PRIORITY NOTICE: Filing of Chapter 101 – Maine Unified Special Education Regulation (Emergency Rulemaking)
This morning, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) filed an emergency rule to protect the health, safety, and educational rights of students with disabilities and the dedicated professionals who serve them. This change allows private schools serving as educational placements for students in special education to be parties in mediations, due process hearings, and expedited…
2026 Waldo County Teacher of the Year Brings Economics to Life for Monroe Elementary School Students
2026 Waldo County Teacher of the Year Rachel Norgang (standing in the back of the group) poses with her students. When students in Rachel Norgang’s second- and third-grade classes at Monroe Elementary School learn about economics, they don’t just read about businesses in a textbook. They visit gravel pits, tour working farms, explore event venues,…
Maine Educators Honored as 2026 Curriculum Leader and Instructional Coach of the Year
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is pleased to join the Maine Curriculum Leaders Association (MCLA) in recognizing two outstanding educational leaders whose dedication to teaching, learning, and student success has made a lasting impact in their schools and communities. This year, the MCLA has named Dawn McLaughlin, Assistant Superintendent and Director of Teaching and…
Augusta Schools Receives Later Secondary School Start Time Planning Grant
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Office of Teaching and Learning is pleased to announce the award of a one-time, competitive Later Secondary School Start Time Planning Grant to Augusta Schools, in the amount of $75,000. In accordance with L.D. 396, Resolves 2025, Chapter 110 and Rule Chapter 54, the Later Secondary School Start Time…
Mt. Blue’s Alternative Learning Program Expands Student Opportunity Through Relationship-Based and Experiential Learning
An ALP student is gains hands-on experience in plant care and propagation. For some students, success in school begins when learning becomes more flexible, personalized, and connected to real life. At the Alternative Learning Program (ALP) located within Mt. Blue High School, alternative education teachers are working to create that environment through relationship-based instruction, project-based…
Registration Open for July Holocaust Education Seminar for Maine Educators
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is sharing a summer professional learning opportunity for educators interested in strengthening Holocaust and human rights education in the classroom. This two-day seminar, hosted by the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine in collaboration with the national nonprofit Echoes and Reflections, will take place on Wednesday, July 15,…
Athens Community School Brings Families Together Through “One School, One Book” Earth Day Project
An Athens Community School student’s work as part of the “One School, One Book” Earth Day Project. From April 6-16, 2026, Athens Community School held its annual “One School, One Book” project, designed to use literature to connect classrooms, families, and communities and bring attention to important issues. This year, Athens Community School selected The…
SUN Bucks and SUN Meals Programs Return in the Summer of 2026 to Aid Food Access for Maine Children
The Maine Department of Education (DOE), in partnership with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), is pleased to announce the return of the SUN Bucks and SUN Meals programs in the summer of 2026. These programs, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), help to ensure that Maine children continue to…
Reflections from a Successful Third Annual Maine DOE ‘I Belong’ Youth Summit
On Thursday, May 21, 2026, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education hosted its third annual “I Belong” Youth Summit at Central Maine Community College in Auburn. Every spring, this event provides an opportunity for students with disabilities from across Maine to explore post-secondary pathways as they approach “transition”…
Maine DOE Update – June 5, 2026
From the Maine Department of Education News & Updates Maine DOE Welcomes 10 Student Interns for the Summer of 2026 The Maine Department of Education (DOE) recently welcomed 10 student interns to its team. These interns will spend the summer working on several teams within the Maine DOE, bringing a variety of new skills, backgrounds,…
Maine DOE Newsroom 