NOTICE: Maine DOE during potential government shutdown

In the event of a statewide government shutdown, the Maine Department of Education will have the following lines of communication in place:

Civil rights complaints can be reported by calling (207) 624-6692.
Complaints about state and federal programs can be reported by calling (207) 624-6692.
Special Education complaints can be reported in writing by fax at (207) 624-6700.

For further information about the government shutdown subscribe to the state’s Citizen Alert System (CAS) at www.maine.gov/portal/CAS/ or visit maine.gov.

PRIORITY NOTICE: Requirements for renewal of criminal history records check

Beginning July 1, 2017, the processing of renewal of criminal history records check for those individuals that have not been continuously employed will require a national criminal history records check in order to be in compliance with State law (20-A MRS §6103) and rules (05-71 Chapter 115 Part 1, Section 3.2).

Individuals that have not been continuously employed (interrupted service) will be required to be re-fingerprinted to renew their criminal history records check.

If an individual believes they have been continuously employed and not reported in the NEO staff system, verification of their continuous employment will be necessary. Verification of employment documents should be sent along with the renewal application.

Instruction for criminal history records check and fingerprinting are available at: http://www.maine.gov/doe/cert/fingerprinting/renewal-instructions.html

For more information please contact the Certification office at 207-624-6603 or cert.doe@maine.gov

Maine DOE announces 5 student interns for the 2017 summer months

Augusta, Maine – The Maine Department of Education (DOE) today announced 5 student interns who will be working at the Maine DOE headquarters in Augusta for the summer.
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Joseph Leclair

A student at the University of Maine at Orono, Leclair is a double major in accounting and finance. During his internship he will be working with the School Finance group at the Maine DOE creating a handbook for the business offices at public schools. Leclair is from Fairfield, Maine.

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Casey Rogers

Rogers is a resident of Farmington, Maine and a student at the University of Maine at Orono with a major in social work and a minor in psychology. During her internship, she will be working as an in-field recruiter for the Maine DOE’s Migrant Education Program, and will be traveling to Aroostook and Washington Counties to meet families moving for the broccoli and blueberry harvests to determine eligibility and connect those families with services.

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Valentina Annunziata

A student at the University of Maine at Presque Isle with a major in criminal justice and a minor in pre-law studies, Annunziata will be working at the Maine DOE as an in-field recruiter for the Migrant Education Program and will be traveling to Aroostook and Washington Counties to meet families moving for the broccoli and blueberry harvests to determine eligibility and connect those families with services. She is from Honeoye Falls, New York.

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Zachary Napsey

A student at Husson University working on his degree in Elementary Education, Napsey will be spending his summer internship at the Maine DOE assisting in the re-collection and distribution of Maine Learning Through Technology (MLTI) devices throughout the state as well as assisting in other programs run by the Learning Through Technology Team. Napsey is from Claremont, NH.

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Ben Huber

A student at the University of Maine Orono where is he a double major in history and secondary education. During his summer internship at the Maine DOE, he will be assisting in the re-collection and distribution of MLTI devices throughout the state as well as assisting in other programs run by the Learning Through Technology Team. Huber is from Westborough, MA.

The Maine Government Summer Internship Program is available through the Margaret Chase Smith Center at the University of Maine.

Notice of Special Purpose Private School Tuition Rate Change – Future Builders School

Pursuant to Title 20-A, Chapter 303, subchapter 3§7302, the Maine Department of Education Special Services team has authorized a 2017 fiscal year rate change for Future Builders School effective July 1, 2017. The daily rate for Future Builders School will be $190, this rate will only apply to billing for days of attendance starting July 1, 2017.

Billing during the 2018 fiscal year for Future Builders School will still be subject to a rate change determined by analyzing expenditure report budgets submitted for the previous year.

For more information contact Tyler Backus, Maine DOE School Finance and Compliance Coordinator at 207-624-6635 or tyler.backus@maine.gov.

2017-2018 MeCAS Testing Dates Posted

The 2017-2018 Maine Comprehensive Assessment System (MeCAS) testing dates have been posted. This includes Maine Educational Assessments (MEA) and National/International Assessments:

Science grades 5, 8, high school (general and alternate)
WIDA English Language Proficiency (general and alternate)
Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA)/Literacy grades 3-8 and high school (eMPowerME, SAT, and alternate)
Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (sample grades 4 & 8)

NOTE: eMPowerME Math and ELA/Literacy Essay test session is incorporated into the 4-week test window with all other eMPowerME test sessions (reading, math, writing & language), not in a separate window.

Click here to see 2017-2018 Maine Comprehensive Assessment System testing dates.

For further information and questions, contact:
Eric Buckhalter – Office Associate II
Eric.buckhalter@maine.gov
207-624-6770

PRIORITY NOTICE: Infinite Campus State Edition update and end of year reporting

As a reminder, due to a change in state level student information systems, the Maine Department of Education Infinite Campus State Edition (ICSE) will no longer be accessible on July 7, 2017, extended from the June 30, 2017 date that was initially posted. Once ICSE is turned off, there will be no way for districts to complete end of year reporting. Therefore, it is vital that the following end of year ICSE reports be completed prior to this date:

Attendance Certification
Truancy Certification
Behavior Certification
Special Ed Exit Certification

Student enrollments must also be ended, those moving out of state or out of the country, those going to private schools, those exiting to homeschool, and those graduated. All of which include exiting them from special education if appropriate. If you are also missing your EPS April report you should also strive to complete this overdue report prior to the July 7^th date.

All reports due are listed on the Data collection and reporting (DC & R) calendar:
https://neo.maine.gov/DOE/neo/DCAR/Calendar

Reports found Infinite Campus ICSE:
https://maine.infinitecampus.org/campus/mese.jsp

Reports found in NEO:
https://neo.maine.gov/DOE/NEO/Dashboard/Home/Index/

For more information contact the MEDMS Helpdesk at (207) 624-6896.

ADMINISTRATIVE LETTER: Approval for Receipt of Public Funds by Private Schools Located Outside the State of Maine

Administrative Letter: # 9
Policy Code: DDA
TO: Public School Superintendents, Private School Administrators Outside the State of Maine
FROM: Robert G. Hasson, Jr., Ed.D., Commissioner
DATE: June 23, 2017
SUBJECT: Approval for Receipt of Public Funds by Private Schools Located Outside the State of Maine

Pursuant to 20-A M.R.S. § 2951, a private school may be approved for the receipt of public funds for tuition purposes only if it:

Basic Approval. Meets the requirements for basic school approval under subchapter 1 (§§ 2901-2904);
Nonsectarian. Is a nonsectarian school in accordance with the First Amendment of the United States Constitution;
Incorporated. Is incorporated under the laws of the State of Maine or of the United States;
Reports and audits. (repealed)
Additional requirements. Complies with the reporting and auditing requirements in sections 2952 and 2953 and the requirements adopted pursuant to section 2954;
Student assessment. Any school that enrolls 60% or more publicly funded students, as determined by the previous year’s October and April average enrollment, shall participate in the statewide assessment program to measure and evaluate the academic achievements of students; and
Release of student records. Upon request of a school unit, release copies of all student records for students transferring from the private school to the school unit.

A review of the current procedures for the approval of private schools outside the State of Maine to receive public tuition funds revealed that these private schools were not being evaluated to determine whether they were meeting the requirements for basic school approval pursuant to section 2951(1). As a result of this finding, beginning with the 2017-18 school year, all private schools seeking approval to receive public tuition funds, both in and outside the State of Maine, will be required to meet the statutory requirements for basic school approval. In order to ensure continuity of educational programming for students who have already made schooling arrangements for the 2017-2018 school year, the Department will allow those private schools outside of Maine that received approval in FY 17 and are on the approved list on the DOE website, to remain approved one year before they must adhere to the requirements noted above. However, after the 2017-18 school year, they too must meet all the requirements of Title 20-A, §2951. In addition, please remember that all private schools will still need to complete the Year-End Report of Private Schools (EF-M-240) for the 2017-18 school year to be eligible for approval to receive public tuition funds.

For information regarding the Private School Approval process, please go to http://www.maine.gov/doe/schoolapproval/privateschoolapproval/index.html, or contact Pamela Ford-Taylor, School Enrollment Specialist, at 207-624-6617 or Pamela.Ford-Taylor@maine.gov.

For information regarding the approval process for private schools to receive public tuition funds, please go to http://www.maine.gov/education/forms/misteam/efm240/efm240menu.htm, or contact Paula Gravelle, School Finance Manager, at 207-624-6792 or paula.b.gravelle@maine.gov.

PRESS RELEASE: Maine DOE and MDOL launch bus driver hiring initiative for veterans

For Immediate Release For more information contact:
Rachel Paling at 207-624-6747 or rachel.paling@maine.gov or
Julie Rabinowitz at (207) 621-5009 or Julie.Rabinowitz@maine.gov

Augusta, Maine – Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) is collaborating with the Maine Department of Education (DOE) for the 2017 Maine Hire-A-Vet campaign to offer free training for veterans interested in becoming a school bus driver.

The initiative, which is being offered to help fill an anticipated shortage of school bus drivers in Maine and nationally, offers free training available at local school districts statewide with varying schedules.

According to a 2015 jointly released report of the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Transportation, and U.S. Department of Labor, school bus drivers and special needs bus drivers hold the second highest number of job openings in the nation. The report also identifies the need for bus mechanics and diesel engine specialists.

Since there is already a high percentage of Maine school bus drivers who are veterans, it is hoped that the initiative will attract the attention of more veterans who may be transitioning from serving their country or perhaps enjoying the later years of their lives. A flexible schedule may be especially accommodating for veterans who are looking for a part-time job. 76% of Maine’s veterans are over age 50.

In Maine, there is expected to be about 50 school bus driver job openings available for the coming school year. There is also a need for school bus mechanics.

While the initiative is specifically geared towards veterans, the free training is available to anyone interested in becoming a school bus driver.

The pay range for school bus drivers in Maine is anywhere from $11–$25 per hour for licensed school bus drivers, including part-time schedules and benefits based on location. Some positions include pay while learning to drive and/or a hiring bonus.

Those interested should contact Maine DOE Transportation and Facilities Administrator, Pat Hinckley at (207)-624-6886 or pat.hinckley@maine.gov or visit http://maine.gov/doe/transportation/.

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PRIORITY NOTICE: MaineCare Seed payment adjustments to be made, review reports by July 7, 2017

The 2017-18 subsidy checks for General Purpose Aid for local schools will reflect adjustments in July 2017 for MaineCare Seed payments paid by the Maine DOE on behalf of school administrative units (SAUs) for the following:

2017 Quarter 3 MaineCare payment adjustments

Detailed student reports for Quarter 3 are now available in Infinite Campus (State Edition). Instructions for accessing MaineCare Seed Payment Reports in Infinite Campus are available here. In July, the 2017-18 State subsidy printouts (ED279s) will be updated reflecting these adjustments and are available at www.maine.gov/doe/eps/. Reporting issues: To ensure accurate adjustments to subsidy, SAU staff must review student-by-student reports for Quarter 3 and report any issues on these reports no later than July 7, 2017. Any questions regarding these reports should be addressed to denise.towers@maine.gov. If you disagree that a particular student or time period should be on the report, please provide the reason that you disagree along with supporting evidence and also include the following:

Identify the type of report (Public or Private) and the quarter in which the claims are located
Student’s State Student ID
Service provided dates (to and from)
Total amount of Seed being disputed

Summer services: The Department has found that a number of students are provided services during the summer. If the student was a resident of your SAU during those months, your SAU is still fiscally responsible for the MaineCare Seed as this is considered an extended school year for these students. Students in extended school years must be enrolled during these periods to ensure accurate adjustments. For more information on MaineCare Seed payments including links to prior communications, accounting instructions and instructions for accessing MaineCare Seed Payment Reports in Infinite Campus, please click here. For more information or technical assistance related to MaineCare Seed, please contact Denise Towers at Denise.towers@maine.gov.

Maine DOE Special Services Revised Forms

The Maine DOE Office of Special Services has revised the forms listed below. Revised forms are identified as Final Revision: Effective 08/01/2017.

Written Notice and all other required forms – updated identifying information for consistency
Individualized Education Program – changes include additions and updates. CDS has a required section separate from K-12 for goal writing. Results of all initial and most recent evaluations located in a separate section, no longer divided between academic, functional or developmental. Some minor changes under in the Considerations Section to reflect new language related to accessible education material.
Learning Disability Evaluation Report – based on updated MUSER revisions

The Office of Special Services has communicated all revised forms to vendors. We will also offer a webinar in September to further explain the form changes. All updated forms will be available on the Special Services forms page by 8/1/17. In the meantime, questions may be directed to the Department of Special Services, Roberta Lucas at Roberta.Lucas@maine.gov or 624-6621.