Students honored for their creative accomplishments by Maine’s First Lady

The Hall of Flags was filled with music and a lot of excited school students who were recognized at a celebration of Excellence in Maine Visual and Performing Arts Education. This first combined celebration by the Maine Department of Education and the Maine Arts Commission was recognized as an effective collaboration between state agencies by Maine’s First lady Ann LePage. “The collaboration is an excellence example of state agencies working together to provide more opportunities for Maine students.”

Continue reading “Students honored for their creative accomplishments by Maine’s First Lady” →

Science professional development opportunity

The Maine DOE is offering science professional development for teachers of grades 6 -12 throughout the spring of the 2015-16 academic year.  This professional development is intended to build a science teacher leader community that has a solid understanding of effective teaching practices including three-dimensional instruction as discussed in A Framework for K-12 Science Education.  Two regional cohorts will be formed. Cohort members will be selected from across the state with a priority given to district teams which include one 9-12 science teacher and one 6-8 science teacher.

Continue reading “Science professional development opportunity” →

ESEA/NCLB Title I Comparability Report FY16

Section 1120A of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)/No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), requires that school administrative units (SAUs) with multiple attendance areas maintain comparability of local/state resources between the Title I schools and the non-Title I schools; or if all the schools at a grade span are Title I schools, then comparability of local resources must be maintained among the Title I schools.

Continue reading “ESEA/NCLB Title I Comparability Report FY16” →

Timeline for review of out-of-unit placement

When a child with a disability is placed by his or her Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) Team in an out-of-unit placement, the Maine Unified Special Education Regulation Birth to Age Twenty (MUSER) Section IX.3.H requires the IEP Team to reconvene 30 days subsequent to the date the child begins to attend school, where he child has been placed, to review the IEP and make any revisions required.

Continue reading “Timeline for review of out-of-unit placement” →

Maine signs assessment contract with valued, proven partner

Maine-specific test will take less time away from classroom teaching

AUGUSTA – The Maine Department of Education is pleased to be signing a contract today with Measured Progress, a nonprofit organization from Dover, New Hampshire. This contract is for the development and administration of the 2016 online, state summative assessment in English language arts (ELA)/literacy and mathematics for grades 3-8 and the third-year of high school. Maine has a long-standing history with Measured Progress and the Department is confident this spring’s assessment will take less time away from classroom instruction while adequately measuring students’ knowledge.

Continue reading “Maine signs assessment contract with valued, proven partner” →