The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Office of Teaching and Learning invites educators from across the state to apply for the 2026 Literacy and Numeracy Summer Institute, entitled “The Science of Learning: Building Literate & Numerate Minds.” This three-day, in-person professional learning experience will take place June 29–July 1 at the College of the Atlantic (COA) in Bar Harbor. Applications close May 6.
Designed for public school teachers, instructional coaches, administrators, and specialists across all grade levels and content areas, this immersive institute brings together educators committed to strengthening interdisciplinary approaches to literacy and numeracy. Participants will engage in deep content learning, collaborative inquiry, and the design of practical, classroom-ready instructional experiences.
Participants will learn within and from local environments, including community gardens, the iconic Beatrix Farrand Gardens, the Dorr Museum of Natural History, Allied Whale, COA’s greenhouses and learning labs, the intertidal zone, and the broader Bar Harbor community. Through these experiences, educators will explore high-impact instructional practices, examine ways to connect content to students’ lives and communities, and contribute to a statewide effort to advance meaningful, integrated learning across Maine classrooms.
Expectations of Participants
Educators selected for the institute will:
- Attend the full three-day, in-person experience
- Engage in keynote sessions and interactive workshops led by experts in literacy and numeracy education
- Collaborate with peers to deepen their understanding of evidence-informed, interdisciplinary literacy and numeracy practices
Apply Now
Applications are open until May 6 at 5:00 p.m. All applicants will be notified by Thursday, May 14. Space is limited, and the Maine DOE will prioritize a cohort representing a diverse range of grade levels, geographic regions, and content areas across the state.
Please use this link to apply.
For more information or questions, please contact Interdisciplinary Instruction Specialist Heather Martin at heather.martin@maine.gov.
Title II funds received from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) support the implementation of this project. The project has an award totaling 156,494.00, of which 52% is federally funded and directly attributed to project implementation. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, ED or the U.S. government.
Maine DOE Newsroom 