CARMEL, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- More than 150 Maine schools received lower grades from the state this year versus last, under the state's new grading system, while nearly 100 schools boosted their scores at least one letter grade.
The new A-through-F grades released to the public last week show that nearly 50% of schools received a C grade, 23% received an A or a B and 28% received a D or an F.
Ten fewer schools received A's this year than last and 24 more received F's. The scoring system implemented last year aims to boost accountability and transparency to Maine schools.
The system is not without its critics.
Many of the schools that scored A grades were located in larger more wealthy communities. But some schools in rural communities stood out, including Carmel Elementary.
Carmel Elementary School is located in the small rural town of Carmel. This area doesn't boast the wealth of some of the other communities that scored high in the state wide evaluation- in fact more than half of elementary school's students are in the free or reduced lunch program. But this was one of the few rural schools to secure an A grade in the evaluation.
The grade is a two letter grade leap up from last year's C grade- a significant increase. Carmel Elementary Principal Cindy Devlin says she doesn't know what makes a school an A grade school, but she does know what's best for her school. She says the teachers take advantage of the school's small size by constantly holding meetings and communicating how each teacher can improve week to week. Devlin also says each child learns differently and it is each educator's priority to find out how to teach each child. As far as Devlin's opinion of the state wide grading system, she believes there is an important factor to keep in mind.
"An A feels better than a C, there's no doubt about that. However, there's a caveat, and the caveat is it's one snap shot. It's one piece of information, it doesn't define an entire system," said Devlin.
According to Devlin, Carmel Elementary's A grade also does not mean the school has done everything it can to be the best it can be - rather, there is still so much more to improve, change and maintain.
