Local application submitted for regional comprehensive high school – Piscataquis Observer

Proposal for a Regional Comprehensive High School Initiative

Project Overview and Strategic Goals

A formal application for state funding has been submitted by two regional school districts, SAD 46 and SAD 4, in partnership with the Tri-County Technical Center. The proposal outlines the development of a new, fully integrated comprehensive high school. This initiative is designed to consolidate existing facilities, including Dexter Regional High School and Piscataquis Community High School, into a single, modern campus serving 28 communities. The core objective is to create an educational ecosystem that merges traditional academics, career and technical education (CTE), and direct access to post-secondary college courses, thereby advancing several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 4: Quality Education

• The initiative directly supports SDG 4 by aiming to provide inclusive and equitable quality education for all students in the region.
• It seeks to eliminate disparities between academic and vocational tracks by creating a unified learning environment.
• The model promotes lifelong learning opportunities by offering local access to higher education courses for both recent graduates and adult community members, removing significant geographical and financial barriers.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• The curriculum is strategically designed to align with Maine’s high-impact, high-wage labor markets projected through 2030, directly contributing to SDG 8.
• By providing students with industry-recognized certifications and internship opportunities, the school will foster productive employment and address regional workforce shortages.
• Partnerships with local businesses will create a direct pipeline from education to decent work, stimulating sustainable local economic growth.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• The construction of a new, state-of-the-art facility represents a critical investment in resilient and sustainable infrastructure for the region, a key target of SDG 9.
• Educational pathways focused on advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, and information technology will foster innovation and support the development of sustainable local industries.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• This project exemplifies SDG 17 through its foundational multi-stakeholder partnership model.
• It unites public entities (SAD 4, SAD 46), educational institutions (University of Maine System, Maine Community College System), and private sector leaders (Cianbro, Northern Light Mayo Hospital, Darling’s Auto Group) in a collaborative effort to achieve shared sustainable development objectives.

Educational and Governance Framework

The “Explore-Focus-Mastery” Educational Model

1. Explore (Grades 9-10): Students will receive foundational exposure to diverse career pathways, including healthcare, IT, and financial services, enabling them to make informed decisions about their future education and careers.
2. Focus (Grades 11-12): Students will specialize in chosen pathways, earning valuable industry certifications and preparing for both college and careers through integrated learning and business partnerships.
3. Mastery (Post-Graduation): The campus will serve as a local hub for higher education, allowing graduates and community members to pursue advanced coursework and training without the need to travel to distant urban centers.

Governance and Implementation

• A new governance structure is proposed to ensure equitable partnership, with an equal number of board members from both SAD 4 and SAD 46. This structure promotes fairness and shared accountability, aligning with the principles of SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
• The project is in the first stage of a two-part application process, with the second part due in October 2026.
• If approved, the projected timeline from planning to the school’s opening is estimated to be between six and ten years.
• Site selection will prioritize regional neutrality and accessibility, with a commitment that the new campus will not be located in the downtown center of either Dexter or Guilford.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article highlights issues and initiatives that are directly connected to several Sustainable Development Goals. The primary focus is on education, but it extends to economic growth, infrastructure development, and collaborative efforts.

• SDG 4: Quality Education: This is the most prominent goal, as the entire article revolves around a proposal for a new comprehensive high school designed to provide inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The project aims to prepare students for the workforce by aligning education with local labor market needs, thereby promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The plan involves building a new, modern educational facility, which relates to building resilient infrastructure. The innovative educational model that integrates academics, technical training, and higher education also aligns with fostering innovation.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The initiative is a multi-stakeholder collaboration, demonstrating the importance of partnerships to achieve sustainable development. It involves public school districts, a technical center, state government, higher education systems, and private sector businesses.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the details provided in the article, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university.
   • The article states the new school will provide “access to college courses” and that for the “first time, students and community members would have local access to higher education courses, eliminating the barrier of no college options being nearby.” This directly addresses the goal of ensuring access to tertiary and vocational education.
2. Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
   • The proposed school’s model is built around providing “career and technical education,” helping students “gain foundational exposure to diverse career pathways,” and allowing them to “dive deeper into chosen pathways by earning industry certifications.” The curriculum is explicitly designed by “looking at Department of Labor data and other economic data to see what are those emerging high impact, high wage labor markets in Maine between now and 2030.”
3. Target 4.a: Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.
   • The project involves an “application for a new facility” to “consolidate them into a regional campus.” The superintendent notes that current “facilities aren’t getting any younger,” indicating a need to upgrade educational infrastructure to create a more effective learning environment.
4. Target 8.6: By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training.
   • Although the target date has passed, the spirit of the goal is central to the project. The school aims to create a direct pipeline from education to employment by partnering with local businesses and preparing students for available jobs. The article notes that local businesses “cannot find enough qualified employees,” and the school hopes to “really impact the local market” by providing a skilled workforce.
5. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.
   • The article describes a comprehensive partnership involving “Two area school districts and the region’s career and technical education center,” the “University of Maine System,” the “Maine Community College System,” and “several industry partners and local businesses.” Specific businesses like “Cianbro, Northern Light Mayo Hospital and Darling’s Auto Group” are mentioned as being “interested in working with the school.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article implies several indicators that could be used to measure the success of the project in relation to the identified SDG targets:

• Indicator for Target 4.3: The number of students and community members enrolling in and completing higher education courses offered at the new facility. The article’s emphasis on providing “local access to higher education courses” makes this a key measure of success.
• Indicator for Target 4.4: The number of students earning industry certifications before graduation. This is explicitly mentioned as a goal for students in grades 11-12. Another indicator would be the employment rate of graduates in the “high impact, high wage labor markets” identified through Department of Labor data.
• Indicator for Target 4.a: The successful funding, construction, and opening of the new comprehensive high school facility. The entire application process and projected timeline described in the article are steps toward this measurable outcome.
• Indicator for Target 8.6: The number of graduates employed locally or enrolled in post-secondary training within a year of graduation. The goal to “impact the local market” and fill jobs for which businesses “cannot find enough qualified employees” can be measured by tracking graduate outcomes.
• Indicator for Target 17.17: The number of formal partnership agreements established between the school and entities from the private sector (e.g., Cianbro, Northern Light Mayo Hospital) and higher education (University of Maine System, Maine Community College System). The letters of support mentioned are a preliminary step toward this.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: observer-me.com