ROCKLAND, Maine — Regional School District 13 and the Camden-area schools are adjacent school systems, but they are many more miles apart when it comes to the performance of their students.
This has prompted many parents to transfer their students from the Rockland-area schools to Camden.
RSU 13 Superintendent John McDonald said the difference is not one of geography but of demographics.
The median household income of Camden is $51,099, whereas Rockland households have a median income of $36,403. The superintendent pointed out that 60 percent of RSU 13 students qualify for reduced-priced or free lunches because of their low income, and one out of six RSU 13 students receive special education services.
McDonald said if comparisons are to be made, they should be between districts and schools with similar demographics and it is simplistic to draw comparisons based on the proximity of neighboring schools.
Maria Libby, superintendent for the Five-Town Community School District and School Administrative District 28, said that explaining why the two districts have such varied outcomes is a tough question to answer.
“I know there are a lot of dedicated educators in RSU 13 working very hard on behalf of students. The Five-Town CSD (high school) and MSAD 28 (elementary and middle schools) are fortunate districts in that we, too, are filled with dedicated teachers, have a very supportive community and have worked hard to offer top quality programming for many years. I truly believe that every educator in our local area is working toward the same end, doing the best we can to help students be well-equipped, academically, socially and emotionally, to enter adulthood as confident, independent and responsible citizens,” Libby said.
But data show the two districts are light-years apart.
The graduation rate for the Class of 2014 at Camden Hills Regional High School was 92 percent; that number for Oceanside High School in Rockland was 78 percent. The state average was 86 percent.
The Class of 2015 at Oceanside is the latest example of a class that lost a large percentage of its students through the high school years. The class started with 203 students in its freshman year, and 158 graduated.
Test scores also show the disparity between the districts. Test scores in 2012-2013 showed that 59 percent of Camden Hills juniors were proficient or greater in math, 59 percent in writing, 63 percent in reading and 47 percent in science. At Oceanside, 39 percent of juniors were proficient or greater in math, 34 percent in writing, 47 percent in reading and 28 percent in science.
Other statistics show that parents are choosing to transfer their students out of the district.
Last year, 22 students in the Rockland-area district transferred to another public school — many of them went to Camden schools. Nine transferred to RSU 13.
Another 47 students who live within the RSU 13 boundaries — Rockland, Thomaston, Owls Head, South Thomaston and Cushing — were home-schooled last year while another 23 were attending private school.
Rachel Glaser moved her family from Owls Head to Camden two years ago and said it was an entirely different world for her children, who are 9 and 14 years old.
Glaser said Camden Hills resembles a private school.
“The opportunities are unbelievable,” she said.
Glaser said that while the Rockland system has been cutting back, Camden has been expanding. She cited the Spanish classes offered in the elementary schools along with a strong arts program. She said the high school curriculum is more difficult and challenging.
“I look at my son and know college will be easier for him,” Glaser said.
Cindy McGuirl said her daughter left Oceanside last year, a year before graduation to attend Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. McGuirl said the academic needs of her daughter were not being met in the Rockland school.
“She wasn’t challenged. She got bored,” McGuirl said.
McGuirl said before her daughter decided to go to Simon’s Rock, they considered transferring to Camden. McGuirl said Camden had more programs and a strong gifted and talented program. McGuirl said he knows of six students who were academically gifted students who transferred their children out of RSU 13 because of reasons that included the lack of offerings.
The lack of programs for academically gifted students is a significant issue in the Rockland area school system, McGuirl said. She said she was a vocal advocate for her daughter but questioned what happens to students whose parents do not have the time to lobby for their children.
The Thomaston woman repeatedly said, however, she is impressed with what she has seen from McDonald, who assumed the RSU 13 post in August 2014.
McDonald said he is proud of the RSU 13 schools and that great things are being done. He said last year’s graduating class had a record 27 honor students with grade-point averages of 93 or greater.
“We are continually moving ahead with programs for students to earn college credits while still in high school and expanding our gifted and talented program,” the superintendent said. A second gifted and talented teacher was added to the 2015-2016 budget, which will allow the program to be certified by the state after years of the district receiving a waiver.
The district also approved implementing a Fishermen’s Academy this upcoming school year at the high school in an effort to keep students in school instead of them dropping out for lobster fishing.
The school board will be meeting with municipal leaders from the five communities of RSU 13 on Sept. 10 at Oceanside High School East in Rockland to get input from them on what the schools of the future in the district should look like. Then, in October, the administration will unveil a realignment of the schools to the board. The superintendent said he hopes the board will approve a plan in December in order to give the staff time to implement any changes for the 2016-2017 school year.
The aim of the realignment is to have a more coordinated curriculum and to save money that can be invested back into programs. The district has two middle schools and two high schools within about 3 miles of each other.
But there still are storm clouds on the horizon for the district. At the same time the board awaits a realignment plan, two school board members from Rockland successfully led a petition drive that would force a November referendum asking city residents whether they want to begin the process of withdrawing from RSU 13.
The infighting on the board has been going on since soon after the RSU 13 was formed by the merger of SADs 5 and 50 in July 2009. St. George withdrew last month.
The Thomaston Board of Selectmen has scheduled a closed-door meeting Monday evening to meet with its attorney about the potential impact to Thomaston if Rockland withdraws.