Category: News & Views

Reminder: annual audits due December 30, 2016

  • The Department requests all annual audits, requests, and correspondence be submitted electronically to DOE.Audit@maine.gov, or through the direct link on the audit website.
  • Municipalities are not required to submit, and are kindly requested to withhold from submitting, their municipal annual report/town report to the Department. The municipal annual report cannot be accepted in lieu of the complete municipal annual audit. Municipal school units are required to submit either a combined annual audit or a school department audit and a municipal audit to Maine DOE.
  • 20-A MRSA §6051 (6) states that annual audit reports are due within six months after the end of the audit period; e.g., reports for the fiscal year ending June 30 are due on or before December 30.
  • Per 20-A MRSA §6051 (1-K), Maine DOE must receive a SEFA (Schedule of Expenditure of Federal Awards), which includes federal award expenditures for all reporting entities, regardless if an A-133 audit is not required to be conducted. The SEFA provides information needed by Maine DOE to conduct sub-recipient monitoring as required by US DOE and is due at the time of the annual audit. In municipal school units where a combined audit is not conducted, this means that Maine DOE receives a SEFA for the School Department and the city/town.
  • If a management letter is prepared by the auditor, a copy should be submitted to Maine DOE with the annual audit as this letter provides Maine DOE with information needed to conduct sub-recipient monitoring as required by US DOE. Authority to request this is provided to MDOE under 20-A MRSA §6051 (1-F).
  • 20-A MRSA §6051 (1) states that it is the school board’s responsibility to submit the audit unless it is included in the engagement letter that the audit firm will submit the audit to Maine DOE on behalf of the school board.

State and Federal Requirements

State Requirements

20-A MRSA §6051
Title 20-A: Education, part 3: elementary and secondary education, Chapter 221: school records, audits and reports, Subchapter 2: audits

Federal Requirements

2 CFR 200.501 Audit Requirements

  • Audit required. A non-Federal entity that expends $750,000 or more during the non-Federal entity’s fiscal year in Federal awards must have a single or program-specific audit conducted for that year in accordance with the provisions of this Part.

Maine Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3) To Meet Friday, Dec. 9

The next meeting of the Commission on Educational Opportunity for Military Children will be held on Friday, Dec. 9 at 9:00 a.m. in room 500 of the Cross Office Building, located at 111 Sewall Street in Augusta.

All 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, belong to the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3). Each state appoints a council to oversee the implementation of the Compact at the state level.

States that sign on to the Compact commit to doing what it takes to:

  • Enroll children of military families at their new schools as quickly and seamlessly as possible, even in the absence of normally required official records and immunizations; and
  • Ensure that students with parents in the Armed Forces stay on track to graduate on time, even when such students’ academic records don’t comply perfectly with local graduation requirements.

More information about MIC3 is available at http://www.mic3.net/ or http://maine.gov/doe/special/military.html. Interested parties can request copies of the Dec. 9 meeting agenda by contacting Tyler Backus, Maine DOE’s Military Education Liaison, at tyler.backus@maine.gov.

Schools to offer CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) instruction

Schools to offer CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) instruction

The 127th Maine Legislature passed LD 556, “An Act to Require Public Schools to Offer Instruction Related to Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and the Use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).” Consequently, Maine Department of Education rule Chapter 41 has been adopted.

All students must now be offered training in how to perform CPR and understand how to use an AED prior to graduation.  This includes the current senior class.  Details of Chapter Rule 41 are available on the state website, but a few key points to note are:

  • This rule requires school districts to offer all students training in CPR and the use of AEDs some time prior to graduation. The instruction can happen for students at any time in middle or high school.
  • The requirement is NOT for certification in CPR or AED use; however a certification course would meet the requirement.
  • Hands only CPR with a psychomotor skills component will meet the CPR requirement and does not require a certified instructor. The American Heart Association (AHA), the American Red Cross or other nationally-recognized programs offer the most current national evidence-based emergency cardiovascular guidelines. They also incorporate psychomotor skills development into the instruction.  There are several online resources available for teachers or other instructors to utilize.
  • The standards for instruction in AED use may not require the use of an AED but must include an explanation of AED use.
  • All public schools, including charter schools, are required to comply with this rule.

To support implementation of this new law, the AHA Maine Founders Affiliate and the Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance have secured a number of CPR in Schools Training Kits.  If you are interested in borrowing a kit, you can click here to download the form or contact kathymwilbur@gmail.com.

For more information on the new requirement contact Susan Berry, Maine DOE’s Health Education & Health Promotion Coordinator, at susan.berry@maine.gov.

Blue Ribbon Commission To Meet Monday, November 28

Augusta – The next meeting of the Commission to Reform Public Education Funding and Improve Student Performance in Maine will be held on Monday, Nov. 28 at 9:00 a.m. in room 103 of the Cross Office Building, located at 111 Sewall Street in Augusta.

A copy of the meeting agenda and documents relating to the Commission’s work will be posted here as they are made available.

Additionally, members of the public who wish to submit comments or ideas about public education issues for consideration by the Commission may do so here. Comments submitted through the website will be distributed to members of the Commission.

The Commission to Reform Public Education Funding and Improve Student Performance in Maine was created by LD 1641 which allocated an additional $15 million in education funding for local schools, bringing the State’s contribution to $1,000,961,515 for the 2016-17 school year. Based on the Commission’s work, a report to the Governor and the Legislature will be submitted by Jan. 10, 2017 that includes findings and recommendations for action to reform public education funding and improve student performance in the state.

________________

Contact:
Jamie Logan
Communications Director
624-6747
jamie.e.logan@maine.gov

SAT Content Workshops Presented by the College Board and Maine DOE

 

SAT Alignment to Standards and Instruction

Participants in this day-long workshop will learn about the SAT Suite of Assessments and the resources available to support student learning and teacher instructional strategies.  A close look into the question structure and critical alignment to standards will be led by the subject area specialists of the Maine Department of Education.

We will provide an overview of the format of the SAT and the SAT benchmarks and go into greater detail regarding the reports that can be created through the K12 Assessment Reporting Portal.  Specifically, we will focus on the Question Analysis Reports and Instructional Planning, which can be used by educators to monitor growth and target instruction.

Participants will also learn about the College Board’s partnership with Khan Academy, in which students can engage in individualized practice.

Because we will be using live data in the K12 Assessment Reporting Portal, all participants must bring a laptop to individually manipulate the data.  Participants will also need to ensure that they are authorized data users and can access the K12 Assessment Reporting Portal prior to attending this workshop.

Teachers, Department Chairs, and Content Specialists in ELA and Mathematics should register to attend.

CAMPUS LOCATION DATE TIME REGISTRATION
Hilton Garden Inn Bangor Bangor 12/13/2016 8:30AM-3:00PM HERE
University of Maine at Farmington Farmington 12/14/16 8:30AM-3:00PM HERE
University of Maine at Presque Isle Presque Isle 12/16/16 8:30AM-3:00PM HERE
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine Standish 1/13/17 8:30AM-3:00PM HERE

ESEA/NCLB Title I Comparability Report FY17

Section 1120A of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)/No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), requires that school administrative units (SAUs) with multiple attendance areas maintain comparability of local/state resources between the Title I schools and the non-Title I schools; or, if all the schools at a grade span are Title I schools, comparability of local resources must be maintained among the Title I schools. The list of SAUs required to submit a Comparability Report is noted at the end of this announcement. If your SAU is not listed below, you can disregard this notice.

The ESEA Title I FY17 Comparability Report is ready to be completed and submitted to the Maine Department of Education by Dec. 21, 2016.  The list of SAUs required to submit the FY17 Comparability Report and additional resources including the blank Comparability Report with instructions for completion in Word and Excel formats, a PowerPoint presentation and sample completed reports, are posted to the ESEA web site at http://www.maine.gov/doe/title-IA/forms/index.html.

A webinar is scheduled for Nov. 21, 2016 at 2:00.  The link to join the webinar is:  http://stateofmaine.adobeconnect.com/fy17ticomparability/.

If you have a telephone with a direct-dial phone number, accept the option in the call-back box to have the system call you by entering your phone number.  The system will call you right back.

If you have a telephone with no direct-line phone number (if your phone is only reached by a switchboard), please click on CANCEL when the call-back box appears, then dial-in to the meeting using this access combination:

Conference Number: 1-877-455-0244

Conference Code:  8223978943

Questions regarding ESEA Title I Comparability can be directed to Jackie Godbout, Title IA Consultant, at jackie.godbout@maine.gov or 624-6712, or to Janette Kirk, Title IA Director, at janette.kirk@maine.gov or 624-6707.

FY17 School Administrative Units Required To Complete a Comparability Report

 Auburn

Augusta *

Bangor

Gorham

Lewiston *

Portland

Sanford *

Scarborough

South Portland *

Westbrook

RSU 1 *

RSU 2

RSU 3/MSAD 3

RSU 4

RSU 5 *

RSU 6/MSAD 6

RSU 9 *

RSU 10

RSU 11/MSAD 11 *

RSU 12

RSU 13 *

RSU 14

RSU 15/MSAD 15 *

RSU 16

RSU 17/MSAD 17 *

RSU 18

RSU 19 *

RSU 21 *

RSU 22/MSAD 22

RSU 24

RSU 34 *

RSU 35/MSAD 35

RSU 37/MSAD 37 *

RSU 38

RSU 39 *

RSU 40/MSAD 40

RSU 41/MSAD 41 *

RSU 49/MSAD 49

RSU 50 *

RSU 52/MSAD 52

RSU 54/MSAD 54 *

RSU 57/MSAD 57 *

RSU 58/MSAD 58

RSU 60/MSAD 60

RSU 61/MSAD 61 *

RSU 72/MSAD 72

RSU 71

RSU 75/MSAD 75

RSU 79/MSAD 1 *

Those SAUs with an asterisk (*) must attach the teacher count and student enrollment source documents used to complete the FY17 Maine Comparability Report.

 

Health education and physical education teacher leaders invited to apply for Maine Health Education and Physical Education Teacher Leader Cadre

The Maine DOE Health Education (HE) and Physical Education (PE) programs are seeking quality, motivated applicants to join the Maine Health Education and Physical Education Teacher Leader Cadre (HEPEC). Participants of this initiative are charged with leading the way in ensuring high quality proficiency-based HE & PE in all Maine schools. Cadre participants will work together to provide Maine HE & PE professionals with curriculum, instruction and assessment resources and tools; professional development that supports effective proficiency-based education teaching strategies; and skills and resources to educate about and advocate for quality HE & PE. Successful applicants will:

  • receive training in facilitation and leadership skills and formative assessment;
  • develop and deliver professional development at local, regional and statewide events;
  • participate in a cross curriculum lesson design initiative; and
  • provide input into the development of a website for the field to share resources and materials, as well as establish other modes of communication.

Administrators are asked to identify potential teachers (pre-K through high school) and encourage them to join the HEPEC for teacher leaders. Enthusiasm and a desire to learn and to lead are more important than the current years of experience. Interested individuals need to complete an online application and submit at least one letter of support from a colleague. Successful applicants will need written approval from administration to participate in the project including permission to attend all the trainings.  Please note the orientation training is Dec. 1, 2016 in Augusta and the full fall training is Dec. 7, 2016, also in Augusta.  Maine DOE has grant funding to reimburse substitute pay, mileage and lodging for training days as well as to pay stipends for the Summer Institute. To apply, click here.

For more in-depth information contact Maine DOE’s Health Education & Health Promotion Coordinator Susan Berry at susan.berry@maine.gov or Maine DOE’s Health Education & Physical Education Consultant Jean Zimmerman at jean.zimmerman@maine.gov.

Maine students participate in national FFA convention

In October, state officers and students from three Maine schools traveled to the 89th National FFA Convention in Indianapolis.

FFA (formerly known as “Future Farmers of America”) represents the leadership organization charged with bringing technical and leadership skills as well as awards, scholarships and recognition, to over 650,000 students in grades 7-12 who are enrolled in educational programs related to agriculture and natural resources.  Students from Ashland Community High School, Central Aroostook High School (Mars Hill) and Sanford Regional Technical Center joined over 64,000 of their peers from across the country to participate in competitions related to public speaking, agricultural sales and nursery and landscape management.  In addition to participating in these competitions, students attended leadership sessions, went on tours, and took advantage of cultural offerings in Indianapolis.

Maine FFA’s State President, Dayna McCrum, and State Vice President Kaley Norsworthy acted as official convention delegates, discussing and voting on measures affecting the programs offered by the National FFA.  Two Maine FFA members, Whitnie Bradbury and Tyler Raymond, joined the ranks of fewer than 1% of FFA members awarded the American FFA Degree, the highest distinction accorded by the National FFA.  State FFA Advisor Doug Robertson, from the Maine Department of Education, participated in meetings with staff from all 50 states to learn more about their programs and about National FFA offerings.

For more information on opportunities, awards and scholarships provided by the FFA and for questions regarding the establishment of Maine FFA chapters, please contact Maine DOE’s Agriculture and Natural Resources Education Specialist, Doug Robertson, at 624-6744 or doug.robertson@maine.gov.

Free webinar for schools on how to deal with the browntail moth

The browntail moth has spread across Maine from York to Millinocket. As a result, the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry is offering a free webinar to provide guidance to schools on dealing with issue of the browntail moth and related health concerns (dermatitis and respiratory effects) on school campuses.

The webinar will be held November 17, 2016 from 10-11 AM to help schools learn how to recognize this pest and what can be done to address it.

Presenters will be: Barbara Chisholm, School Nurse, Gardiner Area High School; Charlene Donahue, Entomologist, Maine Forest Service; Jon Stonier, Director of Operations, MSAD 11. No advance registration is required for this Adobe Connect webinar.

To participate, click here approximately ten minutes before the webinar is scheduled to begin, then log in as a guest. (Note: you may be prompted to download the Adobe Connect software if your computer does not have it already). Information about Adobe Connect (computer software and audio requirements) is available here.

For more information contact Kathy Murray at the Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry at kathy.murray@maine.gov or 287-7616.

Each SAU to file its bullying policy and procedures with Maine DOE by July 1, 2017

In an effort to address bullying behavior in our schools to ensure student safety and an inclusive learning environment, SAUs are required to file their bullying policies and procedures with the Maine Department of Education.  An Act To Prohibit Bullying and Cyberbullying in Schools, passed into law in 2012, asks for transparency and monitoring which in turn allows for accurate and timely technical assistance from the Department when school personnel, parents and guardians, and the public have questions related to bullying.  All superintendents will receive notification through email from the Department’s Student Assistance Coordinator about how to file their SAU’s bullying policy and procedures with the Department.  The deadline for filing is July 1, 2017.  Once these policies and procedures are filed with the Department, superintendents will receive confirmation and guidance as to whether or not their policies and procedures are consistent with the model policy (including procedures) revised by the commissioner.

For additional information or questions, please contact Sarah Ricker, Maine DOE’s Student Assistance Coordinator, at 624-6685 or sarah.ricker@maine.gov.