PORTLAND — Independent candidate for governor Eliot Cutler on Tuesday rolled out his education platform in whistle-stops in Bangor and Portland.

Cutler, of Cape Elizabeth, is running against incumbent Republican Gov. Paul LePage and Maine’s 2nd District U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, a Democrat from East Millinocket. Michaud is leaving Congress to run for governor.

Cutler, touting his support for a “cradle through career” public education system, said if he is elected, he would become known as Maine’s “education governor.”

“We will begin investing again in Maine’s educational excellence and competitiveness so that every child — no matter his or her ZIP code — receives a first-rate education, sees an open pathway to higher education and finds an opportunity for career training and a good-paying job,” Cutler said in a prepared statement.

He detailed several initiatives he would push as governor, including increased funding for public schools, a $65 million challenge-grant program and an expansion of the state’s magnet school system.

The challenge grants would be used to help bolster learning results in Maine’s poorest schools, to expand early childhood education and to reward teachers and schools that create successful school environments.

The magnet school expansion would include facilities on University of Maine System properties for programs in marine and environmental science, tourism, fine arts, agriculture and food science. Cutler said he would fund the program with $10 million from the state’s Property Tax Relief plan.

Cutler also said his administration would study closely a “pay it forward, pay it back” grant program that would help Maine students pay for college through a program that allows them to pay back their tuition after they start work.

All three gubernatorial candidates tout their proposals for improving Maine’s education system or their existing track record.

Cutler said LePage should be given credit for some of his ideas, including his push for a five-year high school and improved technical education involving apprenticeships.

“Those are good ideas and we ought to continue them, but we need to do so much more to make Maine’s education system the driving force to create a trained and educated workforce,” Cutler said.

LePage’s campaign said he has increased funding for public education while improving school choice for parents by supporting a new law that allows the creation of publicly funded charter schools.  

“School choice should not be just for the wealthy elite” LePage has said. “All Maine students deserve an equal chance of success, whether they live in Cape Elizabeth or Fort Kent. This is how we break the cycle of generational poverty for Maine’s children.”

LePage’s campaign also noted the governor’s efforts to reduce health insurance costs for public school systems.

LePage has pushed for a five-year high school program in an effort to lower post-secondary education costs for Maine families but has been unable to put the policy in place. His campaign also touts his support of superintendent agreements on student transfers, which can allow families to move their children into a public school system other than the one that serves their immediate community.

LePage also has touted his public school grading program, which has given each public school an A-F letter grade each year based on the performance of teachers and students.

Michaud said that under his administration the state would meet its public school funding commitment of 55 percent for all schools as prescribed by Maine voters a decade ago.

Michaud has said he would scrap LePage’s letter-grade program, which he characterizes as “arbitrary.” Michaud also said he would work to decrease the cost of college for Maine families and would support expanding prekindergarten programs in public schools.  

Michaud has earned the endorsement of the Maine Education Association, the state’s powerful teachers’ union.

“Too many politicians talk about education as an expense,” Michaud said in November when he received the MEA endorsement. “It’s not. It’s an investment in our future and we owe it to our children to do everything we can to ensure they all have access to a quality public education — regardless of ZIP code.” 

sthistle@sunjournal.com