From the Maine Department of Education
During the month of August, over 400 PK-12 educators from across Maine attended two-day professional development institutes offered in Presque Isle, Brewer, Lewiston and Saco. The Pathways to Proficiency institute was designed to help teams of educators strengthen their understanding of Maine’s English language arts standards while also bolstering their knowledge of highly effective instructional strategies that support students in achieving proficiency.
Educators expanded their understanding of learning transfer, cognitive rigor and text complexity as they learned instructional strategies for close reading, writing from sources and vocabulary development. Participants also learned how to construct integrated units of study with text sets that focused on ELA and content-area standards.
Notices and Reporting
- Maine Schools Update, due Sept. 28 (Reminder)
- Gifted & Talented Annual Program Approval, due Sept. 30 (Reminder)
- Request for Special Education Contract Approval (EF-S-03) Original Report, due Oct. 15
- EPS October 1 Enrollment Reporting, due Oct. 31
More Notices | Administrative Letters | Reporting Calendar
News & Views
Standardized Assessment Scores for 2014-15
The 2014-15 Smarter Balanced Assessment scores in English language arts and mathematics for grades 3 through 8 and the third year of high school are available. | More
Maine is one of 16 states to gain federal approval on Educator Equity Plan
The U. S. Department of Education has approved Maine’s Educator Equity Plan aimed at increasing access to excellent educators. | More
Maine DOE issues RFP for math & ELA/literacy assessment
The Maine DOE has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking bids to provide statewide assessments online for mathematics & English language arts/literacy. | More
Annual notification of schoolwide program options
Schools that receive federal Title I funds, have poverty rates of at least 40 percent and have approved Title IA Schoolwide Plans are eligible to use their Title I funds – and funds from other sources – to develop “schoolwide programs.” | More
Harvest Lunch Week contest and local food on school menus
Maine Harvest Lunch Week will be celebrated by school districts across the state this year from Sept. 21-25, with the Maine School Garden Open House taking place on Sept. 26. | More
Maine DOE provides $1M in grant funds to CTE schools
Maine DOE is pleased to announce 27 Career and Technical Education schools will receive their share of $1 million in grant funds in FY 2016. | More
Academic eligibility policy
The Maine DOE has posted an example policy on academic eligibility for athletic and co-curricular participation. | More
Maine DOE to host schoolwide training
All Title I schools interested in developing a schoolwide plan are invited to attend two training sessions hosted by the Department this fall. | More
Maine DOE seeks social studies information
The Maine DOE is conducting a survey for social studies educators in prekindergarten through grade 12 to provide a snapshot of programming across the state and inform the Department’s work. | More
Reminder: Certification on Constitutionally Protected Prayer
Maine DOE is reminding school administrative units to complete and submit the Certification on Constitutionally Protected Prayer statement to the Department by Oct. 1. | More
Promoting school attendance
September is Attendance Awareness Month, a national event designed to bring attention to the connection between school attendance and academic achievement. | More
Maine DOE legislative summary available
Maine DOE has prepared a summary of major laws related to education enacted by the First Regular Session of the 127th Maine Legislature. | More
More Dispatches | Press Releases | From the Commissioner
LATEST DOE Career/Project Opportunities
- Education Specialist II – Career and Technical Education
- Request for Proposals: COOP – Alternate Assessments based on Alternate Achievement Standards
- Request for Proposals: Maine Educational Assessment Mathematics & English Language Arts/Literacy
- Request for Proposals: Annual Conference and Meeting Management
- View current Child Development Services employment opportunities here