From the Maine Department of Education
Maine school districts begin school year with new teacher and principal evaluation systems
AUGUSTA – As the 2016-17 school year gets underway, Maine schools are undertaking newly revised teacher and principal evaluation systems. This year, for the first time, the majority of teachers and principals will be evaluated based on a professional practice model using a system that incorporates a student growth measure for educators.
This major shift is the result of legislative changes adopted in the 125th Legislature and reflected in the Maine Department of Education’s Rule Chapter 180. Districts across the state have been working for years with stakeholders through development and steering committees to determine the details of each district’s evaluation plan for teachers and principals.
The Maine Department of Education plans to share all teacher and principal evaluation plans from every district on a dashboard available to the public through the Educator Effectiveness webpage in order to give a detailed, comprehensive look at each district’s approach. In doing so, the goal is a continual learning, development, and adjustment process for districts to improve the quality of each plan.
Notices and Reporting Items
- Vehicle Inventory Form – Student Transportation (EFT-24), due Oct. 15 (Reminder)
- EFM-43 Report Transportation Data for Out-of-District Special Education Students, Homeless Students, and CTE Students, due Oct. 15 (Reminder)
- EF-M-240 Year End Report of Private Schools for Public Tuition Approval, due Oct. 15 (Reminder)
More Notices | Administrative Letters | Reporting Calendar
News & Views
Message from Adult Education Director on Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
With the passage and implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), there has been some discussion about the act’s potential effect on the basic skills instruction provided by adult education. | More
Public invited to submit comment to Blue Ribbon Commission online
Members of the public who wish to submit comments or ideas about public education issues for consideration by the Commission to Reform Public Education Funding and Improve Student Performance in Maine may do so here. | More
Addition made to MUSER FAQs on diagnostic placements
The Maine DOE has made an addition to the Maine Unified Special Education Regulations frequently asked questions. | More
Information regarding homeschool program correspondence
If you have questions about Maine’s homeschool program that cannot be answered by the information on the Maine Department of Education’s website, please direct your query to the Commissioner’s office. | More
Seventh annual PBIS conference to be held November 4
This year’s topic for the seventh annual PBIS conference, hosted by USM, is “Building and Sustaining Multi-Tiered Systems of Behavioral Support.” | More
Reminder of deadline for gifted and talented program approval for FY 2017
The annual gifted and talented program and budget approval is due by September 30. | More
Professional development for public preschool and visual arts teachers
The Maine Department of Education invites you to be part of a new professional development opportunity, “Fostering Artful Early Childhood Classrooms.” | More
Maine identifies the 1% alternate assessment population
Many districts have identified their students participating in alternate assessments in Infinite Campus State Edition, ahead of the October 6 deadline. | More
Poetry Out Loud registration open
Maine high schools are invited to register for Poetry Out Loud, a nationwide program that encourages youth to learn about poetry through memorization and recitation. | More
Over 900 Maine students complete Read to Ride Summer Reading Challenge
Preventing summer reading slide is a goal of many Maine educators, as students can lose months of learning gains if their brains do not remain active. | More
Maine schools join others around the nation to recognize National School Bus Safety Week October 17-21
National School Bus Safety Week, scheduled October 17-21 this year, is a public education program that promotes school bus safety. | More
National Attendance Awareness Month: start now and keep celebrating school attendance all year long
An overwhelmingly majority (86 percent) of parents want their kids to achieve in school, but almost half don’t realize the impact of too many absences on their child’s education. | More
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LATEST DOE Career/Project Opportunities
- Education Specialist III – Adult Education Coordinator – Special Projects – Part-Time Job Share (20 hours)
- Education Specialist III – Director, Special Education
- Management Analyst II – Specialist Services Division
- Request for Proposals: HIV Prevention Education
- View current Child Development Services employment opportunities here
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