Making Education a Priority

• Passed legislation to allow charter schools in Maine for the first time, giving more choices to Maine students.
• Created the Maine STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education) loan program administered by FAME to provide interest-free loans to Maine residents who study STEM and work in Maine.
• Enhanced the Education Opportunity Tax Credit, offering more incentive to Maine companies to pay some or all of their employees' student loans.
• Defeated legislation sponsored by teachers union bosses that would have eliminated the school performance grading system, preserving accountability in Maine schools.
• Enacted reforms to improve Career and Technical Education in Maine, bringing it back to the forefront of Education.
• Worked with school superintendents to ensure that teachers who receive two consecutive ratings of "ineffective" may be removed.
• Advocated for uniformed military recruiters to have equal access to meet with Maine students at all of Maine's school systems.
• Promoted the expansion of the Bridge Year program with targeted funding to help high school students earn college credits and make post-secondary education more affordable for Maine families.