The Maine School Board Member Survey identifies which among 40 education-related issues Maine school board members view as the most pressing for their districts.
Maine Policy Institute surveyed school board members across the state to gain insight into how they view their boards and to identify their top concerns. The survey asked board members about their demographics, their board’s performance and decisions, and how concerned they were about 40 education issues in their district.
A majority of board members view their board positively. Seventy-three percent said their board’s performance was “good” or “excellent,” more than 70 percent said their board engages in Maine Policy Institute’s school board best practices, and 80 percent said their board’s decisions are good for students and focused on local issues.
Board members are most concerned about mental health, staffing, and behavior issues. Eighty-six percent were concerned or somewhat concerned about the number of students with mental health problems, 83 percent about teacher shortages, and the same percentage about bullying and harassment. Eighty percent expressed concern about chronic absenteeism and 79 percent about students acting out in class.
Lack of program funding, academic challenges, and building conditions were also top concerns. Seventy-six percent of board members were concerned or somewhat concerned about underfunded programs. Seventy-five percent expressed concern about grades and test scores, the same percentage about the lack of support for struggling students, and 70 percent about curriculum relevance and quality. Seventy-two percent were worried about building conditions in their district.
Board members are least concerned about controversial curriculum, activism, financial transparency, and internet access. Just 39 percent were concerned or somewhat concerned about LGBTQ+ book bans, 38 percent about sexually explicit books, and 36 percent about critical race theory. Only 35 percent expressed concern about student activism at school and 34 percent about activist parents disrupting board meetings. Thirty-one percent were worried about financial transparency, and 28 percent about internet and computer access.
Liberal and conservative board members are polarized on “culture war” issues. Liberal and conservative board members share the same top concerns as board members generally but diverge on issues of activism, gender and sexuality, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. For instance, just 5 percent of liberal board members are concerned or somewhat concerned about critical race theory compared to 73 percent of conservative board members, while 63 percent of liberals expressed concern about the lack of diverse representations in curriculum and materials compared to just 18 percent of conservatives.