The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Maine Learning through Technology Initiative (MLTI) is pleased to announce the release of the spring application of the #TeachWithTech grant. This grant is available to all MLTI school districts to provide supplemental technology and related professional learning to support innovative teaching and learning with technology. This program aims to provide funding opportunities to educators who want to bring technology into their schools in ways that are innovative, impactful, and intriguing.
A few examples of eligible technology include:
3D Printing
Video Production Equipment
Audio / Podcasting Equipment
Robotics & Coding Kits
Drones
Digital Microscopes & Doc Cameras
Specialized cameras (GoPro, 360, etc.)
And so much more!
This grant is designed to offer supplemental technology that is not already provided through the MLTI program; device applications will not be considered. Instead, districts are encouraged to think about innovative learning through technology and submit an application to invest in technology that will create transformative learning experiences for students and supplement the devices already provided through MLTI.
Priority will be given to applicants who:
Focus on the greatest student impact.
Serve socioeconomically disadvantaged school districts.
Prioritize student populations traditionally underrepresented in technology.
Demonstrate a commitment to pursuing high-quality teaching and learning through technology.
Show a commitment to effective implementation and long-term success.
We’ve streamlined the application and reporting process to create more ease every step of the way. Applications will be reviewed as they come in and awardees will be notified once the evaluation is complete.
Interested, but not sure where to start? Register for a Q&A session, check out our FAQ, and connect with the Maine DOE’s Learning Through Technology team to learn more.
Register for a Q&A session via the links in the “Important Dates” section below.
In February, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Interdisciplinary Instruction Team celebrates the love of the question by hosting a course called Question, Reflect, Repeat:Introduction to the Question Formulation Technique. In collaboration with the Right Question Institute, the Maine DOE is hosting a three-week asynchronous course on the Question Formulation Technique (QFT). The QFT is a questioning strategy that:
Facilitates student curiosity and engagement
Helps students build confidence to ask questions and become empowered to seek answers
Improves student questions that support deeper learning
Improves the skills and strategies students need beyond the classroom
Some of the Learning Goals for this course are:
Understand the what, how, and why behind the QFT
Identify best practices for effective ways to design, facilitate, and adapt the QFT for specific purposes, including interdisciplinary and conceptual learning
Create, revise, and implement a plan for using the QFT in your own setting
On February 29th, the asynchronous portion of the course begins as we leap into the love of questions. On March 5th, there is a Zoom kick-off webinar from 3:30-4:30pm. The live webinar is an active, collaborative, experiential learning experience that lays important groundwork for the rest of the course. If possible, please arrange to attend live. If this is not feasible, the webinar will be recorded and available 24 hours after.
For more information on this course, please contact Jaime Beal, Interdisciplinary Instruction Specialist at jaime.beal@maine.gov
This opportunity is a collaboration between the Maine Online Open-Source Education (MOOSE) project and the Interdisciplinary Instruction Team. The MOOSE project is funded entirely (100%) through Federal money under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA) and American Rescue Plan (ARP) totaling $4,598,000 for the current 2023-2024 funding cycle.
Join the Maine Curriculum Leaders Association (MCLA) for a spring conference, “From Obstacles to Opportunities: The Power of Learning!”
The conference features keynote speaker Trevor Ragan, the founder of The Learner Lab, along with various discussions on three key areas as leaders:
Why learning matters
Identifying the individual and group obstacles that can limit learning
Development and exploring the tools to help us overcome these obstacles
In the afternoon the conference will host a series of roundtable discussions focused on various topics including multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), literacy, growth mindset, and more!
MCLA Spring Conference: From Obstacles to Opportunities: The Power of Learning April 8, 2024 Hilton Garden Inn Freeport Learn more and register here
Please join the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education, Education Services for Blind and Visually Impaired Children, and Catholic Charities Maine for a joint presentation about how to become a teacher of students with visual impairments or an orientation and mobility specialist.
Do you have a Bachelor’s Degree? Would you like a free Master’s degree? Do you enjoy working with children? Do you like variety in your job settings and enjoy travel? Are you looking to expand your professional skills? If you answered yes to these questions…
Please join us for a webinar to learn more about becoming a teacher of students with visual impairment or an orientation and mobility specialist.
Tuesday, January 30th 4:00 – 5:00 pm Held virtually via Zoom – Register here
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. This webinar will be recorded for you to view at your convenience.
For additional information or questions please contact Amanda Castner at amanda.castner@maine.gov.
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is pleased to announce the release of two requests for proposals (RFP) as required by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), to award multi-year funding to eligible agencies for the provision of WIOA Title II Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) 231 services and the provision of WIOA Title II Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) Section 243, Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education/Integrated Education and Training (IELCE).
It is the purpose of Maine Adult Education under WIOA to provide adult education and literacy services that align with the goals in the State of Maine Unified Plan and encourage the growth of educational opportunities and, where applicable, to ensure career, citizenship, and college readiness for all Maine adults (Maine Education and School Statutes 20-A, 8601).
Signed into law in 2014, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requires the alignment of workforce, education, and economic development systems to support access to high-quality, comprehensive, and accessible workforce services for all individuals, including those with significant barriers to employment. Title II of WIOA retains and expands the purposes of the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA), which aims to help adults, including immigrants, acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to obtain employment, become full partners in the educational development of their children, improve economic opportunities for their family, and aid in the transition to postsecondary education and training.
The request for proposal (RFP), which includes information regarding eligibility, program requirements, and more, is available here.
Below is the anticipated timeline for the Department’s current AEFLA grant competitions:
Deadline for Submission of Questions in Response to RFP
February 9, 2024
January 25, 2024
Proposal Deadline
March 7, 2024
February 29, 2024
Grant Award Notifications
May 2024
May 2024
Grant Award Start Date
July 2024
July 2024
Please be advised that the dates above are subject to change. Interested organizations must consult the RFP document for the most accurate dates and deadlines regarding this opportunity.
For more information on AEFLA 231 and 243 , contact State Adult Education Director Megan Dichter at megan.dichter@maine.gov.
Maine school administrative units (SAUs) may apply for major capital school construction projects through the application posted on the Office of School Facilities website. The application deadline is August 30, 2024.
This new rating cycle provides an opportunity for SAUs to apply for state support to undertake a major capital construction project. If a SAU applied during the last cycle in 2017-2018, they will need to reapply if they wish to be included in this rating cycle.
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) will review completed applications and create a needs-based priority list that will be used to designate projects for funding. The process is governed by Chapter 61 State Board of Education Rules for Major Capital School Construction Projects.
Questions regarding the application should be directed to Scott Brown, Maine DOE’s Director of School Construction, at scott.brown@maine.gov. Questions and answers will be posted here.
Do you know any teens who want tobuild leadership skills while making a difference in their community? The United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is now accepting applications for its Youth Preparedness Council.
The Youth Preparedness Council supports FEMA’s commitment to involve youth across the U.S. in preparedness-related activities. It also provides youth with an opportunity to present their perspectives, feedback, and opinions to FEMA officials. Youth Council members regularly meet with FEMA staff and attend the annual Youth Preparedness Council virtual summit.
The Maine Department of Education encourages you to share this opportunity with students in grades 8 – 11.
(Pictured: Scarborough High School Students pose with Maine Department of Education Director of Strategic Partnerships Ayesha Hall.)
Scarborough High School’s school library, the Learning Commons is celebrating current fiction to encourage curiosity, discover ideas and perspectives, and inform self-understanding and awareness of the world we live in. It was part of this learning journey that students recently engaged in a book event that helped empower them to reframe the way we think about the society we live in.
Two years ago, School Librarian Deirdre Dupree had the idea of creating book events to encourage, support, and celebrate reading. In the first year implementing the book events Dupree, along with Library Ed Techs Mackenzie Crouse and Jeff Ertman began by using, among other standards, the CASEL framework beginning with self. They held four events throughout the year using memoirs, set the book event “curriculum” with an essential question, and solicited staff from different departments to help them facilitate and deliver their curriculum.
Held during one of the school’s four blocks in the school day, students participate through two pathways, either teachers can sign up to bring their class to the event or students who have a scheduled study hall during the block the book event is taking place can sign up to attend individually.
This year the team moved on to social awareness and society and have been working with folks who have expertise on these two social issues. Recently they called on Maine Department of Education Director of Strategic Partnerships Ayesha Hall, a school psychologist and former SEL & Equity Resource Coordinator for Lewiston Public Schools to help them host their most recent event.
With 70 students and staff present, the group embarked on a guided discussion of the young adult book, “The Unkindness of Ghosts” by Rivers Solomon.
As part of this discussion, students were asked the question: Is it important for societies to be fair?
As the conversation began, Hall explained what happened next, “Students were like ‘What kind of question is this? The only people who would answer no to this question are the individuals who benefit from the unfairness in the first place.’,” remarked Hall. “I was blown away…”
Getting curious, Hall asked the students to pose a more appropriate question to which the students worked together to come up with the following: How do we break down/analyze systems to ensure they are equitable?
The discussion helped the students reframe the question in a way that digs deeper into the question of equity in society but also helps work toward a solution.
“Engaging with literature allows readers to empathize with the experiences of characters in humanizing ways. This allows for reflection and understanding while honoring each individual’s journey as we move in the world,” Dupree concluded.
“It was an honor to host the conversation with them!” Hall added.
Dupree says the Scarborough Learning Commons’ next event is tentatively scheduled for the end of March.
The Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Learning Through Technology team is seeking student artwork for this year’s in-person MLTI Student Conference that will be held at UMaine on May 23rd. Past winners from Gray-New Gloucester High School, Waterville Junior High School, Auburn Middle School, and Southern Aroostook Community School have been able to see their designs exist beyond their computer screens. This contest is open to all students in MLTI school districts.
This year’s theme is “Camp MLTI,” so judges will be looking for an entry that focuses on camping. This t-shirt will be worn by more than one thousand students and educators who will be joining us at this annual event. The winners will be recognized during the event. Submissions are due no later than February 1st. Winners will be announced within two weeks of submission.
(Pictured: Heather Wood, Dean of Instruction at Portland Adult Ed helping students at a reading and writing station during a recent “Curious About College” workshop.)
Portland Adult Education recently launched a new program, “Curious About College,” that aims to empower adult learners interested in embarking on their higher education journey. Adult Education in Maine has offered Maine College and Career Access (MCCA) programming since 2001 (formerly called College Transitions) to provide readiness for pathways to postsecondary education and careers. With increased enrollments in community colleges across the state and the opportunity of “free college,” student preparedness programs and collaborative partnerships are needed now more than ever.
Anja Hanson, Academic Advisor at Portland Adult Education shares some history and context about “Curious About College”:
We started meeting last year because we felt that prior orientations, meetings, and classes didn’t fully communicate to students what we wanted learners to understand about college in the U.S. This is true for both first-generation and multilingual students. Why should they understand? Preparing for college is so abstract, complicated, and baffling.
Simulated College Experience
We wanted to find a way to make it more concrete. This is how “Curious About College” came to be. We wanted students to do all of the following:
Handle current college textbooks
See the pages of a single psychology textbook chapter spread out on a wall
Listen to a lecture and take notes
Find information on a syllabus
Figure out which math class their degree program would require at SMCC
Plan a week’s schedule that includes all the obligations that work and family demand of adult students
Know what fees they would have to anticipate
Since most of our students are planning on attending SMCC, we used materials in current use there, and we set up 6 stations so that students could engage in activities and ask questions. We gave them checklists to take notes on what they noticed or learned. What we observed last spring and during our recent fall session is that students at various levels of English proficiency and sophistication about college can all get something from this event.
Hanson shared that as they moved about the room, students helped each other. They looked overwhelmed. They looked intrigued. It’s not as though they could learn everything they needed to know in this brief event, but they could discover that they had more to learn, which is precisely what they must understand if they want to go to college.
This photo is from a Time Management station 15 minutes after the event officially ended. Hanson shared that, “it suggests something about how much students need opportunities like these to grapple with what their dreams and goals will demand. We’d love to see other high schools and adult education programs offering Curious About College events.”
Alice Shea (College and Career Success Coordinator) at a time management station.
Feedback from Learners
Students observed how fast the English lectures were when they had to take notes while translating mentally. They noted the amount of time they’d need to commit for reading, planning and completing assignments, the costs of textbooks, how all the programs require math, and the heavy amount of writing. One learner noted that every [degree] program at SMCC requires math. After the event, some learners reflected that it would not be easy, but with practice, they can succeed while others decided they were not ready yet. All learners left the event more aware of college requirements and what it would require to be successful.
Empowering Adult Learners
“Curious About College provides a strong foundation where I can discuss the realities of college and the college system with students, said Alice Shea, College and Career Success Coordinator at SMCC. “I would love it if all students entering college had the opportunity to experience Curious About College. The event empowers students to understand their strengths and limitations and make decisions that will help them be successful in the college system. It takes me out of the role of ‘advising’ students and moves me into the role of a professional colleague engaging in a guided conversation with a student where they decide what works best for them.”
Shea is one of seven College and Career Success Coordinators (CCSC) located at each Maine community college and employed by local Adult Education programs funded by the Maine Jobs Recovery Plan. These roles serve prospective and current community college students as they work toward their goals at the college. Priorities for the CCSCs are Adult Education learners and enhancing the collaboration between Adult Education and their respective community colleges.
Heather Wood (Dean of Instruction at Portland Adult Education) and learners at a Reading and Writing station.
Alice Shea (College and Career Success Coordinator) at a time management station.
Carmen Moreno-Diaz (Intercultural Center Director at SMCC) at a What is Free with Free College Station.
Current and Future Endeavors
Portland Adult Education, Hanson, and Shea seek to expand this opportunity for learners in their community and are demonstrating a mock event for other Adult Education programs in Cumberland County to see the model in action. Shila Cook, ABE/ELL Coordinator at Westbrook Adult Education, and colleagues are holding a Curious about College event for Westbrook High School students and Adult Education learners in late January. Shea’s College and Career Success Coordinator colleagues across the state are working on similar programming to support their adult learners in their college endeavors. At Eastern Maine Community College, Brian Loring, the Success Coordinator there, will offer monthly sessions to interested Adult Education learners, especially HiSET graduates at EMCC. At Kennebec Valley Community College, Carolyn Haskell and colleagues are preparing a “Brighter Futures Day” for March. This is an event for Adult Education learners to come to campus and learn more about what being a student there requires as well as their opportunities and resources. This semester, Adult Education’s MCCA through Turner Adult Education, will hold their class at Central Maine Community College to immerse learners in the college environment.
Maine DOE Newsroom 