Edgecomb Eddy School earned high marks in the Maine State Educational Assessment list of public elementary and secondary schools.
According to a Maine Dept. of Education list of the state’s 557 schools, the Lincoln County school ranked eighth, since 85.36 percent of its students met or exceeded state standards in math and reading.
“This is exciting,” said Principal Lisa M. Clarke, who has been the leader of the 109-student school for the last three years.
“People ask me what is the magic. I don’t know, maybe it is literacy block where our K-3rd graders work at their appropriate reading level for a certain time each day,” she said.
“We want to give them the best possible early start.”
The K-6th grade school has seen its school population rise by 30 students in the last three years. They have seven classrooms with a student teacher ratio of 16 students to one teacher.
Clarke refused to take all the credit for the school’s success. She offered high praise for the teachers, staff and volunteers.
“We have a veteran staff and they work well together as a team. They work hard,” she said.
“People who visit our school say there is a positive feeling when you walk in the door. We want each child to feel valued, important and loved,” she said.
“We want them to know this: ‘We believe in you.'”
The Edgecomb School result (85.36 percent) is way above the average of all the state schools (59 percent) in the numbers of students that exceeded in math and reading standards.
A spokesman for the state education department said the scores were not intended to rank the schools but were intended to trigger a community conversation.
The list was prepared as a tool to identify persistent low ranking schools that would be eligible for $12 million in federal school improvement grants.
Scores were complied from student tests including the Maine Educational Assessment (MEA), and the Personalized Alternative Assessment Portfolio.
Private academies, including Lincoln Academy were not included in the list.
Other Lincoln County Schools scoring high on the tests include Southport Central at 82.50, South Bristol with 75.45, Great Salt Bay School at 71.27, and Wiscasset Middle School at 69.63 percent.
Other Lincoln County schools scoring above the state average were Boothbay Elementary at 67.67, Bristol at 63.13, Wiscasset Primary at 62.17, and Dresden at 61.90.
The state list also measured progress that schools have made during the three years.
Monhegan Island School showed the most progress as its three-year scores increased by more than 18 percent.
Edgecomb Eddy school students increased their progress by more than 16 percent, the state figures show.
Results for all the schools can be found at www.maine.gov/education/progress/saplist.html.
