The Report Card

Voters in Massachusetts may have surprised the nation in voting on Tuesday, opting for a Republican senator for the first time since 1972. Political observers sense the beginnings of a sea change in the leanings of the nation's electorate.

As Maine school districts contemplate local furlough days as a cost-saving measure, at least one superintendent is still calling for that action on a statewide level. A statewide wage and benefits freeze wouldn't hurt either, he says.

What are Maine's chances at claiming a piece of the $4 billion pie of federal money meant to spur innovation in public education?

The American Federation of Teachers, one of two major teachers' unions, is unveiling a reform agenda of its own as the push for performance-based pay for teachers intensifies.

As more veterans return from combat and enroll in college and university classes, what's their experience like?

The Essential Programs and Services law that's governed state education funding and the corresponding local property tax requirement might become an ideal, rather than law, for the next two years.

The Bangor Daily News calls for a teacher pay "shake-up" in an editorial published today.

The essay lays out a vision for better-paid teachers, and says Maine's school district consolidation mandate and the state's $30,000 minimum teacher salary law are helping to achieve that.

What impact did U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan have on Chicago schools during his tenure as the school district's chief?

The Maine Education Association is gearing up to campaign against further education budget cuts that are part of Gov. John Baldacci's proposal to plug a $438 million hole in the current two-year budget.

The varied segments of Maine's special education world will converge on Augusta on Monday.