High school faces 10-year review

PARIS -- For the first time in 10 years, the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School (OHCHS) will be reviewed by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

If the school passes, it will remain an accredited institution. If it does not meet standards in a wide range of categories, it could be placed on probation and eventually expelled from the association.

Membership in the association is voluntary, and is seen as a measure of excellence for public schools.

In June 2009, Edward Little High School of Auburn and Lisbon High School became the only two schools in Maine to be placed on probationary status. At any given time, approximately 100 to 110 of the association's 650 members are on probation, indicating a failure to meet criteria.

The process is both exhaustive and comprehensive.

A team of 25 educators will spend four days meeting with students, parents, community members, and staff to evaluate the high school, as well as the technical school, after which they will issue their decision.

The accreditation process goes deeper than just measuring test scores and academic achievement.

"State and federal standards...do not begin to address areas outside of core academic areas," reads a statement from NEASC, "and do not pay any attention to the civic and social domains which shape a significant part of our member schools’ endeavors."

In order to be accredited, schools must meet standards in seven different areas, including "Core Values, Beliefs, and Learning Expectations," "Curriculum," "Instruction," "Assessment of and for Student Learning," "School Culture and Leadership," "School Resources for Learning," and "Community Resources for Learning."

Last year, Edward Little High failed to meet standards in "Curriculum," while Lisbon High failed to meet standards in "Instruction" and "School Resources for Learning." Both schools failed to make the grade in "Community Resources for Learning," which assesses, in part, whether the district's governing body provides dependable funding for various aspects of schooling.

"OHCHS and Oxford Hills Technical School (OHTS) staff have been examining and reporting the extent to which they are meeting those standards," read a release from the district. "The visiting team's job is to scrutinize the school to determine whether the staff's conclusions are accurate."

OHCHS Principal Ted Moccia says that, after two years of preparing for the review, the staff is excited to see the process officially begin. 

"We started this process over 24 months ago and we're anxious to show this team of colleagues the quality education we provide to our students,” said Moccia. “We've determined that we excel in many areas. We've also determined we have areas that need improvement. We believe NEASC will validate that work.”

The chairperson of the high school team will be Paul Daigle, a high school principal in Massachusetts. The chairperson of the technical school team will be John Murphy, an administrator of career and technical education in Connecticut. Most of the remaining members of the two groups are from Maine schools.