Department releases leased space approvals

The Department has completed its review of FY 2015 leased space applications and posted the results here.

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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.

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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. When Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams are considering eligibility of a student under the disability category “Specific Learning Disability,” they may find that some students present with cultural, linguistic or physical characteristics that place them outside the cohort on which standardized measures are normed.

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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. This second clarification as well as additional resources are available on the finance section of the Maine Charter School Commission’s website.

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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 to extend learning opportunities to struggling students in Portland.

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Proficiency standard applies to special education students

The following Priority Notice was sent to Maine Superintendents and Directors of Special Education by Commissioner Jim Rier and Maine DOE Director of Special Services on Sept. 17.

Dear Superintendents and Directors of Special Education,

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. Continue reading “Proficiency standard applies to special education students” →

Panel convened by Education Commissioner to improve Maine learning results, public input sought

Recommendations will inform improvements the Maine Department of Education intends for the state’s math and English language arts standards

AUGUSTA – 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.

Maine Department of Education Commissioner Jim Rier announced today that a 24-member panel will begin work this week to assess the rigor and clarity of the standards. Continue reading “Panel convened by Education Commissioner to improve Maine learning results, public input sought” →

Maine partnership receives national honor for serving military-connected children

A new military identifier implemented by the Maine Department of Education this fall will help local and State officials know which students are in military families so supports can be provided

AUGUSTA – A local partnership enhanced by the statewide efforts of Maine’s First Lady Ann LePage and the Maine Department of Education has been nationally recognized for serving students whose parents are in the military.

In a recent ceremony in Washington, D.C., ongoing collaboration between the Maine DOE, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, the Kittery School Department, the Rotary Club of Kittery and the Maine Military Interstate Compact Council (MIC3) was honored with the Pete Taylor Partnership of Excellence Award from the Military Child Education Coalition. Continue reading “Maine partnership receives national honor for serving military-connected children” →

Commissioner’s Update – September 11, 2014

From Maine Education Commissioner Jim Rier

Following the horrific attacks of Sept. 11 now 13 years ago, many Mainers stepped up to serve our country and the cause of freedom around the world. Their children are unsung heroes who face frequent moves, the absence of a beloved mom and/or dad during long deployments and daily uncertainty.

Those realities make the supports our schools can provide these special students all the more important. Today, I am proud to announce that our state has been nationally recognized for our above and beyond efforts to do just that.

In a recent ceremony in Washington, D.C., a collaboration between the Maine DOE, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, the Kittery School Department, the Rotary Club of Kittery and the Maine Military Interstate Compact Council (MIC3) was honored with the Pete Taylor Partnership of Excellence Award from the Military Child Education Coalition. The award, one of only five given out this year to partnerships that serve K-12 students, was presented by Pentagon Director of the Joint Staff Lieutenant General David L. Goldfein.

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Notices and Reporting

Reminder: Update of Maine Schools, past due
MEDMS Staff Data Collection 2014/15, due Sept. 30
Private School Oct 1 Enrollment Reporting (EF-M-13), due Oct. 30

More Notices | Administrative Letters | Reporting Calendar

News & Views

Department provides answers to proficiency FAQs

As the Class of 2018 enters its first year of secondary school, school leaders are thinking deeply and asking questions about what it means to award a proficiency-based diploma after Jan. 1, 2018. | More

Maine DOE offers K-12 educators technology-focused courses

Maine DOE’s Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy is offering four technology focused courses to K-12 educators this fall and spring. | More

Maine DOE creates assessment tool for standards-based IEP goals

The Department has created Self-Assessing for Standards-Based IEP Goals as an optional tool to assist school administrative units (SAUs) to self-assess progress in writing standards-aligned IEP goals. | More

Maine DOE hosts mentoring workshops for gifted and talented educators

New and experienced gifted and talented educators will have a chance to learn new skills and practices at upcoming mentoring workshops. | More

Dine and Discuss to focus on formative assessment, digital library

The Maine Council of English Language Arts (MCELA) with support from the Maine DOE is inviting educators to attend an evening of collegial discussion and a light dinner to learn about formative assessment with an introduction to the Smarter Balanced digital library. | More

Invitation to participate in NECAP science inquiry task field test

The Maine DOE is recruiting schools to serve as field testing sites to administer the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) Science Inquiry Tasks in grades 5, 8 and 11. | More

Resources available to support transition to computerized English language proficiency assessment

In 2015-2016, ACCESS for ELLs 2.0, a computerized assessment, will replace the current paper-based version of ACCESS for ELLs for Grades 1-12. | More

Revisions proposed to Maine School Facilities Program and School Revolving Renovation Fund rule

The enactment of PL 2013, Chapter 506 (LD 1805), authorizes the repeal of several unfunded or burdensome mandates, including the requirement that all school administrative units use State-mandated templates and software to plan facility maintenance and capital improvement plans. | More