Welcome to the April issue of Maine DOE Monthly.
Commissioner Bowen’s Promising Practices Tour has taken him to schools in Portland, Naples and Caribou this month, and he’ll make it to all nine superintendent regions before the end of the school year.
We’re also preparing to release the Maine School Performance Grading System, also known as A-F school report cards, to public schools across the state. And the Next Generation Science Standards, which Maine helped develop, were released earlier this month. The State Board of Education anticipates voting on adoption of the standards later this spring.
Dispatches & Press Releases
Portland schools establish promising practices for all students
When I visited East End Community School and Riverton Elementary in Portland last week as part of my Promising Practices Tour, I was blown away by the measures they’re taking to ensure all students are engaged in learning—not an easy feat in such a multilingual district. By Commissioner Bowen | More | Press release
Preparing for A-F grading system
During his State of the State address in February, Governor LePage announced that Maine will introduce a school performance grading system to simplify for parents, taxpayers and others how their schools are doing. Many of you have expressed interest in and concern about how we will generate the grades, and what we will do to support schools that receive low grades. By Commissioner Bowen | More
Science standards Maine helped develop are released
AUGUSTA – A new set of science standards that Maine took a leading role in helping to develop were released Tuesday evening. Earlier in the day, the State Board of Education was briefed on the Next Generation Science Standards by Anita Bernhardt, the Maine Department of Education science education specialist. | More | Anita Berhardt’s SciTech blog
Governor’s Conference on Education videos, resources available
AUGUSTA – Governor Paul R. LePage speaks from the heart about what motivates him to seek education reform at the Governor’s Conference on Education: Putting Students First, and you can now watch that video online. | More
Governor, Ed Commissioner announce 2014 Maine Teacher of the Year semi-finalists, partnership with Educate Maine
AUGUSTA – Six Maine teachers were named as semi-finalist candidates to become the 2014 Maine Teacher of the Year. Governor Paul R. LePage and Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen honored the talented group of educators from around the state in a State House ceremony. | More
Commissioner explores “academies” at Lake Region HS
Commissioner Stephen Bowen visited Lake Region High School and Lake Regional Vocational Center, both in RSU 61/SAD 61, Naples, to explore their project-based academies and new career and technical education facility as part of his Promising Practices Tour on Friday. | More