Sen. Luchini receives perfect score on education record

AUGUSTA — Sen. Louie Luchini, D-Ellsworth, earned a perfect score of 100 percent from the Maine Education Association for his voting record on education issues. Sen. Luchini is one of 16 state senators to earn a perfect score for their 2021 voting records from MEA.

“Even before the pandemic, I knew that Maine schools, teachers and staff needed additional resources and support,” said Sen. Luchini. “I’m proud to say that the Legislature not only offered immediate relief to our schools, but also set our educators and students up for future success. I promise to continue giving our Maine schools and teachers the support and tools they need.”

This year, Sen. Luchini championed efforts to fully fund education at 55 percent for the first time in the state’s history since it was mandated by voters in 2004. Sen. Luchini also voted in favor of bills to ensure a good starting wage for school support staff including education technicians, school librarians and career and technical education teachers. Making sure these hardworking professionals are paid a fair wage will help schools attract and retain quality workers. 

Additionally, Sen. Luchini introduced and sponsored legislation to require that education about African-American history and the history of genocide be included in Maine schools’ curricula. The idea was first brought to Sen. Luchini’s attention by Ellsworth High School’s Heidi Omlor and students from her Holocaust and Genocide Studies course. The final bill, which included Sen. Luchini’s proposal, will integrate the instruction of African-American studies and the history of genocide into Maine school curricula. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, Maine’s African American population grew by nearly 67 percent as a percentage of the total Maine population.

Sen. Luchini also supported legislation to help at-risk students receive their high school diplomas. The law, sponsored by Sen. Nate Libby, D-Lewiston, aims to prevent barriers like housing instability, domestic violence, substance abuse, mental health issues and homelessness from keeping students from graduating high school. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, people who earn a high school diploma make on average $8,000 more per year, as opposed to those who did not receive a high school diploma.

For higher education, Sen. Luchini voted for the resolve to re-establish the Commission to Study College Affordability and College Completion. Among other duties, the Commission will study the Maine college affordability gap, review the average debt incurred by students graduating from the University of Maine and Maine Community College Systems and examine the average debt incurred by students who begin but do not complete their studies within the previously mentioned higher education systems. In the State of Maine, there are 182,000 student borrowers, and the average student loan debt is $33,352.

MEA represents 24,000 Maine teachers and advocates for policies and investments that ensure that educators’ voices, values and priorities are heard and respected both in the workplace and at the State House.

Sen. Luchini remains committed to fighting for Maine students, teachers and school staff in the Legislature.

The complete Maine legislative scorecard from MEA can be found here.

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