MEDIA RELEASE: Maine DOE Announces Plans to Strengthen ‘Back-to-Basics’ Reading and Math Skills

New plans to teach essential skills for Maine students will emphasize evidence-based instruction, educator training, and academic partnerships.

Augusta, MAINE—At the direction of Governor Janet Mills, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) today announced major new approaches to strengthen back-to-basics reading and math skills in Maine students.

For the 2025-2026 school year, the Maine DOE has launched the Maine State Reading and Math Action Plans, twin initiatives to bring more evidence-based instruction, educator training, and academic partnerships into Maine classrooms to improve student skills in these core academic areas.

This effort builds upon a $10 million investment by the Maine DOE in 2024 for literacy grants to schools for high-quality teaching materials and professional development opportunities. 

“Improving reading and math skills is vital to ensuring that all Maine students reach their full potential,” said Governor Mills. “That is why I have directed the Maine Department of Education to take concrete steps to support teachers across Maine and improve instruction and skills in these critical areas. Our goal must be to see that all Maine students do the best they can in reading, math, and basic skills.”  

“These plans are designed to help every student become a confident reader and mathematical thinker,” said Pender Makin, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Education. “Professional learning for Maine’s teachers will focus on evidence-based instruction, including ‘Science of Reading’ for literacy and research-based math practices. Direct instruction using real-life examples will ensure that Maine’s youngest students acquire the building blocks for all future learning.”

As part of the action plans, the Maine DOE will establish reading and math advisory councils to oversee statewide implementation of the plans, review feedback from the field, monitor statewide progress, and recommend changes. The Maine DOE has appointed former math teacher Victoria Cohen to lead the math council and Peter Lancia, superintendent of the Westbrook School Department, to lead the reading council.

The action plans include evidence-based strategies and updated guidance for schools and districts, as well as commitment from the Maine DOE to provide necessary support and resources. Strategies in the plans include:

• Preparing future elementary and early childhood educators to use evidence-based reading and math instruction;
• Providing teachers and school leaders access to high-quality instructional resources, as well as participation in annual teacher summits and workshops;
• Helping local schools and districts to set literacy attainment goals using universal literacy screeners in early education and elementary grades; 
• Enabling schools and districts to utilize best practices in early math instruction, incorporating real-world applications in mathematics;
• Creating further recommendations for teacher preparation programs through the advisory councils.

Educational leaders in Maine have underscored the potential of the action plans to drive real improvement, noting their strong support for professional learning and evidence-based practices to benefit teachers and students. 

“High-impact professional learning for current educators and equipping future teachers with research-based skills resonated with me,” said Kim Fadrigon, K-8 instructional leader at Narragansett Elementary School in Gorham.

“I think the vision is just so exciting to see coming from a state agency. Sending the message that numeracy is important is a critical message for our Maine students,” said Lora Levenseler, head of the mathematics department at Camden Hills Regional High School in Rockport.

The Maine DOE developed the action plans with input from experts in the field. The plans were also informed by data, including the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which sampled 1,700 4th and 8th grade Maine students in reading and math in 2024. Over the past decade, NAEP scores have shown concerning declines in Maine and other states.

Additionally, the action plans incorporated testing data from the Maine Through Year Assessment, which is administered to approximately 85,000 students in grades 3-8 and 10 at least twice a year to measure progress from fall to spring. The Maine DOE used input from schools that administer local assessments that gauge student progress, as well.

The Maine DOE looks forward to continuing to work with district leaders, educators, families, and community members in the coming months in this ongoing effort to provide the best education possible to all Maine students.