A love letter to Portland’s Amanda C. Rowe Elementary School | Opinion
Amanda C. Rowe Elementary School in Portland has emerged as one of Maine’s most improved elementary schools over the past three years, posting substantial gains in reading and mathematics even while the district absorbed a $19 million budget shortfall.
Several years ago, the school was in a different position. It had seen its third principal in three years, and teachers and staff operated with limited resources and inconsistent support. District-wide problems—including persistent payroll issues and turmoil at a nearby middle school—led some parents to consider leaving Portland Public Schools.
A new principal and superintendent, alongside committed staff, began shifting the school’s culture. They embedded expectations around safety, respect, and responsibility into daily routines. Hallways became less chaotic, and the school day grew more structured. A recent schoolwide talent show highlighted students’ personalities and the growth of those core values.
District leadership then made difficult budget decisions designed to shield students from the worst of the shortfall. Central office positions were eliminated so that money could follow students into classrooms. For Rowe, that translated into a new social worker, additional educators, a dedicated culture and climate coordinator, and extra help for early literacy.
The investment appears to be paying off. Maine Through Year Assessment data shows Rowe as the most improved mainland elementary school in Cumberland County for reading proficiency and the third most improved overall. Math proficiency for economically disadvantaged students doubled, African-American students saw the largest reading gains, and younger children exposed to the district’s new literacy curriculum now score among the highest in the state.
Rowe’s gains are part of a broader pattern in Portland. Presumpscot Elementary and Lyseth Elementary also rank among the top 10 most improved schools in Cumberland County.
The turnaround has required coordination across every level of the system, from teachers working inside classrooms to central office staff managing resources and district leadership providing oversight. For parents and Foundation board members who weathered the earlier instability, the data confirms what they have been observing: a more supportive, orderly learning environment that is producing measurable results.
