Maine ranks in the bottom 10 states for K-12 education according to a new report.
The 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book lists Maine at 41st in the country, citing lower levels of preschool enrollment, declining graduation rates and lower test scores.
Kristen Kinchla of the Maine Children's Alliance said the continued decline in these measurements means the state must dedicate more resources to education.
"We need a more robust statewide response and approach to making improvements in this area, making sure that there's professional development for teachers and that there's supports for students, and that we're really investing in kids," Kinchla said.
Kinchla said on the positive side, the report finds the number of children in poverty declined in Maine last year and there was a 2% increase in children covered by health insurance.
Kinchla said the state ranks 6th in its measures for family and community, and 17th overall thanks to improvements in child healthcare.
"And I think that's a big part due to the Medicaid expansion and making sure that kids have access to health insurance and can get access to health care," said Kinchla.
Kinchla said one of the biggest concerns for the Maine Children's Alliance is declining reading proficiency because these levels are important determinates for future health and high school graduation rates.
Maine Department of Education spokesperson, Chloe Teboe, said "The data purposed 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book is flawed and outdated in at least a couple of areas."
Teboe shared department data contradicting the data book figures on high school graduation rates and Pre-K enrollment. According to her statement, both high school graduation and Pre-K enrollment figures are up where the data book is reporting decreases.
