Latest news with #TeresaPierce
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
In the push for a statewide school cellphone ban in Maine, local control could stand in the way
May 15—Maine's ethos around local school district control could impede a statewide coalition of Maine parents, teachers, administrators and health professionals who want to ban cellphones in schools, from the first bell to the last. A bill introduced in the state Legislature this session would have banned cellphones from the start of the school day to the end in public schools across the state, and received mostly supportive testimony during an April hearing. But at a work session this month, lawmakers transformed LD 1234 into a resolve that would require school districts in Maine to simply have a comprehensive policy around cellphones in schools by August 2026, not necessarily a ban. The Education and Cultural Affairs Committee advanced that amended bill in an 11-2 vote on May 2. "There is a desire to acknowledge that we all think that electronic devices, specifically smart phones and watches in schools, are having an undue effect on educational practice and our ability to have our kids focus, among other things," Sen. Teresa Pierce, D-Cumberland, said during the work session. "But we live in the reality of Maine, of a local control state, where everything really is driven by what your local community does and the decisions that they make." Parents and educators who have long advocated for a statewide ban are getting behind the new measure, which they say is a good first step, but still hope a bell-to-bell ban is on the horizon. MODEL POLICY Some Maine school districts have already banned cellphones from bell-to-bell. Regional School Unit 1, the district based in Bath, was the first to do so when it banned phones last June and put the policy into effect this school year. Now, the principal of RSU 1's Morse High School, Eric Varney, is showing other school districts how they can do it. "We've had a tremendous amount of districts reach out to us and do site visits and come talk to our students and talk to our teachers," he said. "And many, many of those schools are moving ahead with a bell-to-bell plan for their next school year." Portland, the state's largest school district, is in the process of developing a similar policy. For his own school, Varney said, the impact of an all-out phone ban has been quick and extremely positive. "I've had teachers that have been in the business for 40 years say this is the single best thing, best policy change, they've seen in their 40 years," Varney said. Morse requires students to put their phone in a Yondr Pouch, a magnetically locking bag that the school provides for each student. Varney said student focus has been better this year, school suspensions have decreased by 50%, socialization has improved, teacher morale has risen and rollout has been easier than expected. The change in RSU 1 has been inspiring for people like Stacy Taylor and Crystal Schreck, Falmouth parents and members of Turn the Tide Coalition, a group that advocates for less technology access for children. "I'm passionate about this because I have two kids of cellphone age and I'm watching it take over their lives," Schreck said. "It's really a problem and not enough is being done about it." Schreck and Taylor were enthusiastic supporters of LD 1234 in its previous form; they said advocates have met resistance trying to pass policies at the district level, and feel like it's the right time for a state-level action. "Every student deserves the benefit of a phone-free school, not just the school or district that has taken the effort to make a policy change," Taylor said. She pointed to more than a dozen other states that have recently passed or are actively considering similar bans at the state level, from New York to North Dakota to Rhode Island. LOCAL CONTROL While many parents and educators celebrated the possibility of a bell-to-bell ban at the April hearing, larger educational organizations, like the Maine School Management Association, said they understand concerns about cellphones but discouraged lawmakers from overreaching. "L.D. 1234 ignores that local control and the important work that school districts are already undertaking around this issue," the MSMA wrote. "Imposing this mandate will not allow for community collaboration to tackle this challenge." The idea of local control has long influenced Maine policy making, said Robbie Feinberg, spokesperson for the MSMA. It's a general philosophy that local leaders know how to best set policy for their communities. He said districts across the state are already looking at cellphone restrictions, but doing so in communication with their communities, where local families might have a desire to have a more nuanced policy. "The push back on the local level is that a full bell-to-bell ban would take away that local decision-making, being able to decide exactly where phones are an important part within the school day, and where they are not," Feinberg said. The Maine Principals' Association didn't take a stance on the bill, writing that it recognizes the benefits of reducing cellphone use in schools but cautioning lawmakers about the precedent of local control. The Maine Department of Education also said it was neither for nor against the ban, and wrote in testimony that the department understood the complex challenge of phones, but had concerns about the bill's approach. "Singling out phones for elimination may offer short-term relief, but it may impact students' ability to manage technology responsibly," wrote Beth Lambert, chief teaching and learning officer at the department. "Our goal should be to help students navigate, not avoid, the digital complexities of their lives." Taylor and Schreck with Turn the Tide said LD 1234 as amended provides a good starting point for a statewide push to get cellphones out of the school day. They're advocating for passage of the bill in its new form, but in the longer term are still looking toward a statewide ban. "Personally, that would be fantastic, I would love to see that," Schreck said. "But I think this session, this is what we get, and we're very grateful to be even moving forward." Schreck said her coalition was pleased with the Education Committee's discussions about providing a model cellphone policy for districts. They're hoping RSU 1's might serve as that model. Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Legislature advances funding for family planning services though appropriators will have final say
Mainers demonstrate at the State House in Augusta to urge lawmakers to pass more funding for family planning services. (Photo by Emma Davis/ Maine Morning Star) Both chambers of the Maine Legislature cast initial votes to pass legislation that would increase funding for sexual and reproductive health care services. The House voted 78-66 on Tuesday after the Senate passed the measure 21-13 on Thursday. However, enactment votes must still occur in both chambers and the bill needs to secure funding, which is tight this session as the state faces a substantial budget deficit. The bill, LD 143, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Teresa Pierce and nine Democratic co-sponsors, including both presiding officers, would provide an annual allocation of $6.18 million for what are considered family planning services, which include routine gynecological and well exams, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, birth control, cancer screenings, gender-affirming and behavioral health care, among others. These funds would be in addition to the baseline $978,000 the state annually provides for family planning, which providers argue has been stagnant for a decade and is no longer adequate to meet needs. Reproductive health providers call for more state funding as federal threats loom Such funding is not used for abortions, though several people who submitted testimony against LD 143 falsely claimed the bill would fund the procedure, as did several lawmakers on the House floor on Thursday. Rep. Kathy Irene Javner (R-Chester) and Rep. Marygrace Caroline Cimino (R-Bridgton) requested on the House floor that the bill explicitly state the funds won't be used for abortion. Rep. Michael Lemelin (R-Chelsea) said, 'this bill comes as close to money laundering as I've ever seen,' claiming that the funding could possibly be used by healthcare providers for things such as spending in elections. 'We can say categorically that these dollars are not used to support the provision of abortion care services, nor are they used to support political campaigns,' George Hill, president and CEO of Maine Family Planning, the statewide grantee for both federal and state family planning dollars, told Maine Morning Star after the comments on the House floor. Maine Family Planning and its sub-grantees, including Planned Parenthood, are subject to regular federal audits. 'Not once in our 50+ years as the statewide grantee have we been found to be non-compliant on either of these baseless claims,' Hill said. Lisa Margulies, vice president of public affairs for Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund, similarly told Maine Morning Star after the representatives' comments that providers have robust systems for accounting and auditing to ensure compliance with all requirements of federal and state laws. 'It's unfortunate that we have elected leaders sowing confusion about this bill and what it would fund,' Margulies said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, the clinical side of operations, and the Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund PAC, which spends in elections, are also separate organizations, Margulies clarified. 'The very reason that organization exists,' Margulies said referring to the PAC, 'is because of the political attacks we face constantly in providing clinical care to patients through Planned Parenthood of Northern New England.' On the House floor, Javner and House Assistant Minority Leader Katrina Smith (R-Palermo) argued the funding should instead go toward labor and delivery units in Maine. Several maternity units have closed in recent weeks, in rural areas in particular, though their leadership have cited low birth rates rather than a lack of funding. The legislation ultimately secured the support of the Democratic majority on Tuesday, with some members of that caucus sharing personal stories to illustrate the broad array of services that constitute family planning. Rep. Cassie Lynn Julia (D-Waterville) said she was diagnosed with cancer at 18 years old at a center funded by family planning dollars. 'If I didn't have access to Waterville family planning when I was growing up as the child of a single dad, I probably wouldn't be here,' Julia said. Providers say Trump Title X freeze will have devastating impact on tens of thousands of Mainers Providers say the state funding increase is also crucial in light of President Donald Trump withholding federal funds to health care providers under what's known as Title X, the country's only federally funded program that supports family planning services. Providers in the Title X network have never been able to use the funds for abortion services, however those who offer such services are eligible to receive and use the funds for family planning services. Providers also pointed to possible cuts to Medicaid in the congressional budget plan when emphasizing the importance of state support. Maine Family Planning and its subgrantees serve roughly 31,000 patients across the state each year and more than 70% qualified for free or reduced-cost care in 2023. Last year, 47% of the patients served by Maine Family Planning were enrolled in MaineCare, the state's Medicaid program, which is a joint federal-state program that helps cover medical costs for some people with limited incomes. This is not the first time providers and lawmakers have sought an increase in state family planning funding, though they're upping their ask this year. Last session, Pierce sought a nearly $3.4 million increase. While that bill received initial support from both chambers and was approved to receive funding by the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, it ultimately failed because it wasn't taken up for final enactment votes before session ended. LD 143 still needs to clear the hurdles that held up the legislation last year, all within a much tighter budget year. 'While there's a ton of budget priorities and there's a lot of important things to fund, it is absolutely essential that we keep reproductive health care available to Mainers,' Margulies said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Maine Democrats call for $6 million in state funding for reproductive health care
Mar. 6—AUGUSTA — Democratic lawmakers and reproductive health care advocates are calling for an increase in state funding for family planning services that they say is needed to meet demand, rising costs and potential federal cuts. A bill sponsored by Sen. Majority Leader Teresa Pierce, D-Falmouth, and co-sponsored by all five of the other Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives and Senate, would provide $6.18 million in new state funding annually for family planning services. LD 143 would pay for testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, birth control, cancer screenings, gynecological care, vaccinations, gender-affirming care and behavioral health services. It would not pay for abortions. "Despite the overwhelming need for high-quality, sustainable sexual and reproductive health care to meet Mainers' public health needs, the state's family planning funding has been stalled for the last decade," said George Hill, president and CEO of Maine Family Planning, the nonprofit that currently administers state funds for family planning services. "Meanwhile, health care costs are rising and the demand for care is increasing, yet fiscal constraints hamper patients' ability to access the care they need." The funds in the bill would build upon $978,000 annually the state currently provides to support Maine Family Planning, an amount the group says has been unchanged for years and that covers only a fraction of their costs. Maine Family Planning uses the money to subcontract services with a network of clinics, health centers and Planned Parenthood locations. A similar bill introduced in 2023 that would have raised annual funding levels by $3.4 million received initial approval from lawmakers but failed to get enacted last year. The Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee will hold a public hearing on this year's bill on Monday at 10 a.m. Some opponents have argued against the bill in written testimony on grounds they don't want to see the funding pay for abortions, though lawmakers and supporters of the bill said at a press conference Thursday that the funding would not go to abortions. Advocates have expressed concerns, meanwhile, that federal support for family planning services could decrease under President Donald Trump. During the first Trump administration, Maine Family Planning and Planned Parenthood of Northern New England withdrew from a federal program dedicated to funding affordable birth control and reproductive health care over an administration rule that prohibited grantees from referring clients for abortion services or having co-located family planning and abortion services. The Biden administration reversed the rule in 2021. The U.S. House of Representatives also recently passed a budget resolution that threatens significant cuts to Medicaid, which many family planning network patients in Maine rely on, and cuts that could increase demand for free and reduced cost services. Pierce, the bill sponsor, said tens of thousands of Mainers currently receive services through the state's family planning network regardless of their ability to pay, and that many people who receive care through the network wouldn't otherwise have access. "As lawmakers in Augusta, it is our duty to ensure everyone has access to the basic health care they need to thrive," Pierce said. Pierce acknowledged that lawmakers have been warned by Gov. Janet Mills' administration that the state is facing a tight budget environment, but said an increase in the funding is long overdue. Spokespeople for Mills did not immediately respond to an inquiry asking if the governor supports the bill. "Health care is an absolute priority for us, so we're looking forward to having a robust conversation as we work through the budget process about funding this," Pierce said. "If we don't do this, it's at our own peril." Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Maine educators ask Legislature to increase teachers' minimum salary
Feb. 26—More than a dozen Maine teachers, administrators, education advocates and lawmakers testified Wednesday in support of a bill that would increase the state's minimum teacher salary to at least $50,000 as a way to help solve teacher recruitment and retention issues in the state The bill, LD 34, would incrementally increase the minimum salary for Maine teachers from $40,000, reaching $50,000 in the 2028-29 school year and potentially $52,000 in the 2029-30 school year. Sen. Teresa Pierce, a Democrat from Falmouth and the bill's sponsor, told members of the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee on Wednesday that Maine needs to address its educator workforce crisis swiftly, because the majority of teachers are set to retire in the next five to 10 years. "We need to prepare now, and start aggressively recruiting and retaining teachers for a wave of employment opportunities in our schools," Pierce said. She said Maine has one of the lowest teacher starting pay rates in the region, and the country, which drives entry-level teachers to look outside the state for work. The National Education Association has reported Maine has the lowest average teacher salary in New England. Maine last raised its minimum salary to $40,000 in 2019. It had been set at $30,000 since 2005. An almost identical bill to raise the rate to $50,000 passed the House and Senate last year, but didn't make it past the appropriations committee. TEACHERS FEEL THE CRUNCH Several teachers testified about their financial struggles. Kendrah Fisher, a seventh grade teacher from Dover-Foxcroft, said she is only able to afford to stay in the profession because of her husband's income and knows colleagues who have needed food stamps or left teaching because the cost of child care exceeded pay. "I should not have to be reliant on my husband to afford living while working as a professional who holds a bachelor's degree, especially when the bachelor's degree is a requirement to work in my field," Fisher said. A sixth grade English teacher at York Middle School, Tony Beaumier, said he has been teaching in Maine since the 1980s, but has never been so concerned about the profession. He said a few years ago, York schools were highly selective and often got 25-30 applicants for a position. "Two years ago, we advertised for a special education teacher, and we received one applicant," Beaumier said. "The impacts of a teacher shortage include larger class sizes, increased teacher workload, and challenges in providing adequate student support." Superintendent Jeremy Ray, who leads schools in Biddeford, Saco and Dayton, also testified that Maine's teacher pay rate is driving people away from the profession. "The starting salary for teachers is simply not even competitive in today's market," Ray said. "I'm not sure this is even going to be enough. We are starting to lose teachers midway through the school year to other industries like I haven't seen before. I've lost three in the last month." SPENDING CONCERNS The committee also heard from statewide education advocates like Jason Judd, the executive director of the nonprofit Educate Maine. That organization put out a report late last year that said compensation is a top issue for Maine teachers. "Higher salaries will help stabilize our schools by reducing turnover, fostering continuity in classrooms, and ensuring students benefit from experienced and dedicated educators," he said. Judd also said his group is led by the Maine business community, many of whom are supporting the legislation because they want to attract people to live and work in the state, and strong schools are an important factor in that. Only a few spoke in opposition: Rebecca Lambert with the Maine Municipal Association said her organization's members were concerned about the property tax implications of the bill. LD 34 would require the state to shoulder the cost of the increases through 2030, after which point it would be shared by the state and local school districts through the funding formula. A fiscal note on last year's version of the bill estimated a cost of $3.5 million in the first year, with annual costs increasing up to $11 million by the final year. Faye Anderson, president of the Maine School Boards Association, said the organization supports increased pay for teachers but opposed the bill because, she said, local districts should be the ones to make those decisions. A recent survey from the University of New Hampshire's Survey Center found that 71% of Mainers support the proposal to increase minimum teacher pay. At a news conference Wednesday, Pierce said that despite the tight state budget, pay for teachers is still worth growing. "I can't think of a better place to put the treasure of our state into than with teachers on the ground," she said. "They educate our youth, they teach them how to read, they teach them how to think analytically, they prepare them for the future. It's part of our fiscal responsibility and how we're going to economically grow in the state." Staff Writer Rachel Ohm contributed to this report. Copy the Story Link
