Teacher prep programs call foul after getting F’s

banner that reads "from the interim deputy editor's desk"

It may not surprise you that reading was one of my favorite things growing up. I filled bags with books at library sales and read them throughout the year. My shelves are still overflowing.

As a child I never thought much about how I learned to read, though I remember being asked to sound out words I didn’t know and memorize spellings.

Of course there were many discussions then, just as they continue now, about how best to teach reading. This week education reporter Kristian Moravec brings us a story about teacher prep programs in Maine. In 2023 some of them received a poor rating for how they prepare future educators to teach kids to read.

The universities pushed back against the findings, and the University of Maine at Orono allowed Kristian to sit in on a teacher training class. There she watched a debate between students unfold that paralleled a similar conversation happening across the country: What approaches should they use for young readers of different levels? They did reach a conclusion.

Below you’ll find Kristian’s story, along with others by our reporters and from partner news organizations. Happy reading.

— Erin

P.S. Want to share what’s happening in your town? Join Monitor Local editor Judy Meyer and some of our Monitor Local reporters for coffee and conversation at Twice Sold Tales, at 155 Main St. in Farmington, from 10 a.m. to noon, on Wednesday, Jan. 21. We want to hear what you need from our reporting.

Maine teacher prep programs call foul after getting F’s for how they teach reading

The National Council on Teacher Quality gave poor ratings to three of Maine’s public universities at a time when reading test scores have been falling.

Read this story by Kristian Moravec

What does the Trump administration’s review of wildlife refuges mean for Maine?: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been asked to “look for refuges and hatcheries established for a purpose that no longer aligns with the mission” of the agency. Read this story by Chris D'Angelo

Republican faces pushback Down East early in his Maine Senate run: House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham’s high standing in Augusta might be overshadowed by the history between Hancock and Washington counties. Read this story by Daniel O'Connor of The Maine Monitor and Bangor Daily News

What’s next for a bill that would let Maine counties declare bankruptcy: The measure emerged as a proposal from Sen. Marianne Moore, R-Calais, as Washington County faces a financial crisis. Read this story by Daniel O'Connor of The Maine Monitor and BDN

Former Maine town manager denies council’s allegations of misspent money: Former Gray town manager Michael Foley reportedly failed to report the purchase of a $1.25 million firetruck along with $140,000 in expenditures, according to the town council. Read this story by Daniel O'Connor of The Maine Monitor and BDN

January 21: Join Monitor Local editor Judy Meyer and some of our Monitor Local reporters for coffee and conversation at Twice Sold Tales, 155 Main Street in Farmington, from 10 a.m. to noon. We want to hear about what’s happening in your town and what you need from our reporting.

Note: Monitor Local publishes stories on Downeast and Western Maine every Saturday. Here are two highlights from this weekend. For more, visit our website.

Washington County audits reveal years of unbalanced books, chronic overspending: In a recent report on the county’s 2022 spending, the auditor raised the same concerns and repeated the same recommendations he made in the 2021 and 2020 audits. Read this story by Judith Meyer

Wilton names former director to RSU 9 board: Board repeals the policy that allows all-terrain vehicles on public roads, paving the way for an ordinance that could outlaw that behavior to be heard at the annual town meeting. Read this story by Bob Neal

Maine’s public safety chief ducks lawmaker questions on excessive force lawsuit: Tuesday’s questioning centered on the state police’s internal review of a chaotic 2024 arrest in which a trooper repeatedly punched a handcuffed man in the face. Read this story by Callie Ferguson of the Bangor Daily News

Quiet criminal case focuses on immigrant health provider that billed millions to MaineCare: Federal prosecutors charged three people connected with a Lewiston company in a tax fraud case alleging publicly funded interpreter services were never delivered. Read this story by Sawyer Loftus of the Bangor Daily News

Senate health care talks inch forward as key negotiators say they’re near a deal: The Senate plan, led by Susan Collins of Maine and Bernie Moreno of Ohio, would extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies that expired at the end of 2025. Read this story by Avani Kalra and Ursula Perano of NOTUS

Our partners at NOTUS also covered Susan Collins' vote to curb President Trump's military operations in Venezuela, and the president's response.

Have feedback or a correction to send to Erin Rhoda? Send it to her directly via email: erin@themainemonitor.org.

The Maine Monitor is a publication of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, an independent and nonpartisan nonprofit news organization that produces investigative journalism. We believe news is a public good and keep our news free to access. We have no paywall and do not charge for our newsletters. If you value the reporting we do for Maine, please consider making a donation! We cannot do this reporting without your support.

DONATE NOW

banner that states the maine monitor is part of the trust project, an international consortium of news organizations implementing transparency standards. tap to learn about the monitor's editorial standards.

Manage preferences | Update email address