From the Maine Department of Education
News & Updates
Celebrating ‘Arts in Our Schools’ Month in March
Each March, Maine schools fill with music, color, and stories. Families gather for concerts. Hallways become galleries. Stages come alive with student performances. Arts in Our Schools Month, alongside other statewide and national observances—including Maine Youth Art Month, Music in Our Schools Month, and Theatre in Our Schools Month—gives us a chance to celebrate that work. | More
School Interest Form for Third Annual ‘I Belong’ Youth Summit Due by April 1
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education, in collaboration with the Transition Maine Regional Transition Collaborative Fellows, invites you to save the date for the third annual “I Belong” Youth Summit, to be held at Central Maine Community College in Auburn on May 21, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. A school interest form is available for those planning to bring students to the event. | More
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is seeking outdoor learning stories from educators, administrators, and school staff to share during National Environmental Education Week from April 20-24, 2026. | More
From March 9-11, 2026, school safety and transportation professionals from across Maine gathered at the Samoset Resort in Rockport for the annual Maine School Safety and Transportation Conference, hosted by the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Maine School Safety Center (MSSC). | More
On February 27, 2026, approximately 20 educators gathered at the University of Maine at Machias for part of a new professional learning series, “Building Strong Foundations: Early Numeracy.” This initiative, presented by the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Office of Teaching and Learning, in partnership with the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance (MMSA), is designed for pre-K–grade 2 educators to transform how early mathematics is taught and experienced. It aligns with Maine’s statewide Action Plan to strengthen early and foundational numeracy learning. | More
STEAM PowerED Maine Ignites Creative Collaboration at Augusta Kickoff
What happens when creativity becomes the driving force of professional learning? That question sparked the inspiration behind STEAM PowerED Maine, a dynamic partnership between the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Office of Teaching and Learning and Creative Generation. | More
Reminder: Later Secondary School Start Time Planning Grant Applications Due March 30
Pursuant to S.P. 182, L.D. 396, Resolve 2025, Chapter 110, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) is now accepting applications for a competitive, one-time funding opportunity for Maine school administrative units (SAUs) that are interested in collaborating to change school start times so that secondary schools begin at 8:30 a.m. or later. | More
Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories
Since its establishment in 2005, the Piscataquis Valley Adult Education Cooperative (PVAEC) has been dedicated to expanding educational opportunities for residents across central and northern Maine. Serving RSU 68, AOS 94, MSAD 4, and MSAD 41 — a region encompassing 29 towns and more than 800 square miles across Piscataquis and northern Penobscot Counties — PVAEC continues to play a vital role in strengthening Maine’s rural workforce. | More
At first glance, the Alternative Education Program at Kennebunk High School (KHS) might look different from the traditional high school classroom. Students may be weatherizing a historic barn, building the foundation for their future business, or collaborating with local organizations—but they are still meeting the academic standards required to receive the same high school diploma as their peers. The difference is how they get there. | More
When Sanford Regional Technical Center (SRTC) agriculture instructor Jennifer Coverdale wants to contact AHN Landscaping, the response usually comes from her own student, Noelle Dennis. Dennis is a junior in SRTC’s agriculture program and, by most measures, a full business partner in her family’s landscaping company. | More
Submit good news to the Maine Department of Education here.
Professional Learning/Training Opportunities
As spring arrives across Maine, bringing longer days and renewed energy to classrooms, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Office of Teaching and Learning is inviting educators to participate in a new professional learning opportunity focused on multi-genre storytelling, literacy, and the rich histories of local communities. | More
During the summer of 2026, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) will once again offer comprehensive training on the use of its For ME instructional programs. The Maine DOE has adapted and piloted these programs for early elementary grades (pre-K through grade 2), based on the Boston Public Schools’ evidence-based Focus Curriculum. These open-source, developmentally appropriate programs are interdisciplinary and align with Maine’s learning standards. | More
View the Maine Department of Education’s Events Calendar here.
Maine DOE Newsroom 