Category: News & Views

Commissioner’s Update – February 25, 2016

From the Maine Department of Education

The Maine DOE is replacing its current student information system (SIS), Infinite Campus State Edition (ICSE), with Edupoint Synergy. The change will take place over the next two years, and the new Synergy computer system will have little or no impact on the student data system currently in use in Maine’s school administrative units (SAUs).

Maine has been doing business with the same vendor since 2007, and last year the Department identified needed improvements and what is available in the market place for the handling of student information from SAUs.

The requirements for a replacement system were assembled into a Request for Proposal (RFP) that was publicly released in November. The requirements call for improvements in the flexibility of the system along with quality, availability and security improvements. All of this was to be accomplished with little or no impact on the student data system currently in use in the SAUs.

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News & Views

MEA Alternate Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy

The MEA Alternate Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy assessment known as the Multi-State Alternate Assessment (MSAA) is moving forward. | More

Maine DOE seeks reviewers for 21st CCLC grant competition

The Maine DOE is seeking qualified peer reviewers to read, assess and score competitive grant proposals for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Program. | More

Maine DOE’s expertise grows with new specialists

The Maine DOE is pleased to announce new specialists who will be working in Augusta and in the field assisting you on a variety of fronts. | More

Maine DOE and NESSC webinar supports proficiency diplomas

The Maine Department of Education and the New England Secondary School Consortium (NESSC) hosted a webinar early this month featuring RSU 2’s collaborative efforts. | More

Schoolwide Annual Review submission no longer required

The recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as amended by ESSA places the schoolwide annual review in transition during 2016-2017 school year. | More

State agency clients returning to their parental home

Beginning April 11 a state agency client who is returned to the family home will lose state agency client status on the date that the child resumes residence. | More

Comments sought on Maine’s IDEA Part B application

The Maine DOE is seeking comments from the public on its annual application for federal funds under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). | More

Maine seeks feedback on IDEA Part C application

Maine is seeking input on its application for the Part C (birth to age three) early intervention program. | More

MaineCare Seed payment adjustments made; report review by March 25

The 2015-16 subsidy checks for General Purpose Aid for local schools will reflect adjustments for MaineCare Seed payments. | More

Proficiency Council Preliminary Report presented to Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs

The Maine DOE and the Proficiency Council recently presented the Proficiency Council Preliminary Report to members of the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. | More

A challenge to participate in National School Breakfast Week next month

Full Plates Full Potential and the Maine DOE’s Child Nutrition program are challenging schools to increase school breakfast participation during this year’s National School Breakfast Week. | More

Nature based education summer institute

The University of Maine at Farmington is excited to announce registration is open for a first-of-a-kind Nature Based Education Summer Institute June 24 and 25. | More

Maine’s Read to ME Challenge has become a ritual

Maine’s Read to ME Challenge became a household activity for the Veneziano family in Hermon this past month. | More

Tyler Technologies’ Maine App Challenge 2016

It is called, “an awesome opportunity for a student;” the Tyler Technologies’ 2016 Maine App Challenge.  This is a contest for Maine high school students to design, develop and demonstrate Android mobile apps. | More

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LATEST DOE Career/Project Opportunities

Maine DOE seeks reviewers for 21st CCLC grant competition

The Maine DOE is seeking qualified peer reviewers to read, assess and score competitive grant proposals for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Program.  This federally-funded grant program provides opportunities for schools and communities to develop “community learning centers” that serve children and youth during out-of-school time. Maine currently has 37 grant recipients operating 64 individual centers in communities across the state.  The Department anticipates receiving applications for new, expansion, and continuation awards as a result of this competition.

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Maine’s Read to ME Challenge has become a ritual

Maine’s Read to ME Challenge became a household activity for the Veneziano family in Hermon this past month. The television public service announcements for the campaign that kicked off February 2, are of Jodi and her twins Donnie and Frankie reading. Aside from assisting the Maine Department of Education in producing these PSAs, this family took the challenge seriously.

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Proficiency Council Preliminary Report presented to Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs

The Maine DOE and the Proficiency Council recently presented the Proficiency Council Preliminary Report to members of the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs.

Continue reading “Proficiency Council Preliminary Report presented to Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs” →

A challenge to participate in National School Breakfast Week next month

The benefits of eating school breakfast include improved academic performance, attention span, and overall health. During the current school year 2015-16, 47.7 percent of Maine children qualify for free and reduced price school meals. Of these approximately 86,000 children, only 40 percent participate in school breakfast.

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State agency clients returning to their parental home

A child who is placed by the Department of Health and Human Services outside the family home in a foster home or in a children’s residential care facility through the Intensive Temporary Residential Treatment process becomes a “state agency client” under Maine statute and Department of Education regulations, resulting in a shift of administrative and fiscal responsibility for the education of that child. Sometimes, such a child is later returned to the family home from which s/he was removed.

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Maine DOE and NESSC collaboration offers second webinar to support proficiency diplomas

The Maine Department of Education and the New England Secondary School Consortium (NESSC) hosted a webinar early this month featuring RSU 2’s collaborative efforts to assess student work in ways that are increasingly consistent. Courtney Belolan (Instructional Coach) and Matthew Shea (Coordinator of Student Achievement) set the context for their work by describing a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration that led to the district’s initial development and implementation of proficiency-based learning. Their district-wide content area K-12 curriculum teams are central to their work.

Continue reading “Maine DOE and NESSC collaboration offers second webinar to support proficiency diplomas” →

MaineCare Seed payment adjustments made; report review by March 25

The 2015-16 subsidy checks for General Purpose Aid for local schools will reflect adjustments for MaineCare Seed payments paid by the Maine Department of Education on behalf of school administrative units (SAUs) for the following:

  • 2016 Quarter 1 MaineCare payment adjustments
  • 2015 Quarter 4 corrections

Continue reading “MaineCare Seed payment adjustments made; report review by March 25” →

Nature based education summer institute

The University of Maine at Farmington is excited to announce registration is open for a first-of-a-kind Nature Based Education Summer Institute June 24 and 25, 2016.  The institute is designed for pre-service and experienced educators to gather and learn about the benefits and best practices of connecting children to nature.  The workshops will be interactive and held outdoors.

Continue reading “Nature based education summer institute” →