It has been a great honor to serve students and schools as the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Education for the past two and a half years. In that time, we’ve made incredible progress in moving from plan to practice our Education Evolving strategic plan to restructure Maine’s education system around our students. Continue reading “A letter from Commissioner Bowen: A new opportunity”
Category: Instruction
What does approved ESEA waiver mean for your school?
On Monday, we announced that the U.S. Department of Education has approved Maine’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) waiver.
Maine earned the waiver – which can be viewed at www.maine.gov/doe/accountability – because we developed an ambitious yet achievable plan to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps and increase the quality of instruction. As a result, Maine will cut in half the percentage of non-proficient students at each school over the next six years. Continue reading “What does approved ESEA waiver mean for your school?”
Race to the Top district competition seeks peer reviewers
The U.S. Department of Education has announced a second Race to the Top district grant competition and is looking for qualified individuals to serve as peer reviewers. This competition will build on the success of past Race to the Top competitions and support bold, locally directed improvements in learning and teaching that will directly improve student achievement and educator effectiveness.
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What does a Common Core classroom look like?
Trying to paint a picture for your parents, school board members or community leaders of what school looks like with the new standards in math and English language arts?
Continue reading “What does a Common Core classroom look like?”
Successful schools use data to focus improvement efforts
Last week I had the privilege of attending the 21st Annual Model Schools Conference down in Washington, D.C. Put on by the International Center for Leadership in Education, this year’s conference provided teachers and educational leaders, including many from Maine, with practical ideas for increasing student achievement and ensuring college and career readiness in an age of declining resources and higher standards.
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Law provides educator evaluation and support system development guidance in absence of rule
As many of you know, since LD 1858, “An Act To Ensure Effective Teaching and School Leadership,” was enacted in April 2012, the Department has been working to establish rules to guide you in your local development of the now required teacher and principal evaluation and support systems.
It is with great frustration that I report to you that while the 125th Legislature unanimously supported this initiative to implement a fair, meaningful educator evaluation system, legislators this session have failed to reach consensus – specifically around fulfilling the law’s directive that measurements of student learning and growth be a significant factor in the determination of the rating of an educator. As a result, the Department will need to start the process of adopting Chapter 180 over again in the fall in order to submit a provisionally adopted rule to the Legislature in January 2014. Continue reading “Law provides educator evaluation and support system development guidance in absence of rule”
State awards Lewiston’s Montello Elementary $1.8 million for school improvement
The funding from the Maine Department of Education will help transform the struggling school and increase student proficiency, teacher effectiveness and community engagement
LEWISTON – Montello Elementary School will use $1.8 million in new State support to improve student proficiency by double-digit percentages, enhance teacher effectiveness and better engage the community.
The Maine Department of Education announced its award Thursday to the struggling Lewiston school, which joins 10 others across the state – including the Governor James B. Longley School also in Lewiston – that have received significant funding since 2010 through the federal School Improvement Grant program (SIG) to initiate intensive reforms that advance student achievement.
Continue reading “State awards Lewiston’s Montello Elementary $1.8 million for school improvement”
Register for Agriculture in the Classroom Institute
UPDATE: Openings are still available for the Maine Agriculture in the Classroom’s “Summer Teacher’s Institute,” held July 29–Aug. 2.
PreK through grade 12 teachers interested in topics related to agriculture are invited to attend Maine Agriculture in the Classroom’s (MAITC’s) “Summer Teacher’s Institute” from July 29–Aug. 2 in Presque Isle.
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Commissioner Bowen to address Rockland Kiwanis Monday
ROCKPORT – Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen will speak to the Rockland Kiwanis Club Monday about his department’s commitment to seeing all Maine students leave school college and career ready.
In his remarks as the guest speaker at the June 10 lunchtime Kiwanis meeting at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, Commissioner Bowen will share how the Maine Department of Education is increasingly a resource to districts in developing and deploying the best practices that ensure educator effectiveness and high student achievement.
Continue reading “Commissioner Bowen to address Rockland Kiwanis Monday”
Education Department supports schools with new improvement webinar series
AUGUSTA – As educators look to better support student success following the release of the state’s new letter grades, the Maine Department of Education is offering a series of school improvement webinars.
The one-hour webinars begin this Thursday and are free for educators.
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Maine DOE Newsroom 