PRESS RELEASE: Maine DOE Awarded $5.5M Grant to Support Student Mental Health Initiative

The Maine Department of Education has been awarded a 5-year grant (1.1 million per year) from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The funding will go towards an initiative called Maine-AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) aimed at helping Maine develop a comprehensive framework and infrastructure to support student mental health through effective state and local collaboration between education and health providers.

The project is grounded in a belief that strong implementation of evidence based universal positive behavior and social emotional learning supports coupled with universal behavioral health screening can help schools and communities focus intensive resources on students and families with the greatest need. The project also aims at developing coordinated support services at the school level so that school clinical capacity is maximized and well-articulated with the community’s therapeutic resources.

The framework for building a statewide comprehensive approach to student mental health will be gained through the experiences of an initial implementation with three school administrative units (SAU) which will serve as pilot sites for the initiative: Calais School Department, RSU 10, and RSU 40. They were selected prior to the application submission and are representative of the challenges faced by Maine’s school districts. Factors considered in the selection were geographic location, rate of uninsured children, data from the Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (mental health and substance use), local employment of a licensed clinical social worker, and existing relationships with community mental health agencies.

The primary goals of Maine-AWARE are to:

1. Tier I: Ensure that all students have access to evidence-based social emotional learning (SEL) strategies, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and screening for behavioral health needs.

2. Tier II: Provide students and families identified as at increased risk of negative academic and behavioral outcomes with team-based school and community supports, targeted interventions, and indicated mental health screening.

3. Tier III: Provide targeted, evidence-based clinical interventions to youth and families experiencing serious mental or behavioral health disorders.

4. Systems Building: Implement a comprehensive workforce and infrastructure development plan to provide technical assistance on evidence-based behavioral and mental health interventions and an effective statewide implementation strategy.

The Maine Department of Education will be working in collaboration with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family Services on the Maine-AWARE Initiative.

NASDTEC Professional Practices Institute

National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) Professional Practices Institute (PPI) is being held in Portland, Maine this year October 17 – 19, 2018.

This year’s PPI features both general and concurrent sessions with interactive sessions examining developing best practices in dealing with educators, witnesses, emerging technology, and the media while working within ethical and regulatory boundaries.

The PPI promises to be an outstanding gathering for those working in jurisdiction agencies, district leaders, and educator preparation professionals. The PPI is a unique meeting which unites those who work with the prevention and resolution of teacher misconduct and ethical dilemmas every day.

More information including registration information can be found on the PPI Website.

School Safety and Security Bulletin: Transportation Safety

Throughout the 2018- 2019 school year, the Maine Department of Education, State Fire Marshal’s Office, Department of Health and Human Services, Maine State Police, Maine Sheriffs Association, Maine Chiefs of Police Association, and the Maine Emergency Management Agency will provide tips and resource information to Maine schools to help provide some guidance for identifying signs and preventing school violence.

School Safety and Security Bulletin – October 2018

Transportation Safety (PDF)

Further questions and inquiries can be send to Pat Hinkley, Maine DOE Transportation and Facilities Administrator at pat.hinckley@maine.gov.

National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest

The Maine Department of Education in collaboration with the Maine State Police are helping to promote the 2019 National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest, a nationwide contest administered by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention as part of the U.S. Department of Justice.

The contest is designed to promote awareness among teachers, parents/guardians and children and engage them in discussions about safety.

Contest Rules

Applicants must be in the fifth grade.
Artwork should reflect the theme “Bringing Our Missing Children Home”. This phrase must appear somewhere on the poster.
The theme may be depicted in the student’s artwork through one or a combination of illustrations (e.g., signs and symbols, people, abstract, industry, wildlife) and can be created using media such as acrylics, watercolor, pencils, charcoal, magic markers, spray paint, crayons, and pastels. Digitally produced images, collages, cutouts, and stamping will not be eligible for consideration.
The finished poster must measure 8½ x 14 inches.
The poster must be submitted with a completed application, which includes a description of the poster and a brief biography of the artist, either typed or written legibly.

Awards

State Level – Each state winner whose poster is selected to go to the national judging competition, will receive a national award certificate from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
National Level – The national winner, his/her teacher (or designee from selected school) and parents/guardians (typically two people), and the state manager will be invited to Washington, D.C., to participate in the U.S. DOJ’s National Missing Children’s Day ceremony on May 22, 2019. Transportation and lodging will be provided. The national winner will also receive a national award certificate and a professional print of their poster.

Further information can be found in the Poster Contest Packet.

For further information and to confirm your participation in the contest and to obtain the submission deadline for your state, contact Maine’s State Contest Manager Ms. Carol Tompkins, Maine State Police at 207-626-3805 or carol.tompkins@maine.gov

Training Opportunity: TransACT Parent Notifications – Part of Your Parent and Family Engagement Planning

The Maine Department of Education will be hosting three trainings across the state to assist districts in using TransACT, a resource that supports parent and family engagement. Use of TransACT is provided to Maine districts at no cost, sponsored by the Department’s Office of ESEA Federal Programs.

Description:

Research has shown that when parents and families engage in the education of their children, the children tend to perform better academically. TransACT’s Parent Notices are an important tool to engage parents and families, especially those with limited proficiency in English. This presentation provides:

Information about the TransACT Parent Notices purchased for you by the Maine Department of Education;
Directions for how to access those Parent Notices in English and other languages;
Highlights of the importance of communicating in a language that parents and family members can understand;
Information on how to identify important notices that need to be sent, who to send them to, and when they need to be sent; and
Information about other resources available from TransACT.

Facilitator Bio:

Dr. David Holbrook earned his Ph.D. in linguistics at the University of the West Indies in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and has over 20 years experience working with speakers of other languages. He has lived in five countries and worked in more than 15. He taught ESL at Colorado State University for approximately two years. He spent nearly six years at the Wyoming Department of Education, where he held positions as Federal Programs Division Director, Title I Director, and Title III Director. He trained with the U.S. Department of Education and participated in federal monitoring of Title III in five states. He served nine years with the National Council of State Title III Directors, two years as President. He was designated as their first Honorary Member and now serves as their Executive Director. His current position is as Executive Director, Federal Compliance and State Relationships for TransACT Communications.

Portland
November 5, 2018
8:00am-10:00am
1945 Congress St, Portland, ME 04102
Register

Bangor
November 5, 2018
1:30pm-3:30pm
Elks Lodge
108 Odlin Rd, Bangor, ME 04401
Register

Machias
November 6, 2018
11:00am-1:00pm
University of Maine at Machias
116 Obrien Ave, Machias, ME 04654
Register

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine Kids Rock Program Expands to 22 Additional Schools

The Maine Department of Education is pleased to announce that 22 school districts have been awarded $5,000 worth of modern band instruments, per school, as part of an expansion of the Maine Kids Rock Initiative.

“The Maine Kids Rock initiative has been a huge success so far,” said Maine Department of Education Commissioner, Robert G. Hasson, Jr. “We are thrilled to be expanding it by an additional 22 schools in Maine that would not otherwise be able to afford the instruments and specialized training.”

Currently in its second year, the Maine Kids Rock initiative is a program developed between the Maine Department of Education and national nonprofit, Little Kids Rock. Selected schools receive all of the instruments and resources necessary to run modern band programs, and partner teachers will receive extensive, direct coaching through Little Kids Rock’s training course, Modern Band 102, this fall.

To be eligible for participation in this initiative, districts must agree to offer modern band – taught by a certified music teacher – during the 2018-2019 school year. Priority is given to schools who serve 50% or more free or reduced eligible students.

The 22 additional schools join the initiative’s 10 pilot schools, which will continue in the program and receive frequent, targeted professional development. Partner teachers in the second-year cohort will attend a series of virtual professional learning sessions – offered monthly and covering a range of topics from hip-hop to singing in modern band – taught by expert staff from the Little Kids Rock organization. Additionally, all teachers receive free, unlimited access to the newest resources in Little Kids Rock’s online hub, Jam Zone. Next spring, new partner schools will be featured in a public performance at the second annual “Concert at the Capitol.”

The 22 members of this year’s cohort are:

Andover Elementary School (Andover School Department), Dr. Levesque Elementary School (MSAD 33), Easton High School (Easton School District), Glenburn School, Greenville Consolidated School, Hall-Dale High School (RSU 2), Leavitt Area High School (MSAD 52), Lee Elementary School (MSAD 30), Monmouth Middle School, Mattanawcook Junior High School (RSU 67), Miles Lane Elementary School (RSU 25), Molly Ockett Middle School (MSAD 72), Searsport Middle/High School (RSU 20), Sebasticook Valley Middle School (RSU 19), Sherwood Heights (Auburn School Department), Spruce Mountain Middle School (RSU 73), Walker Elementary School (RSU 3), Walton Elementary School (Auburn School Department), Washington Academy, Winslow Elementary School (AOS 92), Winslow Junior High School (AOS 92), and Woodland Consolidated School.

The 10 returning schools are:

Central Community Elementary School (RSU 64), Crescent Park and Woodstock Elementary Schools (RSU 44), East End Community School (Portland Public Schools), Hitchborn Middle School and Penobscot Valley High School (RSU 31), Houlton Middle/High School (RSU 29), Katahdin Elementary, Middle, and High Schools (RSU 50), Medway Middle School (Medway School Department), Meroby and Rumford Elementary Schools (RSU 10), Troy Howard Middle School (RSU 71), and Waterville Senior High School (AOS 92).

Rachel Paling, Maine DOE Director of Communication at rachel.paling@maine.gov

Follow Up Regarding Private School Approval

Attention Private School Administrators and Public School Administrators:

This communication provides detailed guidance regarding timelines and tuition considerations for Private Schools seeking approval for the receipt of public funds for 2018-19.

As stated in the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) October 2, 2018 Administrative Letter #19: 2018-2019 Clarifications Regarding Private School Approval and Publicly Funded Private School Students, there is a new overall 2018 deadline of October 15 for the annual report and documentation, NEO staff entry, and first reporting of attendance data to be submitted by private schools.

This deadline will also apply to October counting for subsidy purposes. As the private school approval and certification processes are currently backlogged due to numerous factors, tuition will not be withheld for schools that received basic school approval and were approved for receipt of public tuition funds as of the end of FY 18 school year and are seeking approval for FY 19 school year; however, subsidy will as always be dependent on accurate reporting of October 1st enrollment counts. In order for an accurate enrollment count and to ensure that private schools are on track to receive the appropriate tuition allocation, the following guidelines should be closely followed:

1. Private schools who have submitted or are intending to submit a school approval annual report seeking approval for the receipt of public funds for 2018-19 must submit NEO Maine Schools organizational information prior to October 15. The NEO Maine Schools form is required by all public and private schools to inform the Maine Department of Education of school and district contact information, changes in grade spans, and other school-related information. If Maine Schools is not submitted, EPS cannot be processed. It is imperative that your school’s report be submitted as soon as possible;
2. The first instance of submitting attendance for publicly funded students at private schools, which is due quarterly, must be entered by October 15 and includes the attendance period July 1 through September 30. The next reporting period (to be entered by January 15) will require updated attendance numbers through December, and so on. More details about attendance data submission, and a helpful training manual document, can be found in NEO Student Attendance Reporting and Attendance Manual Entry Guide.
3. Publicly funded October 1^st student enrollment data must be entered by October 15; certified by October 31.
4. NEO Staff entry should be complete, with clearances and appropriate certification ensured, as soon as possible before, during, or after submission of the annual report for school approval consideration. Any certification/clearance issues should be cleared up as soon as possible, in order to ensure approval.

Please contact the MEDMS Help Desk at 624-6896, or MEDMS.Helpdesk@maine.gov for assistance with NEO or the student information system. Please contact the DOE Certification Team at cert.DOE@maine.gov for certification system questions. Please contact Paula Gravelle at 624-6792 or Paula.B.Gravelle@maine.gov for questions about tuition. And, for questions about school approval please call Pamela Ford-Taylor at 624-6617, or Pamela.Ford-Taylor@maine.gov.

Maine DOE Update – October 4, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

Reports That Impact the ED 279 Subsidy Printout or Other GPA Funding

There are certain data points collected by the Maine DOE that have a direct impact on the calculation of subsidy. The Department has prepared a chart that shows the data that impacts the ED 279 subsidy printouts, when that data is due, and when any required revisions must be submitted in order to be included in the FY 20 EPS Funding Calculation. | More

Public PreK Funding FY20 – Estimate Counts Required

Beginning in FY19, the Essential Programs and Services(EPS) funding formula added an allocation for PreK programs’ estimate student count. The PreK program estimate count allocation is intended to provide funding for PreK programming in advance of actual student enrollment, helping to offset the upfront costs associated with expanding or starting PreK programs. This PreK program allocation was first authorized into law on July 1, 2018 to begin in FY19. | More

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

Administrative Letter: 2018-2019 Clarifications Regarding Private School Approval and Publicly Funded Private School Students

In accordance with 20-A M.R.S. Chapter 117, the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) requires private schools seeking approval status to be approved annually.
In early July of this year, guidance was provided to all private schools with Department updates regarding the 2018-2019 school approval process. | More

Seeking Proposals for McKinney-Vento Sub-grant Program for the Education of Homeless Children

The Maine Department of Education is pleased to announce that it is seeking proposals for the McKinney-Vento Sub-grant program for the education of homeless children and youth. Proposals will be accepted from School Administrative Unites seeking to develop, implement, or expand programs that improve the academic success of students identified as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act. | More

Reminder: FEDES regional grant proposals due Nov. 7

The Maine DOE is reminding interested parties that proposals for grant funding offered through the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Education Services (FEDES – RFP#201806118), are due on November 7, 2018. | More

Regional Contacts for Regionalization Grants and RSCs

The Maine Department of Education is focused on improving educational services, increasing student achievement, and creating efficiencies through creative regional partnerships. | More

Certification Updates and Reminders

The certification team is happy to report out that more than 15,000 applications have been processed since mid-June. Processing time is currently 10 weeks – an impressive national statistic for this time of year and a significant change from recent years in Maine. The MEIS system continues to create efficiencies and the Department looks forward to being able to release initial applications into the new online system shortly. | More

ESSA & Accountability: Why does accountability matter? #success4ME

Every element of our education system, including our expectations for students, how we understand if students are meeting those expectations, and how we are working with and supporting teachers and leaders, work toward the goal of ensuring all students are prepared for success after high school. Accountability is one piece of that system. | More

National Blue Ribbon School Honors for Three Maine Schools

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos recognized three Maine schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2018. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. | More

Nominate Students for the U. S. Presidential Scholars Program

The Maine Department of Education invites school districts to nominate graduating high school seniors for the U. S. Presidential Scholars Program. | More

More Dispatches | Press Releases | Priority Notices

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Assessment PD and Learning Opportunities: Lexile Framework for Reading

As a follow-up to the September 6, 2018 notice in the Maine DOE Newsroom regarding scheduled opportunities for professional development and learning around assessment, the Department is providing additional information and registration details for upcoming sessions. | More

BrightBytes Technology and Learning Fall 2018 Workshops

The Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) has partnered with BrightBytes for the sixth year to facilitate the administration of the Technology and Learning Survey to students and educators. The survey helps districts assess how technology is used for teaching and learning in its schools, and provides research-based insights to assist districts with planning for better technology integration. | More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

Seeking Proposals for McKinney-Vento Sub-grant Program for the Education of Homeless Children

The Department is interested in proposals that are focused on narrowing the achievement disparity between Maine’s homeless students and their stably housed peers. These grants are renewable for a total of three years, with a maximum annual award of $40,000. The application deadline is October 31, 2018.

The RFP (#201809192) for this competitive grant, including details of the application process, can be found on the State of Maine Division of Purchases website.

Applicants who submitted proposals under the withdrawn July RFP (#201806134) are encouraged to reapply. New applicants are also welcome.

For more information on the McKinney-Vento Sub-grant program or other homeless education issues, contact Gayle Erdheim, State Homeless Education Consultant, at gayle.erdheim@maine.gov or (207) 624-6637.

ESSA & Accountability: Why does accountability matter? #success4ME

Accountability systems are intended to help us focus on what matters most, give us a better understanding of what is working well, and determine where we need to make improvements so we can help all students succeed. Just as state standards and assessments set expectations for what students should know and be able to do, state accountability systems set expectations for school performance helping schools determine next steps in accessing available supports from the state.

Statewide accountability systems set goals for achievement and growth for all schools regardless of race, income and zip code, and provide an opportunity for all stakeholders to understand school and district profile, and performance information.

Maine’s accountability system is now known as Maine’s Model of School Support. Through the implementation of the model, Maine will identify schools eligible to receive additional supports in January 2019.

What is Maine’s Model of School Support?

Maine has moved towards a more purposeful approach to supporting Maine Schools. Maine’s Model of School Supports utilizes the following indicators:

Elementary/Middle Schools	High Schools
Chronic Absenteeism	Chronic Absenteeism
Academic Progress	English Language Proficiency
English Language Proficiency	Academic Achievement
Academic Achievement	Graduation Rate

As you can see, the indicators remain a constant across grade spans with the exception of academic progress and graduation rate. Graduation rate only applies to high schools and as such is a high school model indicator. Progress can only be calculated when there are multiple years of data and this is currently only possible between grades 3-8 or Elementary/Middle level, therefore, progress is utilized in Elementary/Middle schools.

Data related to these indicators will be utilized to determine performance levels for each student population. Student populations include: white, Asian, black, two or more races, Hispanic, Native American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, economically disadvantaged, English language learners, migrant, homeless, foster care and students with disabilities (data for bolded student groups is included in the model. Data for non-bolded student groups is used for reporting purposes only).

In order for a school to receive a performance level within the above indicators, there must be a minimum count of 10 students. If there are less than 10 students in a student group, the data is not utilized, is suppressed, and the indicator will not be applicable for that specific student group.

The method by which 2018/2019 determinations are made is a new process to Maine containing many new indicators (listed above). The Department in collaboration with stakeholders, believe the inclusion of a wide variety of indicators will provide a more comprehensive view of school success. Maine uses performance on these indicators to determine schools who would benefit from the provision of school supports. Schools determined eligible to receive supports will receive additional assistance from the state and their districts. Additional assistance and support through the Maine Department of Education will include professional development and learning, regional leadership coaching, and other supports as determined by the tier of support.

Comprehensive Supports and Interventions (CSI) or Tier III supports are determined as a result of all student populations within Title I schools experiencing challenges across all indicators within Maine’s Model of School Supports. This comprehensive support assists in accelerating improvement schoolwide. Schools will receive supports for a period of three (3) years. These are schools similar to those identified as priority schools in Maine’s previous accountability model.

Targeted Supports and Interventions (TSI) or Tier II Supports – are determined as a result of specific student populations experiencing challenges in a specific indicator consistently for three(3) years. These schools are similar to schools that were previously identified as Focus schools; however, under ESSA, Maine now must identify any school with a consistently underperforming subgroup of students. Maine will not be making determinations for schools eligible for Tier II supports until the 2019/20 school year and then annually thereafter as four (4) years of data is required in order to determine three (3) years of consistently underperforming.

Additional Targeted Supports and Interventions (ATSI) or Tier I Supports – are determined as a result of a single student population(s) experiencing challenges across all indicators. These determinations will be made on an annual basis. Support is provided to schools due to a need based on the performance of at least one student group.

Upcoming articles in the DOE Newsroom will focus specifically on each of the five (5) indicators.

Questions regarding the above information can be sent to ESSA.DOE@maine.gov or Janette Kirk via email at janette.kirk@maine.gov or 624-6707.