Regarding your article on Maine Learning Results (BDN, Aug. 31): Our commissioner of education may be satisfied with the increases in test results, but I think there is something drastically wrong when only 60 percent of students in grades 8-11 meet the standards in science.

And why do only 53 percent of students in grade 4 meet the standards in reading and writing? It is frightening to think of globalization with the children of China and India eager to compete for our jobs.

To top it off, as reported in the Sept. 1 edition of the Bangor Daily News, The Maine Compact for Higher Education has determined that the state needs to gain an additional 40,000 college graduates by 2020 to match the average of other New England states.

What jobs does Maine have to offer these graduates? A degree doesn’t guarantee more money if our business climate does not improve and have something to offer. Just ask the recent graduates in Maine why they aren’t staying here.

Brenda Sullivan

Camden