Dear CTE Directors and Superintendents,
We are writing to remind you that school administrative units and private schools approved for tuition purposes are expected to establish regional school calendars, in coordination with their local secondary career and technical education school, by May 1.
The Legislature enacted that requirement as part of Public Law 2011, Chapter 686, which expands access to career and technical education in Maine and ensures that students completing career and technical education coursework have greater access to post-secondary opportunities. Specifically, the law addresses scheduling conflicts that pose barriers to students by requiring that those school districts and private schools approved for tuition purposes that share a CTE school adopt a regional school calendar with no more than five dissimilar days. The law became effective Aug. 30, 2012, and establishing the regional calendar is a condition for eligibility for State subsidy.
For 2014, both regional school calendars and individual calendars for each school administrative unit must be submitted by the director of the local CTE Center/Region to Education Commissioner Jim Rier no later than May 1 for a Department decision on approval by June 1.
In an effort to support you in the development of these calendars, the Department is pleased to provide guidance and templates for your use on our website at www.maine.gov/doe/regionalcalendar/.
Given the coordination required for fulfillment of this law, the Maine DOE recommends that school districts initiate discussions immediately if they have not already done so. Representatives from all affected secondary schools and their associated career and technical education center or region should be included.
For more information or assistance, please visit www.maine.gov/doe/regionalcalendar/ or contact Doug Robertson (doug.robertson@maine.gov) at 207-624-6744 or Margaret Harvey (margaret.harvey@maine.gov) at 207-624-6739.
We look forward to receiving your calendars in the coming weeks,
Maine DOE Commissioner Jim Rier
Maine DOE CTE Team Director Margaret Harvey