The Maine DOE will accept applications for funding of school renovation projects through the School Revolving Renovation Fund. The Department will be able to approve approximately $10 million in SRRF loans. A portion of each loan will be considered a grant and will be forgiven, and the remaining portion will be paid back over five or 10 years at zero percent interest.
Category: Funding
Tentative IDEA Part B Local Entitlement allocations available
The tentative Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B Local Entitlement allocations for the 2016 fiscal year are available here on the Maine DOE’s Office of Special Services website. Preschool fund awards are still being determined. Final award notices will be sent in the coming weeks at which time the Local Entitlement applications will be opened for completion.
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Competitive Skills Scholarship Program now accepting applications
The Competitive Skills Scholarship Program, designed to help Maine residents learn new skills and succeed in a changing economy, is currently accepting applications.
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Commissioner’s Update – June 4, 2015
From the Maine Department of Education
Maine’s top Career & Technical Education students were honored as students of the year recently at a ceremony at the Lewiston Regional Technical Center.
It was a great night to celebrate the best CTE students in Maine. Twenty six centers were represented. State School Board Chair, Peter Geiger, indicated that it was the best celebration for students he has seen. Senator Brian Langley, Education Committee Chair, was also impressed and gave the audience a superb presentation with his remarks aligned to CTE in Maine.
Each of the 26 students was presented with an award certificate and two received scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each at the event sponsored by the Maine Administrators of Career & Technical Education (MACTE).
Notices and Reporting
- End-of-Year Student Enrollment Responsibilites, due June 30
- End-of-Year Behavior Reporting, due June 30
- End-of-Year Special Education Exit Reporting, due June 30
- End-of-Year Truancy Incident Reporting, due June 30
- Aggregate Daily Attendance / Membership Reporting, due June 30
- End-of-Year MEDMS Staff Data, due June 30
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News & Views
FFA students celebrate accomplishments at 85th annual state convention
Secondary and middle school students in the Maine FFA Association (formerly known as “Future Farmers of America”) celebrated numerous accomplishments during the annual state convention held on May 14-15 at the University of Maine. | More
Data training sessions announced
There are many changes coming in the 2015-16 school year. In order that accurate student and staff data is reported to the Maine DOE, it is important that the appropriate staff attend one (or more) of these training sessions. | More
Learning Disability Report (LDR) form guidance
In a letter dated February 23, 2015, the United States Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services directed the Maine DOE to issue guidance clarifying the use of the Learning Disability Report (LDR) form. | More
Office of Special Services notice of changes in special education forms
The Maine DOE Office of Special Services has revised the forms listed below. Revised forms are to be used effective August 1, 2015. | More
Maine DOE provides assistance for Civil Rights Data Collection to districts
The Maine DOE is offering some assistance to local districts who are working to comply with the U.S. Department of Education’s Civil Rights Data Collection. | More
Fact sheet highlights academic performance and student health risk
A newly available one-page fact sheet on the relationship between Academic Performance and Student Health Risks is available. | More
School and workplace violence training Aug 19-20
The National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA) and the Brewer Police Department will host a two-day training event on school and workplace violence on Aug 19-20 in Brewer. | More
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Commissioner’s Update – May 21, 2015
From the Maine Department of Education
On Monday May 18 the legislature’s Joint Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs held a work session on LD 695 “An Act To Empower Parents in the Education of Their Children by Allowing an Opt-out from Standardized Assessments.” The end result was that 11 of the 13 committee members voted not to force local school districts to inform parents of their right to opt-out of statewide assessment. Two of the eleven voted to pass a version of the bill without that requirement. The bill now goes to the Maine House and Senate.
Discussion of the bill included a lot of information regarding the legal aspects of this potential action. This included legal opinions from attorneys with both the Office of the Maine Attorney General and the legislature’s Office of Policy and Legal Analysis.
Both attorneys advised the committee that parents and students have a right to not take the standardized statewide assessment. No one is going to force a child to sit and take the test. They do not, however, have a right to be shielded from the consequences of that act which could range from action by the school district or loss of federal funding for the school. Local school districts in Maine have the authority under state law to place requirements on students and not award a diploma if the student does not meet these requirements. This could include things such as community service, a senior year graduation exam, or participation in statewide or local assessments.
Notices and Reporting
- FY16 Perkins Grant Application – Maine Community College System, due May 29 (Reminder)
- FY16 Perkins Grant Application – CTE Regions and Centers, due June 15 (Reminder)
- FY15 Perkins Performance Report (Annual Progress), due June 30 (Reminder)
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News & Views
Annual MLTI student technology conference brings 1000+ to UMaine Thursday
Over 1,000 students and educators will bring their Maine Department of Education provided digital devices to UMaine on Thursday for a one-day conference. | More
Maine DOE announces teacher leadership summit
The Maine DOE is promoting the Elevating and Celebrating Effective Teaching and Teachers (ECET2) summit at Colby College in Waterville on August 6-7. | More
Hiring standards for school nutrition program directors take effect July 1
Beginning July 1 school nutrition program directors will be required to meet new hiring standards as a result of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) recent ruling establishing national professional standards for all school nutrition employees. | More
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Commissioner’s Update – May 14, 2015
From the Maine Department of Education
LD 131 “An Act To Amend the Laws Related to Public Funding of Charter Schools” was signed May 8, 2015 by Governor LePage. Under the new law Maine DOE will make monthly payments directly to approved public charter schools starting in FY16, the same way the Department has long distributed funds to traditional public school districts.
Currently, districts that lose students to public charter schools are billed directly by the receiving charter school. The Maine DOE will provide financial relief to traditional school units since they no longer must include these payments in their annual budgets.
The new funding method will relieve the unpredictable financial impact of charters to individual (sending) districts and was overwhelmingly supported by leaders of Maine’s school districts, including the 100 or so that now have at least one student enrolled in one of the state’s five bricks-and-mortar charter schools or the virtual Maine Connections Academy. The change also allows Maine to move beyond the divisive debate about charter school funding and refocus on how to create opportunities for students to be most successful at Maine public schools, whether they be charters or traditional.
Notices and Reporting
- SPPS Report on Transition to a Proficiency-Based System, due July 1 (Reminder)
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News & Views
First Lady LePage, Acting Education Commissioner announce 2015 County Teachers of the Year
First Lady Ann LePage and Acting Education Commissioner Tom Desjardin marked Teacher Appreciation Week by announcing the top teacher from each Maine county. | More
Maine Department of Education pledges additional funding to support autism resource, research institute
The Maine Department of Education is committing over $150,000 to continue the work of the state’s first autism institute. | More
Department seeks feedback on ESEA waiver renewal
The Maine DOE is seeking feedback on Maine’s proposed Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Waiver Renewal application. | More
Alternate assessment for math, ELA closing May 15
The deadline to submit the National Center and State Collaborative Alternate Assessment (NCSC), used to assess students with the most significant cognitive disabilities in mathematics and English language arts is this Friday, May 15. | More
Maine DOE joins library advocates in Washington, D.C. for National Library Legislative Day
Last week the Maine DOE was represented along with hundreds of library supporters in Washington, D.C. to speak with their legislators about the importance of libraries. | More
Notice to 30th annual school wellness conference applicants; due date extended to May 29
If your school submitted an application for the 30th Annual Maine Schoolsite Health Promotion Program “Wellness” Conference to the Maine DOE but has not yet received a confirmation please contact the Department. | More
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Governor LePage signs charter school funding fix
LD 131 “An Act To Amend the Laws Related to Public Funding of Charter Schools” was signed May 8, 2015 by Governor LePage. Under the new law Maine DOE will make monthly payments directly to approved public charter schools starting in FY16, the same way the Department has long distributed funds to traditional public school districts.
Continue reading “Governor LePage signs charter school funding fix”
Maine Department of Education pledges additional funding to support autism resource, research institute
The funding will allow the Orono-based Maine Autism Institute for Education and Research to improve outcomes for the thousands of children in the state with autism spectrum disorder
AUGUSTA – The Maine Department of Education is committing over $150,000 to continue the work of the state’s first autism institute.
Commissioner’s Update – May 7, 2015
From the Maine Department of Education
The Maine DOE will continue school site visits into June to provide targeted technical assistance for proficiency-based extension options five and six.
Visits to schools that were granted an extension five or six are providing valuable information about the types of supports needed by districts to sustain the transition to proficiency-based education and reflects the deep commitment of districts to student-centered learning.
The Maine DOE will release information about the 2015 renewal process for extensions soon. Last year’s extension applications provided a clear picture of the status of districts implementation of proficiency-based education to date. District extension applications can be viewed on the Maine DOE website. The Maine DOE anticipates a dramatically streamlined renewal process for spring 2015.
The Maine DOE plans to convene extension option six schools as a group in June to provide targeted supports for the implementation of proficiency-based diplomas. This convening is in lieu of a second site visit. More information about this event will be sent to districts in the coming weeks.
Notices and Reporting
- FY16 Perkins Grant Application – Maine Community College System, due May 29
- FY16 Perkins Grant Application – CTE Regions and Centers, due June 15
- FY15 Perkins Performance Report (Annual Progress), due June 30
More Notices | Administrative Letters | Reporting Calendar
News & Views
Nominations open for MAHPERD Teachers of the Year
Nominations are open for the Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (MAHPERD) Teachers of the Year awards. | More
New technology awards announced, nominations open through June 1
The Association for Computer Technology Educators of Maine (ACTEM) announced their REBOOTED and REIMAGINED awards, open to innovative educators at all grade levels that have a direct impact on student learning. | More
Schoolwide program funding involving local entitlement funds
Schools that have been granted schoolwide program status under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) are required to submit a budget showing funding sources for their activities. | More
Special services invoicing procedure for state agency clients
Under MUSER §IV.4.E(3), the Maine DOE is responsible for the costs of special education services provided to state agency clients and pays those costs directly to the providing agency or person. | More
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Special services invoicing procedure for state agency clients
Under MUSER §IV.4.E(3), the Maine DOE is responsible for the costs of special education services provided to state agency clients and pays those costs directly to the providing agency or person.
The Maine DOE, however, is not in the best position to assess whether invoices for such services are properly payable, i.e., they request payment for services of a kind and in an amount specified in the student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP).
Beginning July 1 all of the Department’s contracts with agencies and persons providing special education services will stipulate that invoices are to be sent to the school administrative unit (SAU) responsible for the student. The SAU will review those invoices to determine whether they are properly payable as described, and will forward to the Maine DOE any invoice which the SAU finds is properly payable.
The special education administrator will sign each such invoice signifying that the invoice has been reviewed and approved for payment. Invoices should be scanned and emailed to Beth Vieta at beth.vieta@maine.gov.
Any questions concerning an invoice should be resolved by the SAU with the agency or person submitting the invoice.
For more information or if you have questions about this issue, please contact Jonathan Braff at the Maine DOE at jonathan.braff@maine.gov or 624-6671.
Maine DOE Newsroom 