From Maine Education Commissioner Jim Rier
Earlier this week, a 24-person panel came together in Augusta to begin reviewing the state’s math and English language arts standards.
The panel’s membership – which includes parents, teachers, principals, superintendents, school board members, college professors and business leaders – is diverse, as are their perspectives. Over the next six weeks, they’ll assess the rigor and clarity of each standard and make suggestions where improvement is needed.
I personally asked them to participate in this critical process because learning standards underlie much of our work in the coming years to transform education in Maine, from the awarding of proficiency-based diplomas to the implementation of educator evaluations and next generation assessment systems. If changes are needed, the time to make them is now.
Notices and Reporting
- FY14 Perkins Performance Report (Encumbered Obligations Report), due Sept. 30
- Special Education Tuition & Board Report (EF-S 07), due Sept. 30
- MEDMS Staff Data Collection 2014/15, due Sept. 30
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News & Views
Panel convened by Education Commissioner to improve Maine learning results, public input sought
Maine’s Education Commissioner is asking the public and a panel of parents, educators and business leaders to inform improvements his Department plans to make to the state’s learning standards for mathematics and English language arts. | More
Proficiency standard applies to special education students
As Maine moves towards a proficiency-based system that will ensure that all students graduate from our high schools having met rigorous learning standards, some have asked about the impact of this new expectation on students with disabilities. | More
Maine DOE warns of scam targeting schools
The Maine DOE is warning schools to think twice before paying invoices from a Las Vegas based company calling itself Scholastic School Supply. | More
Update of Maine Schools form now overdue
The Update of Maine Schools form is now overdue. This year’s electronic version replaced a paper form previously sent to school administrative units and private schools. | More
Fourth cohort of Maine Governor’s STEM Academy graduates
The 23 Academy Fellows who graduated from the Governor’s Academy for STEM Education Leadership program this summer were provided with professional development opportunities. | More
Reminders about events that trigger duty to provide parents with procedural safeguards
The Department is reminding school administrative units that the following trigger a duty to provide procedural safeguards. | More
Informational meetings on new rural funding scheduled
A new grant is now available to 25 rural schools in Maine to implement a program which has proven to increase academic growth and achievement for first-year high school students. | More
Department provides guidance on learning disability eligibility determinations
The Maine DOE is committed to ensuring the effective and timely identification of learners with special needs. | More
Department shares further guidance for processing charter invoices
The Maine DOE has posted additional guidance clarifying the process for preparing or disputing charter school invoices to resident school administrative units. | More
Report of Services to Students with Disabilities (EF-S-05 Part 1 & 2) due Oct. 31
School administrative units (SAUs) should begin preparing data for the EF-S-05, which includes Part 1: Special Education Child Count as well as Part 2: Special Education Personnel Employed, Contracted, and Needed. | More
Department releases leased space approvals
The Department has completed its review of FY 2015 leased space applications and posted the results here. | More
Maine high schools invited to register for Poetry Out Loud competition
Maine high schools are invited to register for Poetry Out Loud, a nationwide program that encourages youth to learn about poetry through memorization and recitation. | More
Nominations open for state’s top financial literacy educator
The Maine Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy is seeking nominations for the Maine Jump$tart Coalition Educator of the Year Award. | More
Maine’s Teacher of the Year asks for votes
The Department is encouraging Mainers to vote for Karen MacDonald, the current Maine Teacher of the Year, in her quest to win a $2,500 grant. | More
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