Lana Cohen

Press Herald

Lana covers education for the Portland Press Herald. She joins the Press Herald from VTDigger, where she covered Chittenden County, Vermont’s population center. Previously she was a Report for America fellow in Mendocino County, covering environmental news for a digital outlet and a public radio station. She also reported on the environment for digital news outlet, WhoWhatWhy. In her spare time Lana enjoys hiking with her Goldendoodle, Rigby, running, surfing and baking.

Latest

Published
May 30, 2023

Maine’s high school graduation rate dropped during the pandemic, but may be recovering

This year’s grads were freshmen when the pandemic hit, making this past year their first relatively normal high school experience.
Published
May 28, 2023

Maine adjunct professors join push for wage increases

The instructors acknowledge they have different roles than full-time faculty but say they should be paid similarly for performing the same tasks.
Published
May 22, 2023

UMaine System trustees approve tuition, fee increases

Citing declining enrollment, inflation and other financial pressures, the board adopts a budget that will raise tuition 3% for in-state students beginning this fall. Room and board and student fees also will rise.
Published
May 22, 2023

Portland schools struggle to enroll students amid influx of asylum seekers

The city school district has enrolled over 800 students whose primary language is not English this school year – about twice the rate of the previous year.
Published
May 4, 2023

Bills aim to restrict library books, discussions of race in Maine schools

Three measures presented Thursday ran into a flood of opposition from parents, librarians and others who argue that the legislation is based on false information about what and how students are taught in public schools.
Published
May 4, 2023

Committee backs bill to raise Maine’s minimum teacher salary

The proposal, which got bipartisan support, would raise the minimum salary from $40,000 to $50,000.
Published
April 27, 2023

Former Portland teacher files federal lawsuit against district, former superintendent

Eric Poulin filed the suit in federal court on Wednesday saying he was retaliated against for raising concerns about staffing levels.
Published
April 26, 2023

Proposals to arm school staff draw emotional arguments at State House

Amid a rise in mass shootings nationwide, Maine legislators consider how to keep the state’s students safe.
Published
April 25, 2023

Maine children continue to struggle in pandemic’s wake

More youths are facing mental health, academic and housing instability problems than before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report by the Maine Children’s Alliance.
Published
April 24, 2023

Bill would ask Mainers to specify who is protected from discrimination

A bill that would ask Maine voters to explicitly prohibit discrimination in the state constitution stirred passionate debate at the Legislature on Monday.

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