Category: News & Views

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.

Continue reading “State agency clients returning to their parental home” →

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” →

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), which covers services for children with disabilities, ages 3-20.

The application, which covers Maine fiscal year 2017 (starting July 1, 2016) is posted on the Maine DOE’s web page at www.maine.gov/doe/specialed/idea. The Part B budget is projected on the basis of Maine’s award for the current State fiscal year (2016), pending the State’s receipt of the finalized federal award for the coming year.

Written comments will be accepted from March 26, 2016 until 4 p.m. on April 24, 2016. Please send comments to Janice Breton at janice.breton@maine.gov or 23 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333.

Schoolwide Annual Review submission no longer required

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” →

Registration now open for the 105th Annual Commissioner’s Conference for Superintendents

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.

Continue reading “Registration now open for the 105th Annual Commissioner’s Conference for Superintendents” →

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.

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” →

Maine DOE replacing student information system

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” →