The Maine Department of Education’s new certification system began the pilot phase of its launch on April 27, 2018. The initial 4 pilot districts have reported that the system as intuitive and have found the Department’s directions easy to use and helpful. More than 200 recommendations have been processed using the new system as of today, May 3, 2018.
Following the success of the initial 4 pilot districts, the Department has opened the pilot to an additional 6 districts:
- RSU 06/MSAD 06
- Augusta Public Schools
- RSU 01 – LKRSU
- RSU 11/MSAD 11
- Brewer Public Schools
- RSU 74/MSAD 74
These districts have been contacted by Maine DOE’s Certification office with instructions and log in credentials to access the district portal allowing support chairs to begin verifying renewal requirements for educators in their districts.
Pending the success of the added pilot districts, the Department will continue to open the district portal to more districts, until all districts have access. This approach will help ease the load on the system, while also allowing districts time to login, get help if needed, and become familiar with the system.
The educator portal has not yet been released to pilot districts. Once districts complete verifications, the educator portal will begin a phased rollout in the same fashion as the district portal. Again, this will ease the load on the system and allow Department staff to answer questions in a timely manner as educators state-wide start logging in to submit renewals.
Superintendents should expect direct contact from Certification Coordinator, Stephanie Fyfe when the system will open to their district/s.
Further communications and updates will be posted on a weekly basis through the Maine Department of Education Certification Webpage well as on Maine DOE’s official Facebook and Twitter pages, in addition to the DOE newsroom.