Month: April 2017

Spring ESEA Training and Updates for ESEA Coordinators, Title Administrators and Private Schools

The Maine DOE will be providing training for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Coordinators and individual Title administrators who manage Federal ESEA programs and funds with responsibilities for the ESEA Consolidated Application and Performance Report. Business managers are welcome to attend.

The training day will focus on changes to Title programs and private school equitable services as a result of the implementation of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and changes to the annual ESEA Consolidated application for funding.

The training will include:

  • Introductory program overview for each ESEA Title contained within the ESEA Consolidated Application and Performance Report
  • Guidance regarding project construction and the development of measurable outcomes
  • Allowable costs
  • Fiscal compliance
  • Private school consultation and equitable service requirements; and
  • Important reporting dates.

Tentative agenda:

8:30                      Check In – (Refreshments unavailable)

9:00                      ESEA Program Updates with Q & A

12 noon               Working Lunch (Provided with the exception of the Augusta location)

1:00                      Annual ESEA Consolidated application overview with Q & A

3:00                      Adjourn

There will be four (4) opportunities to attend the training. Please register for only one (1) date.

May 3, 2017       Jeff’s Catering, 15 Littlefield Rd, Brewer

May 4, 2017       Hampton Inn, 768 Main Street Presque Isle

May 17, 2017    Best Western Merry Manor Inn, 700 Main Street, South Portland

May 18, 2017    Augusta Armory, 179 Western Avenue, Augusta

REGISTRATION

Please register by clicking the following link: https://goo.gl/forms/Y52sIS0xUJtIUEh02  Registrations must be received by April 28, 2017

Additional questions regarding the training should be directed to Eric Buckhalter at Eric.Buckhalter@maine.gov or (207) 624- 6770.

PreK Grant Opportunity Funding for New PreK Programs

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has a limited funding opportunity for School Administrative Units (SAU) interested in establishing a new PreK program in 2017-18. The Maine DOE has funding for up to five PreK Grants ranging from $22,000 to $52,000 a classroom. The purpose of the PreK grant is to expand high-quality PreK to children from families with moderate incomes.

The PreK Grant funding is not intended to fully fund the PreK program; there is a requirement for all subgrantees to provide at least a 60% local match to the federal funds. The grant’s funding level, combined with the SAUs local contribution, will ensure high quality PreK program standards and grant expectations are met and that the PreK program is sustainable after the grant closeout in December 2018. The PreK grants awarded in 2017-18 will continue, contingent on federal funding, through December 2018. This funding opportunity is part of the Maine DOE’s PreK Expansion Grant received in 2015. The grant’s absolute priority is to expand access to high-quality PreK to children with mid-range or lower incomes.

In grant year 1, the 2017-18 school year, the PreK grant could fund materials, equipment, furnishings and a portion of one year of operation of a pre-K program. SAUs must provide supplemental funding of 60% match. In grant year 2, 2018-19, funding will be provided through December 2018 and can cover a portion of the SAUs PreK program operating expenses.

Basic Requirements:

  • The PreK grant funds can be used to aid SAUs in starting a new PreK Program.
  • SAUs applying for grant funding must have at least a 50% district-wide free/reduced (F/R) lunch rate. FRL is 185% of Federal Poverty Level.
  • Priority enrollment must be given to children from families at 200% Federal Poverty Level and below.
  • The proposed PreK program must meet all public PreK program standards as required by the Maine Department of Education rules, Code of Maine Regulations (05-071 CMR Chapter.124.) Maine DOE Chapter 124.
  • SAUs must match federal funds – minimum of 60%.
  • Provide full day programming – 6 hours daily
  • Comprehensive Services offered to all families
  • Administer Kindergarten Entry Assessment as directed by Maine DOE’s PreK Grant.
  • Funding level a maximum $4,500 per eligible child + targeted funds for grant requirements. Only eligible children can be funded

The application deadline is April 30, 2017. PreK grant awards will be made by May 12, 2017.

For more information, contact Maine DOE PreK grant manager, Deb Lajoie at Deborah.j.Lajoie@maine.gov or call 207-624-6613

Maine DOE Update – April 6, 2017

From the Maine Department of Education

Notices and Reporting Items

More Notices | Administrative Letters | Reporting Calendar

News & Views

Robert G. Hasson, Jr. Confirmed as Maine Commissioner of Education

During a 10:00 AM vote of the Maine State Senate on Thursday, March 30th, Robert G. Hasson, Jr., Ed.D. was confirmed as Maine Commissioner of Education. The vote was the final step in Hasson’s confirmation following his nomination by Governor Paul R. LePage, an interview by the State Board of Education, and a vote of the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. | More

Maine DOE Awards Grant Funds to 7 Regional Education Opportunity and Efficiency Initiatives

The Maine Department of Education today announced 7 grant awards for collaborative initiatives undertaken by schools and educational agencies as part of a statewide regional opportunity and efficiency initiative called EMBRACE. | More

PreK Grant Opportunity Funding for New PreK Programs

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has a limited funding opportunity for School Administrative Units (SAU) interested in establishing a new PreK program in 2017-18. The Maine DOE has funding for up to five PreK Grants ranging from $22,000 to $52,000 a classroom. The purpose of the PreK grant is to expand high-quality PreK to children from families with moderate incomes. | More

Maine DOE Reporting Calendar replaced by new Data, Collections & Reporting (DC&R) System

As a reminder, as of April 1st the Maine Department of Education has officially replaced the Maine DOE Reporting Calendar with the Data, Collections & Reporting (DC&R) DC&R calendar in NEO.  | More

CTE Diploma Pathway in law

The Maine Department of Education is excited to outline some of the multiple pathways to earning a proficiency-based diploma that involve CTE enabled by Public Law Chapter 489, “An Act Implement Certain Recommendations of the Maine Proficiency Education Council,” signed into law by the Governor in April 2016. | More

More Dispatches | Press Releases | Priority Notices

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

Maine DOE Reporting Calendar replaced by new Data, Collections & Reporting (DC&R) System

As a reminder, as of April 1st the Maine Department of Education has officially replaced the Maine DOE Reporting Calendar with the Data, Collections & Reporting (DC&R) DC&R calendar in NEO.  This module will be a one-stop shop for all organizations to go to see what report is required and when, and to get the most up to date version of a form.

Maine DOE Staff have been submitting reports to be loaded to the module with information on when the report is due, instructions and links for completing the reports, as well as contact information from within the Department.  Districts and the public can now see reports that are due and past due, if applicable.  There is an indicator as to whether or not submitting the report has an impact on funding as well as a tab for “As Needed” reports, such as IEP forms, etc. where districts can have access to the most up to date forms they need in one place.  The Helpdesk is currently in process of loading all Department reports.  Going forward, Districts will only be required to complete reports that are in DC&R.

 For more information contact the Data Systems Helpdesk at (207) 624-6896 or medms.helpdesk@maine.gov.

PRIORITY NOTICE: 106th Annual Commissioner’s Conference

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Dear Superintendents,

I am pleased to announce that the 106th Annual Commissioner’s Conference is open for registration. The conference is scheduled for June 26th – 27th at the Atlantic Oceanside Hotel and Event Center in Bar Harbor. Superintendents, school board members and other school or district level administrators are encouraged to register for the conference.

Developed in collaboration with the Maine School Superintendents Association, this year’s working agenda is attached below, highlights include:

  • Keynote speaker Dr. Janet Zadina – internationally renowned speaker, consultant, author, and former high school and community college teacher best known for her extraordinary ability to inform, educate, and empower audiences with her scholarly and credible brain research and teachings
  • Discussion and meeting topics including: Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Proficiency Based Education (PBE), teacher prep, certification, school finance, school construction, regionalization, and much more!
  • student panel
  • The Annual Awards & Recognition Banquet

Conference Information:

For more information about the conference, please contact Georgette Valliere at 624-6605 or georgette.valliere@maine.gov.

We look forward to seeing you, and working together on June 26-27 in Bar Harbor.

Sincerely,

Robert G. Hasson, Jr., Ed.D.
Commissioner
Maine Department of Education

Maine DOE Awards Grant Funds to 7 Regional Education Opportunity and Efficiency Initiatives

April 4, 2017

For Immediate Release
Contact: Rachel Paling (207) 624-6747 rachel.paling@maine.gov

Augusta – The Maine Department of Education today announced 7 grant awards for collaborative initiatives undertaken by schools and educational agencies as part of a statewide regional opportunity and efficiency initiative called EMBRACE.

The EMBRACE initiative, “Enabling Maine students to Benefit from Regional And Coordinated approaches to Education,” is part of a growing focus on improving education services while saving local costs by encouraging regional partnering.

The chance to apply for the Educational Efficiencies and Opportunities Grant was offered by the Maine DOE earlier this year. The application was released in response to Executive Order 2017-001 issued by Governor LePage. promoting Regional Efforts to Achieve Efficiencies in Delivering Educational Services.

To apply, school districts and neighboring educational units proposed plans that would help save cost by working together on initiatives that could create new opportunities for students while reducing cost, including transportation facilities, professional development and special education services. The grant proposal resulted in 21 applications with an array of cost saving plans to benefit Maine students.

While only one third of the applications will be funded at this time, if the Department determines that additional funding is available, more awards may be granted. The final award amount for each grant will be negotiated between the grant recipient and the Department of Education, which may result in the availability of more funds for additional grants.

In addition, Governor LePage has requested $5 million per year in the biennial budget proposal, which would enable additional rounds of applications for grants in future years.

Today’s awards involve nearly 50 sites throughout Maine, including neighboring school districts, Career and Technical Education (CTE) centers, colleges and universities. Below is a listing of the regional efficiency projects that will receive funding (although grant amounts are yet to be finalized):

Regional Efficiency Projects

Western Maine Regional Program for Children with Exceptionalities

The participants will share a space and resources to provide services to students in grades 6-12 with autism and/or emotional disabilities and other behaviorally challenged students who would otherwise be placed in special service private schools outside the participating districts. The plan will allow students to stay closer to home while also providing necessary technical and experiential learning opportunities.

Proposed cost (not necessarily size of award): $314,500
Estimated 5-year savings: $2,050,000

Participants:

  • Lead SAU – MSAD 17 (Harrison, Hebron, Norway, Otisfield, Oxford, Paris, Waterford, West Paris)
  • RSU 44 (Bethel, Greenwood, Newry, Woodstock)
  • RSU 72 (Brownfield, Denmark, Fryeburg, Lovell, Stoneham, Stow, Sweden)
  • Maine Regional Vocational Center 11 (Oxford Hills Technical School)

Rightsizing Education in the Upper St. John Valley

This plan aims to improve the quality and efficiency of three St. John Valley School Districts by regionalizing grades 9-12 into a regional combined high school/CTE center, while at the same time retain each community’s individual identity by maintaining Early Childhood to grade 8 within the sending communities. The plan will align curriculum, assessment, professional development, policies and resources across the three SAU’s, it will also introduce CTE learning styles to 8th graders, provide Chemical Health Education to students and enhance visual and performing arts programs.

Proposed cost (not necessarily size of award): $508,200
Estimated 5-year savings: $901,509

Participants:

  • Lead SAU – MSAD 27 (Eagle Lake, Fort Kent, New Canada, Saint Francis, Saint john Plt., Wallagrass)
  • MSAD 33 (Frenchville, Saint Agatha)
  • Madawaska School Department
  • St. John Valley Technology Center
  • University of Maine at Fort Kent

Service Bundling

The project will bundle special education, psychological services, transportation, technology and facilities services that are currently being operated independently.

Proposed Cost(not necessarily size of award): $162,500
Estimated 5-year savings: $537,500

Participants:

  • Lead SAU – MSAD 01/RSU 79 (Castle Hill, Chapman, Mapleton, Presque Isle, Westfield)
  • MSAD 45 (Washburn, Perham, Wade)

Southern Aroostook Area Regional Transportation Facility

The plan will provide participating communities with a centrally located facility to serve as a bus garage for maintenance of the combined fleet of buses, vans and service vehicles of the participating partners. The project will save money, increase reliability and improve maintenance services which will is expected to lengthen the life of buses and other service vehicles.

Proposed Cost(not necessarily size of award): $415,000
Estimated 5-year savings: $929,917.45

Participants:

  • Lead SAU – RSU 29 (Houlton, Hammond, Littleton, Monticello)
  • RSU 70 (Hodgdon, Amity, Haynesville, Linneus, Ludlow, New Limerick)
  • RSU 50 (Southern Aroostook and Katahdin)
  • MSAD 14/RSU 84 (East Grand)
  • Region Two School of Applied Technology

SPRPCE Innovative School

The project will create a regional, alternative education school beginning with 7th and 8th graders, with plans to expand to grade 10. The school is designed for hands-on, experiential learning to motivate and prepare at-risk youth for successful integration into further learning opportunities at local CTE centers and in early college programs. The funds will support the creation of the school for its first year.

Proposed Cost(not necessarily size of award): $538,235
Estimated 5-year savings: $3,308,825

Participants:

  • Lead SAU – Bangor School Department
  • AOS47 (Dedham, Orrington)
  • AOS 81 (Holden, Eddington, Clifton, Amherst, Aurora, Great Pond, Osborn)
  • Brewer School Department
  • Glenburn School Department
  • Hermon School Department
  • Maine Indian Education
  • Milford School Department
  • RSU22 (Hampden, Newburgh, Winterport and Frankfort)
  • RSU 26 (Orono)
  • RSU 34 (Alton, Bradley, Old Town)
  • RSU 64 (Bradford, Corinth, Hudson, Kenduskeag, and Stetson)
  • RSU 87 (Carmel, Levant)
  • Veazie School Department
  • United Technology Center
  • Eastern Maine Community College

Sheepscot Regional Education Program

The project will provide a single site for special education services for students in grades 6-12, through age 20, who need behavioral support. The day-treatment option will be a research based intervention option for students to participate in prior to potential further out of district placement. The partnership will provide cost savings on infrastructure, staff, and administrative and financial oversight.

Proposed Cost(not necessarily size of award): $518,000
Estimated 5-year savings: $8,086,664

Participants:

  • Lead SAU – Wiscassett School Department
  • RSU 01 (Bath, Arrowsic, Phippsburg, Woolwich)
  • AOS 98 (Boothbay Harbor)
  • AOS 93 (Damariscotta)
  • RSU 12 (Alna, Chelsea, Palermo, Somerville, Westport Island, Whitefield, Windsor)
  • Bath Regional Career and Technical Center

Western Maine Mathematics 9-12/CTE Leadership Network

The project is designed to support the development of a high school mathematics coaching model to better meet the needs of 9-12 mathematics teachers and CTE teachers in western Maine. The project will use the proven success of the Maine Mathematics Coaching Project (MMCP) to provide high quality mathematics professional development with will increase interest, engagement, and self-efficiency in mathematics for high school students and teachers.

Proposed Cost(not necessarily size of award): $231,082
Estimated 5-year savings: $403,798

Participants:

  • RSU 04 (Wales, Litchfield, Sabattus)
  • RSU 09 (Chesterville, Farmington, Industry, New Sharon, New Vineyard, Starks, Temple, Vienna, Weld, Wilton)
  • RSU 10 (Buckfield, Byron, Canton, Carthage, Dixfield, Hanover, Hartford, Mexico, Peru, Roxbury, Rumford, Sumner)
  • RSU 58 (Avon, Kingfield, Phillips, Strong)
  • RSU 73 (Jay, Livermore, Livermore Falls)
  • RSU 74 (Anson, Embden, New Portland, Solon)
  • Winthrop Public Schools
  • Foster Career and Technical Education Center
  • University of Maine Farmington
  • Western Maine Education Collaborative

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CTE Diploma Pathway in law

New Career and Technical Education (CTE) Pathways to Graduation through PL 489, “An Act To Implement Certain Recommendations of the Maine Proficiency Education Council”

The Maine Department of Education is excited to outline some of the multiple pathways to earning a proficiency-based diploma that involve CTE enabled by Public Law Chapter 489, “An Act Implement Certain Recommendations of the Maine Proficiency Education Council,” signed into law by the Governor in April 2016. The new statute can be found in MRSA 20-A, §4722-A. The Maine DOE is currently engaged in rule-making to outline the parameters for these multiple pathways to graduation.

In addition to demonstrating proficiency in all content areas of the Maine Learning Results, other pathways have been identified through which Maine students may earn a proficiency-based diploma:

  • Satisfactory Completion of a State-approved CTE Program and Met 3rd Party-verified National or State Industry Standards 

Satisfactorily completing a state-approved CTE program and meeting 3rd party-verified national or state industry standards are of equal value to evidence of proficiency in a content areas of the system of learning results which contributes to the meeting the diploma requirements per the phase-in timeline pursuant to MRSA 20-A §4722-A (3)(B-2).

  • CTE and Content Intersections Process

State-approved CTE instructors and content area instructors from sending high schools may identify points of intersection where students can simultaneously demonstrate proficiency in high school content area reporting standards and proficiency in each guiding principle of the system of learning results while demonstrating proficiency in 3rd-party verified national and state industry standards pursuant to MRSA 20-A §8306 (B).

  • Instruction in Content Areas of the System of Learning Results at the CTE Center or Region

When scheduling conflicts or time restraints create an impediment to both the student’s opportunity to learn the content areas of the system of learning results and the opportunity to learn a state-approved CTE program of study, students are provided the opportunity to learn and demonstrate proficiency in the content areas of the system of learning results by teachers certified to teach in the content areas of the system of learning results at the state-approved CTE center or region.

  • Dual-enrollment CTE Programs Pursuant to MRSA 20-A Chapter 229

A non-duplicative learning pathway for a specific career and technical education program that provides secondary school students with the opportunity to take postsecondary education courses and earn credits toward an associate degree while participating in a career and technical education program that:

  • Learning Pathways; Articulation Agreements with Postsecondary Institutions; Collaborative Agreements

Pursuant to MRSA 20-A §8306-B(4), to the greatest extent possible, a career and technical education program offered at a center or region must provide students the opportunity to take advantage of any applicable learning pathways, including learning pathways set forth in an articulation agreement with a postsecondary institution or in a collaborative agreement with publicly supported secondary and postsecondary educational institutions that form a dual enrollment career and technical education program pursuant to MRSA 20-A §6972.

The Department is looking forward to the additional pathways students will be able to pursue, most notably through career and technical education, toward earning a proficiency-based high school diploma. For more information regarding Career and Technical Education contact Maine DOE Career and Technical Education Director, Meg Harvey, at 624-6739 or email margaret.harvey@maine.gov. For more information regarding proficiency-based learning and proficiency-based diplomas contact Maine DOE Proficiency-based Education Specialist, Diana Doiron, at 624-6823 or email diana.doiron@maine.gov.