First, my apologies for the unintended weeklong hiatus from updating The Report Card.

Second, when I last blogged, I promised more information about the six-member panel ordered to pre-approve the student data-based, teacher evaluation models acceptable for use in Maine school districts. That group's first meeting is today, with two other meetings scheduled for May 3 and May 12. Their goal, as ordered by Gov. John Baldacci, is to find and approve at least one evaluation model that uses student achievement data as part of the evaluation mix.

Brian Hubbell has the group's membership listed here, and I published an article on Monday about the evaluation models the group will start off reviewing. Steve Bowen also has some observations about those models.

 Third, more information is emerging about the gubernatorial candidates' educational views and priorities.

My colleague Susan Cover and I last week interviewed the then-12 candidates (John Richardson has since dropped out) who will appear on the June 8 primary ballot about their thoughts on reaching the voter-approved 55 percent funding mandate, charter schools, teacher evaluation, getting more Maine people to earn college degrees and school district consolidation. The results of those interviews can be found here.

Candidates also submitted to us their written responses (100 words or fewer) to a question asking what their administrations' top education reform priorities would be.

Elsewhere online, the blogs Augusta Insider and Dirigo Blue have begun candidates questionnaires.Their first question revolves around how to prevent a lack of predictability in state funds for local school districts. Augusta Insider has the Republican responses; Dirigo Blue has the Democrats.

A few cursory observations to accompany those made in Augusta Insider's comments section:

• Former Husson University President Bill Beardsley outlines a system in which his administration "would set out to honor the state’s commitment to reimburse municipalities with 55% of their 'core academic needs' plus 100% of all (funded) additional mandates." Aside from the (un)funded mandates piece, Beardsley's plan to have the state pay for 55 percent of core academic services sounds a lot like the system Maine has in place now. Since 2004, the state has theoretically been ramping up (more on that below) to 55 percent funding of those costs needed to provide "essential programs and services."

• Les Otten asserts the state's progress toward the 55 percent goal stands at about 42 percent. But according to the Maine Department of Education, state funding is at 50.13 percent for the current 2009-10 school year. That level will drop to 48.01 percent in July. And if funding levels remain the same after that, the percentage will drop to 43.83 percent in July 2011 and 42.97 percent in July 2012.

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