Maine, once a national competitor in student achievement, now sits at or below the national average for standardized test performance.

While scores nationwide have dropped since the COVID-19 pandemic, Maine student performance has been sliding for more than a decade. 

And a Maine Monitor analysis of 20 years of student test scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, showed that some students are sinking to the bottom faster than others. Low-income students and children with disabilities saw peak test scores on the NAEP starting around 2007. Then these students started to see huge losses. 

Between 2007 and 2024, the portion of all Maine students reaching at least a partial, basic level of understanding of reading and math fell more than 14 percent.

But the percentage of students with disabilities reaching the same, bare-minimum performance level or higher fell more than 32 percent — in some subjects more than 40 percent. The group of low-income students meeting that level, meanwhile, fell more than 23 percent.

The percentage of Maine test takers performing at a basic level or more is lower than the national average. (The NAEP results are only presented as percentages, not total numbers, and the exact loss in performance depends on the subject and grade level.) 

The Maine Monitor ran the data by two education researchers to confirm that children with disabilities and from low-income households were sliding significantly. 

Students with disabilities have plans that provide accommodations for learning; they may have autism, dyslexia and more.

Economically disadvantaged students include children who come from low-income households, are homeless, or may qualify for programs such as free and reduced lunch.

Other groups of students have been struggling as well. Black students saw significant losses in test scores, as did English language learning students, though data collection for both of these groups has been inconsistent over the years given their small numbers.

On the NAEP test, students can score at four levels. If they meet the basic level, it means they showed some, but not a complete, understanding of the fundamental things kids usually know at their grade level.

For instance, in reading, fourth graders meet the basic level if they can at least make simple inferences from text, and eighth graders meet it if they can answer specific questions about the text.

At the proficient level, or the level that the National Assessment Governing Board describes as the goal for all student performance, children show a solid understanding of challenging math and reading skills. The percentage of students performing at the proficient level in Maine started to decline between 2013 and 2017 across grade levels and subjects.

Advanced-level students, meanwhile, have mastered math and reading skills. As a whole, between 2 and 10 percent of Maine students perform at an advanced level across grade levels and subjects. This range for the top tier of performance has stayed fairly consistent over time.

Students fall into a fourth category of performance, called “below basic,” when they cannot demonstrate even fundamental knowledge in reading or math. 

The Monitor analysis showed that the percentage of students performing at this lowest level has grown since 2007. For instance, about 59 percent of fourth graders with disabilities tested below the basic level on reading in 2007. By 2024, about 78 percent of these students did.

In the same subject in 2007, 41 percent of low-income fourth graders tested at the below basic level. In 2024, 59 percent of these students did.

This story was originally published by The Maine Monitor, a nonprofit civic news organization. To get regular coverage from The Monitor, sign up for a free Monitor newsletter here.  

GAME INFORMATION VS. UNIVERSITY OF MAINE
 
OCTOBER 31/NOVEMBER 1 | SCHNEIDER ARENA | PROVIDENCE, R.I. | 2:00 PM /3:00 PM
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Providence College women’s hockey team returns to Hockey East play this weekend when they host the University of Maine Black Bears. The weekend series will take place on Friday, Oct. 31 at 2:00 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 1 at 3:00 p.m.
 
Scouting the Friars

Providence enters the weekend after splitting last weekend’s series against No. 13/13 University of St. Thomas at Lee & Penny Anderson Arena. On Friday, Oct. 24, the Friars earned a 7-6 overtime victory behind senior Reichen Kirchmair’s (Oakville, Ontario) four goals, including the game-winner. Junior Audrey Knapp (Stevens Point, Wis.) recorded four points on three assists and one goal. The 13 combined goals marked the most in a Providence game since the 2013-14 season, when the Friars fell to Boston College, 8-6. In the rematch on Saturday, Oct. 25, Providence was defeated by the Tommies, 5-1. Freshman defenseman Bella Paolucci (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) scored her first collegiate goal in the loss.
 
The Friars are receiving votes in both the USCHO and USA Today Polls.
 
Ranked Start
Following last weekend’s matchup against No. 13/13 St. Thomas, the Friars have played seven of their first eight games against ranked opponents. Providence is 2-5-0 this season against ranked foes. Last season, the Friars went 7-5-0, their most ranked wins in a season under Head Coach Matt Kelly and the most since 2009-10. Including the 2025-26 season, Kelly holds a 23-45-6 record against ranked opponents at Providence.
 
Reichen Kirchmair Named Hockey East Player Of The Week
Senior Reichen Kirchmair (Oakville, Ontario) was named Hockey East Player of the Week on Monday, Oct. 27, marking her first weekly honor of the season. Kirchmair led the Friars with four goals in Friday’s 7-6 overtime victory over No. 13/13 St. Thomas. She recorded a second-period hat trick in just four minutes and 41 seconds before netting the game-winning goal in overtime. The four-goal performance marked Kirchmair’s second collegiate hat trick, seventh career three-point game and second four-point game. It was also her 22nd career multi-point effort and 12th career game-winning goal. Kirchmair is the first Friar to record four goals in a game since Sara Hjalmarsson did so against Maine on Nov. 19, 2022. She is also the first Friar to record multiple hat tricks since Hjalmarsson, who tallied three in her career.
 
Returning for the Friars
Providence returns senior forward Reichen Kirchmair (Oakville, Ontario), the 2024-25 Cammi Granato Award winner as Hockey East Player of the Year and the league’s scoring champion. She became the first Friar to earn Player of the Year honors since 2004-05 and the first to claim the scoring title since 2002-03. Kirchmair was the only unanimous selection to the Hockey East First Team after leading the league with 15 goals and 15 assists in conference play. The senior paced all league players with 19 goals and 18 assists for 37 points in 34 games.
 
Junior forward Audrey Knapp (Stevens Point, Wis.) also returns for the Friars after being named a Hockey East First Team All-Star last season. Knapp tied for the conference lead in goals with 15, alongside Kirchmair, making them the only Friars to achieve the feat in the Hockey East era with Sara Hjalmarsson in 2022-23. The junior finished the season with 19 goals and 16 assists for 35 points.
 
In net, graduate student Hope Walinski (Lincoln, R.I.) returns for Providence. Walinski started 33 games for the Friars, posting a 1.87 goals against average, a .922 save percentage, four shutouts and a 19-11-3 record. Walinski was awarded as a Hockey East Third Team All-Star and named to the “Watch List” for the National Goalie of the Year Award last season.
 
Audrey Knapp Invited to USA Hockey Women’s National Festival
Junior Audrey Knapp (Stevens Point, Wis.) was invited to the 2025 USA Hockey Women’s National Festival on Aug. 3-9 at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, N.Y. The group is made up of 76 college and professional players, along with 46 players under the age of 18. The Festival assisted in the evaluation process for the 2026 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team.
 
Climbing Up The Second Half
The Friars opened the second half of the 2024-25 season with an 8-1-0 record in January, their most wins in the month since 1998-99. From January through the end of the regular season, Providence earned points in 17 of its final 20 conference games, posting a 13-3-0 record in the second half, the best mark in Hockey East after the new year.
 
Hats Flying
Providence recorded four hat tricks in 2024-25, its most in a single season since 2004-05. Three of those came from current returners: Reichen Kirchmair, Audrey Knapp and Kiara Kraft.
 
Hockey East Preseason Poll
The Friars were picked to finish fifth in the Hockey East Preseason Poll, which was released on Monday, Sept. 16. Providence received 61 points and were picked to finish behind UConn (86), Boston University (82), Northeastern University (76) and Boston College (64). The Huskies and Terriers each received five first place votes.
 
Fresh Friar Faces
Providence welcomes 10 new players (one transfer and nine freshmen) to the roster for the 2025-26 season. Taylor Porthan (Edina, Minn.) is a sophomore from UConn. The nine freshmen are Molly Farace (Otonabee, Ontario), Sophie Harold (Cobourg, Ontario), Mallory Hartl (Askov, Minn.), Izzy King (Bedford, Mass.), Taylor Leemrijse (Toronto, Ontario), Lauren Mack (Excelsior, Minn.), Brenna O’Reilly (Burlington, Mass.), Bella Paolucci (Groose Pointe Woods, Mich.) and Sami Snyder (Waterloo, Ontario).
 
Friars Under Head Coach Matt Kelly
Including the 2025-26 campaign, Matt Kelly has posted an overall record of 127-93-25 (.569) and 96-66-19 (.583) in Hockey East play. Last season’s 20 wins marked the third time during Kelly’s tenure the Friars have reached the 20-win mark. In his inaugural season, the 2018-19 Friars tied the school-record with 24 wins.
 
In 2020-21, Kelly led the Friars to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005, marking the program’s second appearance in school history. The Friars have reached the Hockey East Championship twice under Kelly, in 2020-21 and 2022-23.
 
Through 40
In the Kelly era, the Friars are 87-8-5 when taking the lead into the third period. They are 26-20-13 when tied after two periods and 14-65-7 when trailing.
 
Three is the Number
Under Kelly, Providence is 95-7-3 all-time when scoring three or more goals. The Friars were 18-1-0 last season when scoring three or more goals. Providence was a perfect 10-0-0 when scoring four or more goals and 5-0-0 when netting five.
 
Scouting the Black Bears
The University of Maine enters the weekend 2-5-0, with this matchup marking its opening Hockey East contest. The Black Bears are 2-1-0 at home and 0-4-0 on the road to start the season. In their last series, Maine hosted No. 8 Colgate University. After dropping the opener, 5-2, the Black Bears earned a 2-1 win behind goaltender Kiia Lahtinen’s 40-save performance. The victory marked the team’s 11th ranked win under Head Coach Molly Engstrom.
 
Who to Watch for Maine
Freshman forward Isabelle Michaud leads the Black Bears with four points on two goals and two assists through eight games. Behind Michaud, three Black Bears have recorded three points this season. Freshman Lulu Rucinski was named Hockey East Defender of the Week on Monday, Oct. 20, after scoring her first career goal and adding an assist for a two-point weekend against Colgate.
 
In goal, sophomore Kiia Lahtinen has started all seven games for the Black Bears. She has posted a 3.14 goals-against average, .922 save percentage and a 2-5-0 record with one shutout. Lahtinen has made 260 saves this season and was named Hockey East Goaltender of the Week on Monday, Oct. 20.
 
All-Time Series with the Black Bears
The Friars hold a 54-17-14 all-time record against Maine. Last season, Providence won two of three meetings, with both victories coming in overtime. The teams opened Hockey East play last year with a series in Orono, Maine, where they split the weekend before Providence took the final regular-season matchup on Jan. 31. Maine’s last win at Schneider Arena came in October 2023.
 
-GO FRIARS!-

FARMINGTON — An in-person screening of “Learning from Maine” is also scheduled for Thursday, October 30th at 5:30pm at The Forum at Mt. Blue Campus in Farmington.

Hosted by former Maine principal Derek Pierce, each 10-15 minute “Learning from Maine” story focuses on what’s happening and what’s possible in Maine schools. Each segment focuses on promising educational strategies, including an apprenticeship model at Farmington’s Foster Tech Center that is re-engaging many Maine youth and connecting them to meaningful careers. The hourlong “Learning from Maine” special will also feature stories from Bethel, Portland and Limestone.

While individual episodes of “Learning from Maine” have been released online since September, the first season will culminate on November 6th at 8 p.m., when a “Learning from Maine” video special will air on Maine Public Television. A rebroadcast will air November 7th at 2 p.m.

The project is produced by Maine Loves Public Schools (MLPS), a statewide campaign led by a coalition of educational organizations, with a goal of sharing stories of educational innovation and achievement from inside Maine classrooms with families and communities.

“It’s been a great honor and joy to see what our teachers and students are up to around the state, and I can’t wait to share these inspiring stories with all who care about Maine’s public schools,” said host Derek Pierce, who was also the founding principal of Portland’s Casco Bay High School.

“We hope that Learning from Maine will provide a deeper view into what our educators see every day: the transformational power of education to bring communities together and change the lives of our kids and families,” said Eileen King, the executive director of the Maine School Superintendents Association, one of the core organizations helping to lead the effort.

Maine Public has committed to co-producing eight more Learning from Maine stories, with more episodes planned for broadcast in 2026. A full list of screenings and more details can be found here.
About Maine Loves Public Schools (MLPS): The mission of Maine Loves Public Schools is to “document, curate and share stories from within our school communities.” The campaign is spearheaded by: Maine School Boards Association (MSBA); Maine School Superintendents Association (MSSA); Maine Principals’ Association (MPA); Maine Curriculum Leaders’ Association (MCLA); Maine Association for Career and Technical Education (MACTE); and Maine Association of School Business Officials (MEASBO). For two years, MLPS has solicited and shared stories from hundreds of ambassadors – educators and community members who share stories from within their classrooms. “Learning from Maine” is the latest step to document and share these stories across Maine.