Prior to the passage of the Every Student Success Act (ESSA), the Maine Department of Education had provided a protocol for schoolwide annual review. 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.
Continue reading “Schoolwide Annual Review submission no longer required”
The following Priority Notice was sent to superintendents.
Dear Superintendents,
I am writing to let you know registration is now open for our 105th Annual Commissioner’s Conference for Superintendents, scheduled for June 26-28 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.
We’re looking forward to seeing you there and excited about how the agenda – developed in collaboration with the Maine School Superintendents Association – is coming together to best focus on the topics we continue to hear are of most importance to you.
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.
Bob Hasson, who has been in the education field for 37 years, is the new director of certification. Most recently, Bob worked as Deputy Executive Director of the Maine School Management Association and was Executive Director of the Maine School Superintendents Association. Prior to that, he was the superintendent of MSAD 51. Bob earned his BA from Saint Joseph’s College in Standish in Elementary Education, a M.Ed. in Special Education from Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts, and he earned his Doctorate in Education from Boston College.
Continue reading “Maine DOE’s expertise grows with new specialists”
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).
Continue reading “Maine DOE replacing student information system”
The MEA Alternate Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy assessment known as the Multi-State Alternate Assessment (MSAA) is moving forward. On Friday, February 19, all students and Test Coordinators were registered in the MSAA System. Test Coordinators may now begin registering Test Administrators.
Continue reading “The MEA Alternate Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy”
Welcome to the February issue of the Maine DOE Monthly, which provides a recap of some of the month’s most important updates from the Department.
The Department is hard at work on several fronts.
We are getting up to speed on the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) with a particular interest in making sure implementing of regulations and reporting are not prohibitively complex for small and rural school districts.
Reprinted with permission from the Department of Administrative and Financial Services (DAFS).
AUGUSTA — As tax conformity legislation continues to make its way through the Maine Legislature, the Department of Administrative and Financial Services (DAFS) has heard from stakeholders in the education community asking about the effects of this proposal on teachers.
Continue reading “Tax conformity matters to Maine teachers and families”
Reprinted with permission from the Office of Governor Paul LePage.
AUGUSTA – Governor Paul R. LePage is urging teachers to contact Democrats in the Legislature and tell them to support the administration’s tax conformity bill that will provide teachers with tax benefits for school supplies they pay for out of their own pocket.
Continue reading “Governor supports teachers and urges Democrats to do the same”
Twenty seven high school career and technical education regions and centers across Maine and the entire field of secondary school applied technology and workforce educators are being recognized during the month of February.
“From industry recognized training and dual enrollments in colleges to professional licensures and industry recognized certificates, approximately 8,500 of Maine high school students enrolled in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) program are demonstrating industry and college proficiencies, ranging from robotics to coding, from culinary arts to welding, building trades to health services, and marketing to auto technology. CTE programs adhere to rigorous industry recognized standards and offer students hand-on learning at its best,” says Acting Education Commissioner, Bill Beardsley.
In Maine, CTE is provided at 27 regional schools, in all counties across the state, each affiliated with a group of nearby sending high schools. There are 60 different programs; an ever increasing number leading to industry recognized credentials while credits are earned towards high school graduation and post-secondary attainment. Most programs have articulation agreements or lead to an industry pathway.
More Notices | Administrative Letters | Reporting Calendar
The Maine DOE has finalized for release the report from the Maine Learning Standards Review Panel. | More
A child who is placed by the Department of Health and Human Services outside the family home through the Intensive Temporary Residential Treatment process becomes a “state agency client.” | More
The Maine DOE is making an online application form available again this year that will make it easier for districts to apply for State approval of new or expanding public preschool programs. | More
In an effort to increase implementation of positive behavior supports in Maine schools, Maine DOE in collaboration with the University of Maine, will be offering a webinar. | More
It’s not an ice bucket challenge but some have taken it to that extreme as Maine takes on the challenge…the Read to ME Challenge. | More
Maine continues to have its strengths and challenges according to a recently published ‘Quality Counts’ report released by the Education Week Research Center. | More
The Maine Schoolsite Health Promotion Program’s Winter Wellness Workshop Day last week drew school employees from across Maine. | More
Two Maine School Food Service Directors were recognized for their outstanding work by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Northeast Regional office. | More
The Young Maine Volunteer Roll of Honor program is accepting nominations for students age 18 and under who have devoted at least 50 hours of community service for 2015. | More
Maine DOE is now seeking out organizations who would like to participate in this federally funded Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). | More
More Dispatches | Press Releases | Priority Notices
The Maine DOE has finalized for release the report from the Maine Learning Standards Review Panel. This broad-based panel was convened by Commissioner Jim Rier in 2014 to review the state’s English language arts and mathematics standards.
Continue reading “Department releases Standards Review Panel Report”
Maine DOE Newsroom 