Author: Maine DOE

Maine DOE Update – August 30, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

Beginning of School Year Checklist for Completing Reports

The following checklist is designed to assist districts with publicly funded students in completing required reporting.  | More

Graduation Reporting Due by September 15, 2018

The Graduation Module has opened in NEO so that School Administrative Unit staff can start entering graduation data. This module is used to calculate the graduation rates for the 2017/18 school year. It will also be used, in part, to determine supports for Maine public schools as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). | More

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News & Updates

Administrative Letter: New Requirements for Individualized Education Programs (IEP)

On April 14, 2018 in Administrative Letter #13, the Maine Department of Education announced new requirements for Individualized Education Programs (IEP) beginning on May 1, 2018. The purpose of the new requirements was to appropriately document certain services that are both educationally and medically necessary in accordance with both IDEA and Section 65 and Section 28 of the MaineCare Benefits Manual.  | More

Maine DOE Welcomes Students, Educators, and Staff Back to School

The Maine Department of Education would like to welcome students, educators, and staff back to school as they fill the halls, classrooms and campuses over the coming weeks. | More

State Finalists Announced for 2019 Maine Teacher of the Year

Three Maine teachers have been announced as State finalists for the 2019 Maine Teacher of the Year. The finalists were chosen from the 2018 Maine County Teachers of the Year honored earlier this year. | More

Further Certification Updates: Increase in Processing Times, and Temporary Change in Call Hours

The Certification team would like to thank the education field for their assistance in helping to reduce phone calls to the office. The reduction in calls over the past week has allowed the team to input substantially more applications into the system as well as processing applications currently in the system. | More

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Professional Development & Training Opportunities

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Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

Maine DOE Update – August 16, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

Student Health Data Needed for Nationwide Initiative

This notice is to inform all school administrators, school nurses and related staff of a new effort to collect and submit de-identified student health data to a nationwide initiative of National Association of School Nurses (NASN) entitled Every Student Counts™.   The goals of Every Student Counts™ are to develop a robust national school health data set that will influence local, state, and national student health policy, as well as identify best practices in school health | More

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News & Updates

Certification Updates

Please help share the following notice with all Maine educators. The Maine Department of Education has now received 10,000 renewal applications since releasing the new online certification system, Maine Educator Information System (MEIS), to educators in June. There are currently 3,000 of those applications in queue, with an approximate eight-week processing time. Approximately 70% of all Maine educators needing renewal have now applied. For those that have applied for renewal, it is important to note the following renewal procedure as outlined in Chapter 115 Part 1: | More

Child Sexual Abuse Implementation Support Materials Now Available

As part of a collaborative effort of the Maine Department of Education and the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MECASA), resources have been developed to support school systems in the implementation of the child sexual abuse prevention and response law, L.D. 1180 – An Act To Require Education in Public Preschool Programs and Elementary. | More

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Professional Development & Training Opportunities

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

The State of Maine announces the first round of competitive funding under the VW Environmental Mitigation Settlement Funds

Some public and private schools may have school buses eligible for Maine’s Volkswagen (VW) settlement allocation.  The U.S. District Court in Northern California approved a partial consent decree to settle allegations that VW had installed defective devices on 2.0 and 3.0-liter diesel vehicles sold or leased in the United States.  Maine’s VW settlement allocation totals just over $21 million dollars.  Individuals and entities that have an interest in applying for Maine VW Environmental Mitigation Settlement funds are encouraged to submit a completed application.

Key Points

  • Round one application due date is September 15, 2018
  • Eligible school buses include 2009 engine model year or older and class 4 school buses
  • Applicants for funding must use the fillable application form available at:  https://www1.maine.gov/mdot/vw/application/
  • Maine anticipates several application rounds for competitive Appendix D-2 qualifying actions.  Approximately $2million will be distributed to qualifying proponents during round 1; however, the State of Maine reserves the option to adjust the total distribution based on applications received.
  • Decision criteria are included in the application.

Maine Department of Transportation (DOT) is the lead State agency for Maine’s VW settlement.  If you have any questions, please contact Maine Department of Transportation’s Judy Gates by email at Judy.Gates@maine.gov , or visit Maine’s VW settlement website: http://www.maine.gov/mdot/vw/  for more information.

Maine DOE Update – August 2, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

Annual Audit Requirements

Pursuant to Title 20-A MRSA 6051 §4, statements of assurance and Maine Education Financial System reconciliations are due to the Department by November 1, 2018. | More

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

Anticipated Timeline for Release of Maine Education Assessment (MEA) Results

The anticipated date for providing confidential Maine Education Assessment (MEA) results to districts for review is October 8, 2018. | More

Maine Schools/School Approval FAQs Now Available

The Maine Department Education has posted a Maine Schools/School Approval FAQs  document on the Maine DOE Public School Approval webpage to addresses questions about public school approval 2018-2019 and further assist schools in the approval process for 2018-2019. | More

Clarification of the Process for Addressing Complaints of Discrimination

The Maine Department of Education would like to clarify the process for addressing complaints of discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin. | More

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Professional Development & Training Opportunities

IBPA Bullying Prevention Through SEL and Kindness Summit – August 17 in Augusta

The International Bullying Prevention Association (IBPA) is partnering with the Maine Department of Education to provide a one-day summit to address bullying prevention through social and emotional learning and kindness. | More

Understanding Maine DOE Data: A Workshop for School and District Leaders

Are you a school or district leader that wonders why the Department collects certain data sets and what they are used for? Get the answer to this question and more by attending a workshops led by Paula Gravelle of School Finance and Charlotte Ellis of the Data Team. These are targeted sessions for school and district leaders, they will be about data use and policy, not data entry. | More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

Maine DOE Update – July 26, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

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News & Updates

Special Statement about Proficiency Based Diplomas (L.D. 1666)

Following the passage of L.D. 1666: An Act To Ensure the Successful Implementation of Proficiency-based Diplomas, the Department is in the process of conducting a legal review to understand the changes that come with the passage of L.D. 1666, and will be working to determine how best to support schools going forward. | More

Maine DOE Legislative Summary Available

The Maine Department of Education has prepared a summary of major laws related to education enacted by the Second Regular Session of the 128th Maine Legislature. This information may prove helpful to educators when planning for the 2018-9 school year. | More

Further Work Permit Application Revisions

The Maine Department of Labor’s (MDOL) State of Maine Work Permit application has been revised as of 07/19/18. This additional change, since the most recent update about the work permit process, was necessary in order to protect certain Personally Identifiable Information (PII).  In addition to this change, a second document must now be submitted along with the Work Permit. | More

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Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Schedule for Computer Science Day Now Available

Please plan to join us in Augusta for Computer Science Day at the Capital on August 13th from 9am to 4pm, hosted by Maine DOE, the Maine State Library, Project Login, and Maine Math and Science Alliance. Students, educators and businesses can all benefit from exploring how computer science skills can be learned in formal and informal learning settings, and how those skills can be applied in current and future jobs in Maine. | More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

Maine DOE Update – July 19, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

Important Update About NEO Accountability Report and Certification

This year the Department launched the NEO Accountability Report and Certification reports which were created to assist with data reporting for assessment and accountability.  These reports were meant to be used by districts and schools ahead of time to validate data for students who need to be assessed, allowing for a clean data set to be sent to for assessment and accountability reporting, and no cleanup and validation necessary in the fall. | More

Administrative Letter: 2018-2019 Maine Schools/Public School Approval Now Open

In accordance with 20-A M.R.S. Chapter 206 and Maine Department of Education (DOE) Rule Chapter 125, to maintain continued approval status for the school administrative unit and all schools within it, the superintendent shall submit timely completed annual school reports to the Commissioner, including the annual approval report for the unit and for each school in the unit certifying progress on the Comprehensive Education Plan. | More

Administrative Letter: 2018-2019 Private School Approval, NEO Maine Schools, and Staff Now Open

In accordance with 20-A M.R.S. Chapter 117, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) requires private schools seeking approval status to be approved annually.

Private schools seeking approval status must enter required organization and staff information into the NEO information system and submit their annual school approval report. Related documentation should be submitted to Maine DOE’s School Enrollment/Approval Specialist, either electronically or by mail. The NEO requirements need not be completed prior to the submission of the annual report; however, school approval will not be issued until the NEO information is complete and verified. | More

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

2018-19 Enacted ED279 Subsidy Printouts Now Available

FY 2018-2019 ED 279 subsidy printouts are now available on the Maine Department of Education website. | More

ESEA Federal Fund Manual Extension Changes

The Maine Department of Education’s ESEA Federal Programs Team is providing an update regarding the requesting of manual extensions for ESEA Federal funds. | More

McKinney-Vento Sub-grant Program for the Education of Homeless Children Now Available

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 SAUs seeking to develop, implement, or expand programs that improve the academic success of students identified as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act. | More

Maine DOE Announces Award for Management of Assistive Technology

The Maine Department of Education is pleased to announce that Maine CITE Coordinating Center has been awarded a grant to provide management of assistive technology (AT) services under the federal Assistive Technology Act of 2004 (ATA). | More

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Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Understanding Maine DOE Data: A Workshop for School and District Leaders

Are you a school or district leader that wonders why the Department collects certain data sets and what they are used for? Get the answer to this question and more by attending a workshops led by Paula Gravelle of School Finance and Charlotte Ellis of the Data Team. These are targeted sessions for school and district leaders, they will be about data use and policy, not data entry. | More

New School Nurse Orientation Registration

If you hired a new nurse for your school over the summer be sure to encourage them to attend the New School Nurse Orientation, a specialized program designed to help nurses transition into the educational setting. | More

Register Now for Computer Science Day on August 13

The Maine Department of Education, Maine State Library, Project Login, and Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance are partnering to host Computer Science Day this summer. We’ll explore how computer science skills can be learned in formal and informal learning settings, and how those skills can be applied in current and future jobs in Maine. We hope to create more connections, partnerships, collaboration, and access to resources between educators, students, non-profits and businesses.| More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

Maine DOE Update – July 12, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

Updates and FAQs Regarding New Online Certification System

The Department’s certification team is fielding more than 500 calls a day and wait times can be significant. Many of the questions asked via phone have been addressed in the “Things to Know/Frequently Asked Questions” below in this notification.  In addition to the FAQ, please be sure to use the resources available on the Certification Webpage to help reduce the amount of calls for both wait time purposes and to enable the team to process additional applications. | More

PRIORITY NOTICE: Regionalization Grant Opportunity Now Available – Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services (FEDES)

The State of Maine is seeking proposals for a grant opportunity through the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services to assist in financing the cost of local and regional initiatives to improve educational opportunity and student achievement through more efficient delivery of educational programs and services. | More

Updates on the RFP for the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services (FEDES)

Last week the State of Maine issued RFP#201806118, which offers a grant funding opportunity through the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services (FEDES). An amendment to the RFP was posted on the State of Maine Division of Procurement Services website that includes additional requirements regarding applicant eligibility for subsequent grants under FEDES in accordance with Maine DOE Rule Chapter 122, Section 6, 2. | More

Important Work Permit Process Updates

In an effort to best protect data considered Personally Identifiable Information (PII), the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Bureau of Labor Standards is making slight adjustments to the work permit process effective immediately.| More

Maine DOE Helpdesk to Implement Ticketing System

In an effort to better serve Maine districts and schools, the Maine Department of Education’s Data Helpdesk is implementing a ticketing system. | More

Commissioner’s Conference Highlights and Feedback Survey

On June 27th and 28th the Maine Department of Education held the 107th Commissioners Conference at the Augusta Civic Center. District administrators and stakeholders state-wide attended to participate in and attend sessions on a range of topics including Career and Technical Education, Student Behavior and Student Health, Educator Workforce, Certification, Regionalization, ESSA and School Improvement, Priorities and Goals of the Department and more. | More

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Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Maine DOE Data Management Systems Summer Training

Maine Department of Education is holding their annual summer training.  The training focus this year will be on tips and resources to assist districts with their data reporting and viewing/certifying their reports.  This has been a challenging year for those in the field as well as the Department with a new Student Information System, Synergy, and several new data reporting requirements.  Our session this year will be focused on sharing resources to assist districts with the data tasks required. | More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

Maine DOE Update – June 28, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

NEO Accountability Report and Certification Webinar Recording and FAQ

The Maine Department of Education held a webinar on June 21 to Review the NEO Accountability Report and certification requirements. The recording is available for anyone who was unable to participate in the webinar. | More

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

PRIORITY NOTICE: Maine DOE Certification Office Eliminates Walk-in Appointments Effective July 9, 2018

As part of the Maine Department of Education’s goal of ensuring accurate and efficient educator credentialing, we are asking educators to manage their Maine teacher credentials electronically. The Department is transitioning to the new online certification system, and effective July 9, 2018, the Certification office will eliminate walk-in office hours in order to increase productivity and better serve the tens of thousands of educators in the State of Maine. | More

Seeking comments for proposed Rule Chapter 13: Qualifying Examinations for Teachers, Educational Specialists and Administrators

Rulemaking for Chapter 13: Qualifying Examinations for Teacher, Educational Specialists and Administrators been filed as a proposed routine technical rule. A hearing date and comment period have been scheduled. | More

MeCAS Test Dates for 2018-2019 School Year Are Now Available

This announcement is intended to assist students, parents, schools and districts as they plan their school and district calendars for the 2018-2019 school year.| More

Math4ME Accomplishments and Update

The Maine Department of Education’s Office of Special Services is pleased to report the accomplishments of the Math4Maine (Math4ME) project, and announce plans for scaling up. Currently, the initiative is concluding the second year of implementation and planning for year-3. | More

FY19 ESEA Application and 2017-2018 Performance Report Now Open for Submission

The 2018-2019 Elementary and Secondary Education Act Consolidated Application for funds (FY19 ESEA Application) and 2017-2018 Performance Report are now open for completion and submission. ESEA Coordinators are encouraged to review each page of the application/performance report and contact the assigned Regional ESEA Team Member at the Maine DOE with any questions regarding the application. | More

RSU 2 Coordinator of Student Achievement Named Maine’s 2018 Curriculum Leader of the Year

RSU 2 Coordinator of Student Achievement, Matthew Shea has been named Maine’s 2018 Curriculum Leader of the Year. Shea was nominated by his Superintendent, Bill Zima and curriculum leaders outside his district. | More

More Dispatches | Press Releases | Priority Notices

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities