From the Commissioner

As you receive this, 1,000 students and 200 educators along with their Apple MacBooks are at the University of Maine showcasing how State-supplied technology is transforming learning and better preparing them for success in their classroom, career and civic life as part of the 10th Annual Maine Learning Technology Initiative Student Conference.

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Education Commissioner invites teachers to online forum on A-F grading opportunities

AUGUSTA – The Maine Department of Education will continue the conversation on using its new A-F grades to improve schools with an online teacher forum this Thursday. | More

New Center for Best Practice videos feature RSU 16

The Maine Center for Best Practice announces the posting of two new videos of Maine schools working toward learner-centered, proficiency-based education. Both schools are from Regional School Unit 16. | More

Bowen praises improvement efforts at Indian Township and Caravel Middle Schools

CARMEL – Department of Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen commended regional sharing of resources as well as professional development efforts at Indian Township School in Princeton and Caravel Middle School (RSU 87/MSAD 23) in Carmel, which he visited Thursday and Friday as part of his Promising Practices Tour. | More

Maine FFA Association hosts 83rd state convention

The Maine FFA Association (formerly known as “Future Farmers of America”) held its 83^rd annual state convention May 9-10 at the University of Maine. | More

Discover two pathways to an engineering degree in Maine

The University of Maine and Southern Maine Community College have partnered to provide two unique pathways to a degree in engineering: SMCC Pre-Engineering and UMaine Brunswick Engineering, both available at the SMCC Midcoast Campus at Brunswick Landing. | More

Maine CITE program supports adaptive technology loan fund

The mPower Loan Fund, which provides loans for adaptive equipment with the support of the Maine Department of Education’s Maine CITE program, announced that two of their representatives participated in the RESNA Catalyst Project meeting in Washington, D.C., last week. | More

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The event engages students as presenters or participants in a day of science, technology, engineering and mathematics focused workshops, and encourages high aspirations by facilitating what for many is their first visit to a post-secondary institution.

In addition to presentations from conference collaborators including Maine DOE and Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI), Apple, UMaine, New England School of Communications and educators from schools across the state, several Maine students will lead sessions, including Yuval Boss, a senior at Orono High School, Julia Bluhm, a freshman at Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield, Izzy Labbe, a freshman at Waterville High School and those from Reeds Brook Middle School in Hampden.

As the conference celebrates its 10th anniversary, it is exciting to see how technology and more importantly, our use of it to support student-centered learning, has evolved.

MLTI is evolving as well. As you may have heard, this is the final conference where students will have Apple technology exclusively in hand. Under a new MLTI contract currently being negotiated, the Microsoft Windows 7-based Hewlett Packard ProBook 4440 that students are more likely to see in the workplace will be the preferred technology and learning solution paid for by the State. The powerful potential of that Microsoft software will be spotlighted in one of today’s conference breakout sessions.

Schools will, however, have choice in selecting alternative solutions to that HP laptop, including an HP tablet, Apple’s iPad or MacBook Air, or a CTL Windows laptop with the State covering the cost of those alternatives up to the amount of the HP laptop proposal.

Since the State has announced the selection of the new preferred provider as well as the expanded options for local choice, we’ve heard from schools sticking with Apple and those eager to embrace the new devices we’re making available. Regardless of the solution they select, schools are excited about the chance for choice and to see the State’s continued commitment to MLTI which we see as an integral part of the Department’s strategy to achieving the new Common Core State Standards, as well as implementing new proficiency-based learning systems.

Work is already underway to continue the State’s long-standing relationship with Apple and to welcome Hewlett Packard to the MLTI family as we all collaborate to continuing to support schools’ learning goals. To assist schools with their questions and help with the transition, MLTI is hosting numerous district roadshows for school staff to attend in person (more information to follow). Additionally, we hosted two informational webinars last week to share information about the devices, networking, software and professional development offerings. If you missed them, a link to a recording of those webinars is on the MLTI deployment website at www.mlti.org/deployment/.

We look forward to working closely with our partners in the field in making it matter for the students, educators and community of Maine and in helping educators deploy the next generation of the MLTI solution. And, we can’t wait to see what innovative learning our students will have to show us at next year’s MLTI Student Conference.

Register in advance online, or by contacting um-admit@maine.edu or 207-581-1561. Same-day registration begins at 6 p.m.

Fall 2012 marked the first class of Brunswick Engineering, a 2+2 program that allows students to study engineering close to home in Brunswick and finish up the last two years in civil, mechanical, electrical and computer engineering at UMaine. Students in the SMCC Pre-Engineering program can transfer to the university of their choice, but the program is designed to provide a variety of transfer opportunities between the University of Maine and SMCC, including a 2+2.

Resources and more information

• UMaine Brunswick Engineering
• SMCC Pre-Engineering
• Anita Bernhardt
  Science and Technology Specialist
  Science and Technology website
  207-624-6835
  anita.bernhardt@maine.gov

The mPower Loan Fund, which provides loans for adaptive equipment with the support of the Maine Department of Education’s Maine CITE program, announced Monday that two of their representatives participated in the RESNA Catalyst Project meeting in Washington, D.C., last week. Maine CITE was the driving force behind the mPower board obtaining $750,000 in additional federal funds five years ago.

Kathy Adams and James Marc-Aurele co-presented “Moving from Good to Great: Financial Loan Program Evolutions” as part of a panel presentation on Alternative Financing Programs. The focal point of the presentation was that loan programs need unique and varied strategies to continue growing and evolving in an ever-changing economic and political landscape. Each member of the panel presented on his or her state loan activities and gave a perspective on how each was able to move forward and succeed.

The Maine CITE program is designed to help make assistive and universally designed technology more available to Maine children, adults and seniors who need them. Maine CITE is committed to helping Maine citizens with disabilities increase access to and acquisition of assistive technology when needed to participate in education, community living, employment and information technology/telecommunications.

“We have had a very successful collaboration between Maine CITE and mPower,” said Adams. “We have been able to expand the reach of the program in what we refer to as the AFP (Alternate Financing Program) portion of the mPower program.”

The mPower Loan Fund provides Maine citizens and businesses with affordable loans to create access or buy equipment to achieve independence, life enrichment and community participation. After the initial launch, Maine voters passed two bond issues to fund the program. This makes mPower the only citizen-funded loan program in the country. In the past 25 years, more than $23 million has been loaned to individuals and businesses across Maine. As loans are repaid, money is made available for additional mPower loans, creating an ongoing resource for Mainers with disability-related needs.

“We had the opportunity to share the history and successes of mPower, as well as some of our recent marketing efforts,” said Marc-Aurele. “mPower was the first program of its kind in the country when it was launched in 1989. It serves as a national model for alternative financing programs. We were excited to have the opportunity to present our strategies so that others could consider procedures and tactics that they might be able to incorporate into their own programs.”

For additional information about the mPower Loan Fund or Maine CITE, go to www.mpowerloans.org and www.mainecite.org.

Resources and more information

• Maine CITE Program
• mPower Loan Fund
• Kathleen Powers
  Maine CITE
  207-621-3195
  kpowers@mainecite.org

RSU #64 in Corinth is in the process of planning for a regional elementary school. The school has selected an architect and a site and is currently working on programming the proposed school.

Sanford has two proposed projects: a high school/CTE facility and an elementary school. An architectural firm has been hired for the high school/CTE project, and the firm is in the process of studying the existing site and possible new sites. There has been no formal action on the proposed elementary school project.

RSU #19 in Newport has two proposed projects: a high school and an elementary school. Administrators are talking with neighboring school systems about the possibility of joining together for a high school/CTE project. There has been no formal action on the proposed elementary school project.

RSU #71 in Fryeburg has a proposed elementary school project. They have hired an architect and are in the process of planning an addition to their middle school for a PreK-8 school.

Resources and more information

• School Facilities Services
• Scott Brown, Director
  Maine DOE School Facilities Services
  207-624-6883
  scott.brown@maine.gov

History Day: Integrated Performance Assessment features Bruce M. Whittier Middle School in Poland and its annual History Day celebration. This event allows students to demonstrate proficiency in English language arts and social studies standards, as well as the guiding principals. Inviting the public and having 30 members of the public serve as presentation judges brought a level of authenticity to the assessment, which motivated many students.

Owning Their Own Reading: Learner-Centered Literacy features Elm Street School in Mechanic Falls, which began seriously investigating learner-centered education and professional learning groups when the school was designated a Continuous Improvement Priority School school two years ago. The video shows how Elm Street’s use of Cafe and Daily Five as instructional models for reading have transformed their program. The adoption of the program has fostered a new level of collaboration that is strengthening the school.

Resources and more information

• Center for Best Practice
• Gary Chapin
  Maine DOE Research Associate
  gary.chapin@maine.gov

Maine FFA State President Isaac Wortman (left) presents honorary state FFA degrees to Commissioners Bowen and Whitcomb.

The Maine FFA Association (formerly known as “Future Farmers of America”) held its 83^rd annual state convention May 9-10 at the University of Maine.

Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen and Agriculture Commissioner Walter Whitcomb spoke at the FFA award banquet, as did visiting National FFA President Clay Sapp. Gabrielle Cyr of Ashland High School was named Outstanding Student Chapter Officer, and Kevin Marquis of Easton was named FFA Chapter Advisor of the Year. Maine FFA specially recognized Thomas Hale, Caribou Regional Technology Center agriculture teacher, who is retiring after 38 years of teaching and numerous accomplishments.

The Maine FFA Association, run by students, is a leadership organization for high school and middle school students enrolled in agriculture and natural resources courses.

More than 200 students, advisors, judges and guests participated in the event, which featured competitions, workshops and tours. Competitions included public speaking, agricultural sales, floriculture, and livestock judging, among others.

Award winners received plaques and medals, as well as nearly $10,000 in cash and prizes. Honorary FFA degrees were given to members of the agricultural education community who had provided significant support to Maine FFA. Degree recipients included Commissioner Bowen; Commissioner Walter E. Whitcomb of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry; Tish Carr, Superintendent for the Environment and Natural Resources event; Christopher Maseychik, welding instructor at Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor; and Shari Ward, past FFA advisor and teacher of science at Ashland High School.

Resources and more information

• Maine FFA Association
• Doug Robertson
  Maine Department of Education
  207-624-6744
  doug.robertson@maine.gov

AUGUSTA – The Maine Department of Education will continue the conversation on using its new A-F grades to improve schools with an online teacher forum this Thursday.

“Empowering Educators With A-F: Where We Can Go From Here” is open to all Maine educators and will be hosted by Maine DOE Commissioner Stephen Bowen, Chief Academic Officer Rachelle Tome and Director of the Statewide Longitudinal Data System Bill Hurwich.

The forum will focus on how educators can understand and utilize their school’s report card and the data behind it to immediately begin improving their school. The Department will also talk to teachers about the available resources it has to better support schools and their students.

Teachers participating will have an opportunity to submit questions to the State education leaders as well as their feedback on how Maine DOE can help schools improve student achievement.

The forum will be held from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 16. Teachers can register to participate at www1.gotomeeting.com/register/631576520.

“We’ve been excited by the outpouring of conversation in our communities about our schools in the two weeks since the letter grades were announced,” said Commissioner Bowen. “Now that there is an understanding of how the grades were developed, it is time for the substantive dialogue about how they can be used to improve student outcomes. Teachers will ultimately play the most critical role in implementing school improvement initiatives and we look forward to beginning that collaborative process with them starting with this week’s forum.”

The new Maine School Performance Grading System, which uses a familiar A-F scale to grade each school, was launched by Governor Paul R. LePage and Commissioner Bowen on May 1 after months of development by Department staff.

The report cards take long-collected reading and mathematics assessment data – and in the case of high schools, graduation rates – but presents it for the first time in an understandable, usable way that engages parents and communities in their local schools and encourages continuous improvement among them.

For those who want to dig deeper beyond the letter grades, Maine DOE also launched a comprehensive website that contains detailed multi-year information about all Maine schools.

Thursday’s teacher forum is being held online and after the school day ends in an effort to ensure as many educators as interested can participate. It will additionally be archived and available on the Department’s website at www.maine.gov/doe for those unable to attend.

The forum is just one of the many ways Maine DOE is following-up the release of the report cards to motivate conversation and change.

In a continuing effort to offer support to schools across Maine, Commissioner Bowen last week announced Department staff will be reaching out to every school that received a D or an F by the end of the academic year to identify and initiate high priority assistance and professional development opportunities. There will also be weekly webinars on school improvement strategies and the creation of advisory councils by both Governor LePage and Commissioner Bowen, the former with a focus on teacher feedback and the latter on expanding effective professional development.

For more information about the Maine School Performance Grading System, visit www.maine.gov/doe/schoolreportcards.

The 1,000 or so students will be on Maine’s largest college campus, along with their Apple MacBooks, and 200 educators as part of the 10^th Annual Maine Learning Technology Initiative Student Conference.

The event engages students as presenters or participants in a day of science, technology, engineering and mathematics focused workshops, and encourages high aspirations by facilitating what for many is their first visit to a post-secondary institution.

For more than a decade, the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MTLI) has sought to provide professional development and technology to middle and high schools to support the attainment of the Maine Learning Results, including providing students with devices.

In addition to presentations from conference collaborators including the Maine Department of Education and MLTI, Apple, UMaine, New England School of Communications and educators from schools across the state, several Maine students will lead sessions, including Yuval Boss, a senior at Orono High School, Julia Bluhm, a freshman at Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield, Izzy Labbe, a freshman at Waterville High School, as well as a group from Reeds Brook Middle School in Hampden.

Sessions will cover topics such as developing effective presentations with software like Apple’s Keynote; building a sustainable student technology team that meets the goals and needs of an individual school; using technology to explore space; and creating dynamic movies, websites and apps.

This is the final conference where students will have Apple technology exclusively in hand. Under a new MLTI contract currently being negotiated, the Microsoft Windows 7-based Hewlett Packard ProBook 4440 that students are more likely to see in the workplace will be the preferred technology and learning solution paid for by the State. The potential of that Microsoft software will be spotlighted in one of the day’s breakout sessions.

Schools will, however, have choice in selecting alternative solutions to that HP laptop, including an HP tablet, Apple’s iPad or MacBook Air, or a CTL Windows laptop with the State covering the cost of those alternatives up to the amount of the HP laptop proposal.

WHERE: Collins Center for the Arts, UMaine Campus, Orono

WHEN: 8 a.m. to 2:40 p.m., Thursday, May 16

FMI: Visit the MLTI Student Conference website at www.maine.gov/mlti/studentconference/ for more details, including a complete event schedule

The Department provisionally adopted Chapter 180, the rules for implementing required teacher and principal evaluation systems, seven weeks ago today. A number of you have been asking me and other Department staff when you can expect the new rules on teacher effectiveness evaluations to go into effect. This is to update you on where that stands and why we have not been able to help you move forward with that work.

The next step in the process is for the Legislature to take up the provisionally adopted rules, modify them as they see fit, and approve them to move forward. I have asked legislative leadership repeatedly to move forward on this because of the requests from you, superintendents, to finalize action on these rules so you can begin your work. To date, they have refused to act on these critical rules.

If I sound a bit frustrated, I am. It is widely accepted that improving educator effectiveness is perhaps the single most important action we can do for students. The educator effectiveness bill was unanimously approved by the Legislature a year ago—not one member of the Legislature voted against it. We worked with all the stakeholders, including the MEA, MSMA, and others, to craft a bill that moved the state forward on this critical issue. School districts are ready to get to work, but for us to provide you with needed guidance, we need the Legislature to act. I would ask that you join me in calling on legislative leadership to move forward with final adoption of the educator effectiveness rules so that you can continue your work with some predictability and so we can provide the guidance you have asked for.

Just by way of background, this legislation, LD 1858, was proposed by Gov. Paul R. LePage and enacted in April 2012 with unanimous Education Committee support and no dissent in the House or Senate. It requires school districts to develop and implement systems for evaluating teachers and principals based on professional practice, student achievement growth and other measures. Systems are created locally and collaboratively among teachers, principals, administrators and others, but they must meet standards that are to be developed by the state. The evaluation systems must make clear what’s expected of educators, offer them constructive advice on improving their practice, and support them in their continued professional growth. The rule incorporates recommendations of the Maine Educator Effectiveness Council, a stakeholder group established in the educator effectiveness legislation, regarding professional practice standards and criteria for the use of student learning and growth measures.

Maine DOE worked with stakeholder groups throughout 2012 and invited public participation in the rulemaking process in November 2012, including through a public hearing, originally scheduled for Dec. 27, but rescheduled due to a major snowstorm. In March 2013, the Department provisionally adopted the rules that would allow districts to begin this work. Because the adoption came after a statutory deadline (due to the snowstorm, which delayed the public hearing), the Department cannot put the new rules into effect until the full Legislature approves them. To date, legislative leadership has not sent the rules to committee for a public hearing, which would set the rules on course toward final adoption and implementation.

We want you to have as much time as possible to conduct this work – the first deadline is to have developed a system during the upcoming school year (2013-14), followed by piloting the system in 2014-15, and fully implementing in 2015-16.

I encourage you to contact and speak with your local legislators to explain the need for quick action so that you can work with your administrators and teachers to develop teacher evaluation systems that support professional development and improvement, and higher student achievement. For more information, please contact the Department or follow the links below.

Sincerely,

Stephen L. Bowen, Commissioner of Education

Resources and Information

• Chapter 180 rules. Provisionally adopted by the Department
• Maine DOE Newsroom: Notice of Proposed New Rule: Chapter 180 (11/27/12) | Teacher eval systems move forward (12/13/12) | Grant to help Maine schools develop teacher, leader evaluation systems (9/29/12) | New teacher eval system means better educator training (6/12/12)
• Title 20-A, Chapter 508: Educator Effectiveness (Sections 13701-13706)
• LD 1858 (125^th Legislature): An Act to Ensure Effective Teaching and School Leadership
• Maine Schools for Excellence
• Guide to the rulemaking process