Maine DOE to host Farm to School Cook-off on April 5th and 9th

What: The Maine Department of Education will host its Annual Maine Farm to School Cook-Off, a voluntary, skills-based competition offered to school food service staff from all school districts across the State of Maine. The goal of the program is to recognize school nutrition staff for their skills and creativity while producing high-quality meals that can be replicated in a school kitchen.

During the competition, each volunteer team prepares a breakfast and lunch meal within a specific time frame using at least two ingredients that are grown, raised, caught, or manufactured in the State of Maine and meet National School Breakfast and Lunch Program requirements as well as one USDA food. Locally caught pollock and yogurt will be used as challenge ingredients in the competition this year.

Who: Teams consist of local school food service staff and students, judges for the regional cook-offs include a student, a school nutrition director and a professional chef, and representatives from Maine DOE’s Child Nutrition team will also be present.

When/ where: The regional cook-offs will be held on three dates. Two cook-offs in different locations in the State and then a final cook-off event where the winners of the first two cook-offs will compete.

Thursday, April 5 from 10:00am – 1:30pm
Bath Regional Career and Technical Center, Bath, ME
10:00am start time (cooking begins promptly at 10:30am)
Teams are representing Falmouth, Yarmouth and Lewiston

Monday, April 9 from 1:00pm – 4:30pm
Hampden Academy, Hampden, ME
1:00pm start time (cooking begins promptly at 1:30pm)
Teams are representing RSU 54, RSU 3 and Cherryfield

The Date and location for the final Farm to School Cook-off will be determined after the are to be determined.

Please RSVP: For more information including a detailed agenda, and to RSVP, media should contact the Maine Department of Education Director of Communications, Rachel Paling at rachel.paling@maine.gov or call 624-6747.

Due to space limitations, these competitions are not open to the public; however, arrangements can be made by contacting Maine Department of Education Child Nutrition Consultant Stephanie Stambach at stephanie.stambach@maine.gov.

Maine Education Financial System to update identification numbers for uploads

The Maine Education Financial System will be moving from MEDMS IDs to ORG IDs on July 1, 2018. Over the past few years the Maine Department of Education data collection systems have been migrating towards using ORG IDs to identify School Administrative Units, and other organizations, in their data collection systems.

Starting on July 1, 2018 the Maine Education Financial System will also use the new ORG IDs for all uploads from the school accounting systems.

ORG ID can be located at the top of the ED 279, on each page, to the left of the SAU name. ED 279s can be located here: http://www.maine.gov/doe/eps/

School units should work with their vendor to update this field for the export that their local accounting system creates. Starting July 1, 2018 if a school administrative unit is still using the MEDMS ID their file will not upload to the Maine Education Financial System.

For further information contact Tyler Backus, School Finance & Compliance Coordinator at 207-624-6635 or Tyler.Backus@maine.gov.

PRIORITY NOTICE: Maine Department of Education’s proposal for the high school diploma

In light of recent articles and editorials about the proficiency-based diploma and the fate of proficiency-based education, the Commissioner is providing insight regarding the forthcoming Department proposal for the diploma. The Commissioner requested that the Department’s proposal be submitted as a “Governor’s” bill to allow for a process that includes a public hearing and work session(s). The most significant difference between the Department’s proposed diploma and the proficiency-based diploma is that uncertainty has been removed and a reasonable level of achievement has been clearly identified as a minimum requirement for a diploma.

Specifically,

The Department’s proposal:

Removes the mandate that districts base a diploma on an undefined concept (“proficiency”)
Points to a reasonable and appropriate level of achievement in two foundational content areas (English and math) required for the diploma
Bases achievement criteria on knowledge, skills, and progressions that are already present and defined in Maine’s Learning Results
Provides students with disabilities equitable access to education and a diploma
Ensures that students will have high quality instruction and learning in all content areas
Makes room for students to access their education through both traditional, (classroom-based) avenues and non-traditional (experience-based) avenues
Allows districts to implement diploma requirements beyond the minimum set by the state

The Department’s proposal does not:

Impose a mandated or de facto grading structure
Eliminate or impose a barrier to what has come to be called “proficiency-based education,” “proficiency-based teaching,” or “proficiency-based learning.” Instruction and learning based on outcomes, as described by some in recent articles, is actually a description of standards-based education, which Maine schools have been striving for since the state adopted the Maine Learning Results in 1997. Under the Department’s proposal, school districts may continue to teach, grade, and structure learning as they determine best meets the needs of students, parents, and the school community.

The Department considers this discussion to be an open dialog, and we look forward to further conversations on this proposal once the bill is released.

Maine DOE Update – March 29, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

Preparation for April Attending Student Report

The Maine Department of Education (MDOE) is in the process of preparing an April Attending Student Report for the purpose of calculating tuition rates. In preparation for this report, it is vital that each school administrative unit (SAU) keeps their attendance data accurate as well as complete. | More

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

eMPowerME Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy Assessment Item Review Committee Opportunity

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is currently recruiting educators to serve on item review panels for the eMPowerME Assessment in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics. The work will be facilitated by Measured Progress on June 19-21, 2018 in Portland, Maine. | More

Repeal of Chapter 82 School Bus Driver Fitness Determination

The enacted repeal of Code of Maine Regulations 05-071 Chapter 82 School Bus Driver Fitness Determination became effective on March 25, 2018. | More

Supports for Advanced Placement and College Board assessments

As part of a notification provided in September 2015, the Maine Department of Education provided guidance regarding the removal of supports provided for some assessments administered by the College Board. | More

Edward Little High School teacher selected for Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship Program

Date set for presentation of Major Capital Improvement Program priority list

The scoring process for the Major Capital Improvement Program is close to completion for the 75 schools visited during the Fall of 2017. A Proposed Priority List will be presented to the State Board of Education at its June 13, 2018 meeting. The acceptance of that list will initiate a 30 day appeal period. | More

More Dispatches | Press Releases | Priority Notices

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

ESEA Federal Programs to provide May sessions for program updates and technical assistance

As a result of feedback received from ESEA Coordinators and Title I Directors, the Maine Department of Education’s Federal Programs team will be providing updates and technical assistance at the following sessions scheduled at locations across the State during the month of May. | More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

Preparation for April Attending Student Report

The April Attending Student Report will be based on the SAUs attending students as of April 1^st and will be due by June 30, 2018.

It is expected that the report will be available mid to late April. Once it is ready, the Attending Report will be available in the Maine DOE’s NEO system within the student data link-under the student reports tab with the title “April Attending Student Report”.

Please continue to monitor future DOE updates in the Maine DOE Newsroom about instructions and webinars regarding this reporting requirement.

If you are unable to login to NEO, contact the Helpdesk 624-6896 for assistance.

If you have questions about the report please contact Travis Wood at 624-6742.

Repeal of Chapter 82 School Bus Driver Fitness Determination

The enacted repeal of Code of Maine Regulations 05-071 Chapter 82 School Bus Driver Fitness Determination became effective on March 25, 2018. Current motor vehicle laws provide substantial protections for public safety. The repeal supports local school districts in the selection and hiring of school bus drivers. This repeal effects those bus drivers hired by public schools. Public school bus drivers must still have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) with a school bus endorsement for school bus operation pursuant to Maine Motor Vehicle Statutes 29-A MRS § 2303.

More information regarding commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) and CDL endorsements including for school bus operation is available on the following Bureau of Motor Vehicle websites: http://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/licenses/commercialexam.html and http://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/forms/index.html

Date set for presentation of Major Capital Improvement Program priority list

Once the State Board has taken action after the scheduled meeting date, the Major Capital Improvement Program priority list will be posted on the Department’s website at: http://www.maine.gov/doe/facilities/construction/index.html

For further information, contact Maine DOE Director of School Construction Scott Brown at (207) 624-6883.

ESEA Federal Programs to provide May sessions for program updates and technical assistance

Technical assistance and program update sessions:

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Hampden Inn

768 Main Street,

Presque Isle, ME 04769

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Jeff’s Catering

15 Littlefield Way,

Brewer, ME 04412

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Thomas College

180 West River Road,

Waterville, ME 04901

Friday, May 4, 2018

Keeley’s Banquet Center

178 Warren Avenue

Portland, Maine 04103

Registration is required. Please register by April 20, 2018.

Please note: Due to the preparation required for each of the individualized sessions, registration is required to attend. Walk-ins will not be accepted.

Register here »

Download draft agenda »

Registration is now open through April 20, 2018.

Questions regarding changes to registered participants, availability to attend or general questions can be directed to Daniel Weeks, Maine Department of Education Title V Coordinator at (207) 624-6749 or via email: Daniel.r.weeks@maine.gov.

Edward Little High School teacher selected for Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship Program

High School teacher Erin Towns from Edward Little High School in Auburn, Maine has been selected as one of this year’s Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellows in recognition of her commitment to geographic education. The 2018 Fellows, a group of 40 highly respected educators from the United States and Canada, will embark on global expeditions on board the Lindblad Expedition ships for a hands-on experience for professional development.

Starting later this year, the 2018 Fellows will begin their 10 to 17 day expeditions to locations including the Canadian High Arctic, Antarctica, Southeast Alaska, Arctic Svalbard, Norway, Iceland, Greenland and the Galápagos Islands. Accompanied by Lindblad-National Geographic expedition experts, ranging from undersea specialists to National Geographic photographers, the Fellows will experience landscapes, cultures and wildlife unique to their regions of exploration.

For more information about Ms. Towns and the other fellows, check out the Grosvenor Teacher Fellows website.

Supports for Advanced Placement and College Board assessments

The reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015, removed previously designated funding to support subsidies for Advanced Placement assessments.

In collaboration with the Title I Committee of Practitioners, the Department has determined that setting aside an additional 3% of Title I funds (beyond the mandated 7% for School Improvement and 1% for State Administration) was not in the best interest of all Maine students. This approach would have removed funding from each Title I school district, making it more challenging to support students in need. Maine receives the minimum Title IV allocation from the federal government, therefore State level activity funds available under Section 4104 are also not sufficient to support all students currently enrolled in Advanced Placement courses (Section 1003A and Section 4104).

The Department encourages local education agencies look to federal funds awarded to them under Titles I and IV to support students taking Advanced Placement courses and examinations. Below are options available:

Under ESSA, locally received ESEA Title I federal funds can be utilized to support Advanced Placement courses and assessments in Title I schools for the appropriately identified population as outlined in a comprehensive needs assessment, SAU consolidated plans or schoolwide plans.
Similarly, local education agencies receiving an allocation of funding under Title IV, Part A of ESSA may also utilize funds to support the costs associated with access to accelerated learning opportunities. Section 1112(b)(12) & 1112 (b) (13) Section 1114(b) (7)(A) (iii)(II) Section 4107(a)(3)(D).

Should you have further questions, please contact Janette Kirk, Deputy Director, Office of Learning Systems at 624-6707 or Janette.Kirk@maine.gov.