General Resources
This page is a growing list of resources related to school funding in Maine, the impact of that funding on the town of Edgecomb and historical student achievement in Edgecomb and the state of Maine.
FY26-27 Interactive Budget
Below is an interactive Google Data Dashboard to explore the 2026-27 Budget. Click on ANY metric to see the percentage of the total budget and relationship to the Edgecomb Eddy School. Further additions will be made available in future iterations.
Core Resources
Maine DOE – EPS (Essential Programs & Services)
Why it matters:
These are the official explanations of the EPS formula—the backbone of Maine school funding.
EPS defines the minimum cost of education
It splits costs between state (~55%) and local taxpayers (maine.gov)
Funding is based on student needs, enrollment, and town property values (The Maine Monitor)
Maine DOE – ED279 Reports (District-Level Data)
Why it matters:
This is where you can see:
State subsidy
Required local contribution
Total cost of education
Maine Legislature Statute (Legal Foundation)
Why it matters:
Explains:
Legal requirement for towns to fund schools
State obligation to ensure equitable education
Deep-Dive Explanations on EPS
4. Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP)
Why it matters:
Breaks down EPS step-by-step:
Calculates total education cost
Determines local vs state share
Adjusts based on ability to pay (property wealth) (MECEP)
The Maine Monitor
Why it matters:
Provides real-world context:
Many districts receive less than the intended 55% state share (The Maine Monitor)
Rising property values can reduce state aid
6. Maine Public
Why it matters:
Shows:
Ongoing legislative changes
Debate about fairness and adequacy
EPS Infographic
Why it matters:
Shows how:
Student counts
Staffing ratios
regional costs
all factor into funding
Localized Edgecomb Budget Resources
Maine Revenue Services valuation data
School Board Meeting Minutes
Edgecomb School Budgets
Statewide Maine Achievement & Accountability
🔗 ESSA Dashboard — Maine Department of Education
Link: https://www.maine.gov/doe/dashboard
Why it matters: The ESSA Dashboard is Maine’s official statewide accountability portal where residents can look up how schools and districts are performing on key achievement indicators such as English/Math proficiency, graduation rates, and growth. It’s the authoritative source for student achievement statistics under federal law. (Google)
🔗 Maine’s Model of School Support — Accountability System
Link: https://www.maine.gov/doe/Testing_Accountability/model
Why it matters: This page explains Maine’s Model of School Support, the state’s framework for measuring and reporting student performance, including academic achievement, growth, attendance, and graduation rates. It’s useful for explaining how and why performance data is collected and evaluated. (Google)
🔗 Accountability Indicators (Academic Achievement Metrics)
Link: http://www.maine.gov/doe/Testing_Accountability/model/indicators
Why it matters: Defines how Maine calculates achievement measures like the percentage of students meeting proficiency levels on state assessments. These are the metrics educators and policymakers use to evaluate results for Maine students. (Google)
🔗 Maine Data Warehouse — Education Data Portal
Link: https://www.maine.gov/doe/data-reporting/warehouse
Why it matters: This is Maine DOE’s central repository of raw education data, including student achievement, enrollment, demographics, and more. Building custom reports or interactive charts for your site often starts here. (Google)
Assessment Systems & Achievement Benchmarks
🔗 Maine Comprehensive Assessment System (MECAS)
Link: https://www.maine.gov/doe/Testing_Accountability/MECAS
Why it matters: MECAS is Maine’s official state testing system evaluating what students know and can do. This resource explains the structure of tests used to measure student achievement statewide.
🔗 Maine Achievement Level Summaries (Reading, Math)
Link: https://www.maine.gov/doe/assessment/achievement
Why it matters: Provides the definitions of student achievement levels — from “Well Below” to “Above Expectations”. These descriptions help residents understand what proficiency categories really mean.
🔗 NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) – Maine Results
Link: https://www.maine.gov/doe/NAEPResults
Why it matters: NAEP — known as “The Nation’s Report Card” — is the gold standard for comparing student achievement between states and nationally. Maine’s NAEP results show how Maine students age 9 and 13 perform relative to other states.
🔗 Difference Between NAEP & Maine State Assessments (PDF)
Link: https://www.maine.gov/doe/sites/maine.gov.doe/files/inline-files/Assessment%20-%20Understanding%20the%20Difference%20Progress%20of%20Maine%20Through%20Year%20Assessment%20-%2012.5.2025.pdf
Why it matters: This PDF resource helps your audience understand how national vs. state assessments differ — essential for interpreting achievement data correctly.
Lincoln County & Local School Data Resources
🔗 K‑12 School Listings & Ratings — Niche (Lincoln County)
Link: https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-schools/c/lincoln-county-me/
Why it matters: Niche compiles data from public sources and parent/student reviews to show ratings, achievement trends, student‑teacher ratios, and more for schools in Edgecomb and Lincoln County. It’s a valuable quick reference for local comparisons.
External Tools & Comparison Platforms
🔗 NAEP Data Explorer (Federal NCES Tool)
Link: https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/data/
Why it matters: Allows you or site visitors to build custom national comparisons of student achievement across states and demographic groups using the official NAEP dataset (requires NCES navigation).
🔗 School Report Cards (via Maine ESSA Dashboard)
Link: https://www.maine.gov/doe/dashboard
Why it matters: In addition to state summaries, the ESSA Dashboard also functions as MEAs’ “report card” for individual districts and schools — a user‑friendly way for families to see achievement results specific to their community.