving education opportunity and innovation requires leaders who boldly and courageously push forward to create or expand successful programs that allow a wide variety of educational choice and individualized programs to thrive. Governors and state legislators are the most important entities in each state to pave the way, or deter, expanded parent power. Some leaders pay lip service to issues, while others wake up with a fire in their belly to ensure that they are doing what they can every day to push through conventional wisdom and demand 21st century schooling opportunities for all students.

Whether or not your governor is the bold, fire-in-the-belly kind, or a passive applauder of others’ efforts, is evaluated to help you push or prod or applaud. PPI looks at their positions AND actions on charter schools, choice programs, innovation, and commitment to increasing educational opportunities for all students at every level and summarizes it for you here. You have the power to elect leaders who prioritize parents and students!

Constitutional Issues

The ability for states to enact educational change can be significantly limited depending on certain provisions in state constitutions.

The most common clause that limits educational opportunity in most states are “Blaine Amendments” – named after 19th century Congressman James Blaine nearly 150 years ago. Historically, these provisions in 37 state constitutions were either interpreted to restrict educational choice programs that include private schools or have been a deterrent for many programs being considered, let alone enacted.

This issue received a great deal of press leading up to and following the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 30, 2020 decision in the case of Espinoza vs Montana Department of Revenue, a case that dealt with Montana’s Blaine Amendment. That landmark decision found that the U.S. Constitution “forbids states from excluding religious schools as options for families participating in educational choice programs, including through Blaine Amendments.”

As a result, most states have a new path to enact programs that provide options for families, including religious schools. Their individual versions of Blaine Amendments can either be nullified with attorney generals’ opinions, with legislation or with both. Additional restrictions on expanded opportunity are often dedicated by what is called a Compelled Support Clause where dated constitutional language restricts public funding to government entities.

We look at each state’s particular constitutional issues, utilizing a number of sources, CER attorney analysis and the Institute for Justice’s research as our guide. Additional information about Espinoza and Blaine Amendments can be found here.

In addition, if states have other constitutional barriers to more opportunity, they are evaluated in this area.

Transparency

Transparency is a key element of providing great opportunities for students. Every parent needs and deserves full transparency of school-level data to allow them to make informed decisions and drive changes in how their students are educated. School report cards empower parents in their decision making by giving them access to meaningful and quality education data about a particular school or district. Report cards often provide information on student performance, student growth, attendance, graduation rates, demographics, teacher quality, school environment, assessments, and more. States that have greater transparency and accountability provide the public with data that is current, readily available, and easy to understand.

States are measured based on the transparency and accessibility of data for the average person looking to learn about their child’s school. States have more gas in the tank when school report cards are easily accessible from their state DOE homepage; report cards are comprehensive, user-friendly, and easy to understand; and information about educational options are readily available. Additionally, states score higher when they hold School Board Elections during the General Election cycle, as opposed to off-times of the year when turnout is low, because this tends to afford parents more power in their decision-making.