The following Priority Notice was sent to Maine school administrative units (SAUs) on Monday, July 27.

As part of the implementation of Title 20-A Section 4722-A (proficiency-based diplomas) the Maine DOE is releasing a survey to collect data on implementation progress. High schools have until August 27 to complete the survey. The Department’s goal is 100 percent participation.

This survey, the 2014-2015 Progress Report: Implementing Proficiency-Based Learning and Proficiency-Based Diplomas, has 38 (mostly multiple choice) questions and is a way for Maine’s districts to report vital data to the Maine DOE regarding the progress made from July 1, 2014 – July 31, 2015. As such, this report generates a brief but important source of data for both districts and the State.

The information collected will help the Department chart progress toward the implementation of proficiency-based diplomas. This information will be shared with the public and with lawmakers and will inform the development of additional resources and supports for districts. The progress report will also create a moment-in-time snapshot of district progress toward proficiency-based diplomas.

The Maine DOE will request additional evidence from a district when a district indicates it has completed the following and is ready to award proficiency-based diplomas:

• Reporting standards are established for all eight content areas.
• Summative assessments are used to collect evidence for reporting standards for each content area.
• Evidence of proficiency is collected determining for the five Guiding Principles.
• Multi-tiered systems of supports are in place for students (for those who struggle and for those who wish to accelerate to reach proficiency).

Any SAU who did not have their confirmation of readiness or extension request granted, is offered an opportunity to request a meeting with the Department to discuss the district’s preparedness to award proficiency-based diplomas. The Department will assume that any district/high school that does not have an approved extension plan or confirmation of readiness is be prepared to award proficiency-based diplomas after January 1, 2018.

The Department expresses its gratitude to the Maine school districts that piloted this survey.

The online survey for SAUs is available here and linked from the Maine DOE’s Getting to Proficiency Support web page. To download a pdf version of the questions ahead of time please click here.

For more information please contact the Department’s Standards-Based Education Specialist Diana Doiron at diana.doiron@maine.gov or 624-6823.