Dear Editor:

Maine's Department of Education has recently released assessment data for the 23-24 school year. The data is available for all the schools in Maine at https://www.maine.gov/doe/dashboard. 

The Statewide Assessment indicates that 34.6% of our students are below expectations in English Language Arts (roughly 1 out of 3), 52.8% are below expectations in Mathematics (roughly 1/2), and 66.0% are below expectations in Science (roughly 2/3). Maine's public schools are failing our children. 

Wiscasset Middle/High School Assessment indicates that 43.7% of our students are below expectations in English Language Arts (nearly 1/2), 74.8% are below expectations in Mathematics (roughly 3/4), and 76.8% are below expectations in Science (roughly 3/4). 

Wiscasset Elementary School indicates that 32.6% of our students are below expectations in English Language Arts (roughly 1 out of 3), 45.1% are below expectations in Mathematics (nearly 1/2) and in Science, that data is suppressed.  

Although the Wiscasset Elementary School is about average, the Wiscasset Middle/High School is definitely below average. The Wiscasset school system is failing the student, the parent and the taxpayer. 

One could conclude the teaching methods and practices, developed over the last thirty years and educators use today, are not effective in providing the education deserved by the students and expected by the public. Go back to the methods used prior to the 90's, they succeeded, we were number 1 in the nation. Return to the elements of a classical education to develop the skills associated with grammar, rhetoric and logic. 

The current system fails the student who would have benefited throughout his life from a suitable education. It fails the parents who mistakenly believe their children are receiving an appropriate education. It fails the taxpayers (property owners) who see their taxes increasing while the results are decreasing. Whether you have a child in the school system or not, you are paying the bill. 

We can reverse this situation by becoming involved. Attend the local School Committee meetings. Attend the upcoming Special Town Meeting on the School Budget. School Committee Elections are in June. Elections matter and you can make a difference. 

Edward J. Polewarczyk 

Wiscasset