If passed by the Legislature, they would:
- make it easier for students to get credit for career and technical education classes at their “sending” high schools and in the Maine Community College System;
- create a “Schools of Choice” program that allows public schools to open their doors to students interested in attending from other districts;
- makes private, religious schools that meet rigorous educational standards eligible to enroll publicly funded students;
- establish an inclusive process for creating standards that define effective teaching, and a timeline for local districts to implement locally developed teacher and principal evaluation systems; and
- allocate $5 million in competitive funds that groups of school districts can use to provide services regionally and implement innovative educational programs.
The Maine DOE’s website has more details on these proposals. It’s all part of the work outlined in our strategic plan: crafting an education system around the need for students to learn in ways that work best for them.
— Stephen Bowen
ACTION ITEMS
Administrative Letters
- No administrative letters this week.
Notices
- Comments sought on Maine’s IDEA Part C application
- Update: State support for Infinite Campus, PowerSchool
- Recommendations sought for Educator Talent Pool
Reporting
Please note: We generally provide notice of requirements only once. Please check the Reporting Calendar (link below) regularly for a list of ALL upcoming items.
- Education Jobs Fund Workbook, Past Due, Feb. 3
- State Agency Client Request for Reimbursement, Feb. 15
NEWS & VIEWS
Oil prices on a roller coaster, Maine schools shift to alternative heat
The state’s newest schools have turned to wood chip boilers, geothermal systems and other alternative heating sources in recent years to reduce energy costs and direct more resources to the classroom. By Nathan Marcus | More
The safest way to get to school? The yellow bus
Recent news about accidents involving school buses doesn’t change one reality: The statistics prove that the yellow school bus is the safest way to transport children to and from school each day so they arrive ready to learn. | More
LePage, Bowen announce new education initiatives
AUGUSTA – Governor Paul LePage unveiled his education legislative agenda on Wednesday at the Somerset Career and Technical Education Center in Skowhegan. With the automotive shop as the backdrop, the Governor and Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen described four pieces of legislation that advance the work of designing an education system around student needs. | More
Maine students invited to ‘Doodle 4 Google’
Will Maine students once again make their mark on Google’s national competition that invites students from across the country to redesign the Google logo and have it featured on Google’s homepage for a day? | More
- Sessions help educators support military children
- Club offers teacher scholarships for MIT science, engineering program