Maine’s top Career & Technical Education students were honored as students of the year recently at a ceremony at the Lewiston Regional Technical Center.
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Category: News & Views
Maine DOE provides assistance for Civil Rights Data Collection to districts
The Maine DOE is offering some assistance to local districts who are working to comply with the U.S. Department of Education’s Civil Rights Data Collection.
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Maine DOE issues Learning Disability Report (LDR) form guidance
In a letter dated February 23, 2015, the United States Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services directed the Maine DOE to issue guidance clarifying the use of the Learning Disability Report (LDR) form.
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School and workplace violence training Aug 19-20
The National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA) and the Brewer Police Department will host a two-day training event on school and workplace violence on Aug 19-20 in Brewer.
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Fact sheet highlights academic performance and student health risk
Thanks to everyone who participated in this year’s Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey! Results should be available by December. In the meantime, a newly available one-page fact sheet on the relationship between Academic Performance and Student Health Risks is available. This fact sheet highlights findings from the 2013 Academic Performance and Student Health Risk-Technical Report.
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Maine FFA students celebrate accomplishments at 85th annual state convention
Secondary and middle school students in the Maine FFA Association (formerly known as “Future Farmers of America”) celebrated numerous accomplishments during the annual state convention held on May 14-15 at the University of Maine.
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Smarter Balanced bill passes committee
The following Priority Notice from Maine DOE Acting Commissioner Tom Desjardin was sent to schools on Thursday, May 21.
Dear Educators,
On Monday (5/18/15) the legislature’s Joint Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs held a work session on LD 1276 “An Act To Improve Educational Assessments of Maine Students.” This bill required that the Department of Education withdraw from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and not engage with SBAC on any future statewide assessments.
Commissioner’s Update – May 21, 2015
From the Maine Department of Education
On Monday May 18 the legislature’s Joint Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs held a work session on LD 695 “An Act To Empower Parents in the Education of Their Children by Allowing an Opt-out from Standardized Assessments.” The end result was that 11 of the 13 committee members voted not to force local school districts to inform parents of their right to opt-out of statewide assessment. Two of the eleven voted to pass a version of the bill without that requirement. The bill now goes to the Maine House and Senate.
Discussion of the bill included a lot of information regarding the legal aspects of this potential action. This included legal opinions from attorneys with both the Office of the Maine Attorney General and the legislature’s Office of Policy and Legal Analysis.
Both attorneys advised the committee that parents and students have a right to not take the standardized statewide assessment. No one is going to force a child to sit and take the test. They do not, however, have a right to be shielded from the consequences of that act which could range from action by the school district or loss of federal funding for the school. Local school districts in Maine have the authority under state law to place requirements on students and not award a diploma if the student does not meet these requirements. This could include things such as community service, a senior year graduation exam, or participation in statewide or local assessments.
Notices and Reporting
- FY16 Perkins Grant Application – Maine Community College System, due May 29 (Reminder)
- FY16 Perkins Grant Application – CTE Regions and Centers, due June 15 (Reminder)
- FY15 Perkins Performance Report (Annual Progress), due June 30 (Reminder)
More Notices | Administrative Letters | Reporting Calendar
News & Views
Annual MLTI student technology conference brings 1000+ to UMaine Thursday
Over 1,000 students and educators will bring their Maine Department of Education provided digital devices to UMaine on Thursday for a one-day conference. | More
Maine DOE announces teacher leadership summit
The Maine DOE is promoting the Elevating and Celebrating Effective Teaching and Teachers (ECET2) summit at Colby College in Waterville on August 6-7. | More
Hiring standards for school nutrition program directors take effect July 1
Beginning July 1 school nutrition program directors will be required to meet new hiring standards as a result of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) recent ruling establishing national professional standards for all school nutrition employees. | More
More Dispatches | Press Releases | From the Commissioner
LATEST DOE Career/Project Opportunities
Annual MLTI student technology conference brings 1000+ to UMaine Thursday
ORONO – Over 1,000 students and educators will bring their Maine Department of Education provided digital devices to UMaine on Thursday for a one-day conference to understand the power and possibilities delivered to them through Maine’s Learning Through Technology Initiative (MLTI).
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Hiring standards for school nutrition program directors take effect July 1
Beginning July 1 school nutrition program directors will be required to meet new hiring standards as a result of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) recent ruling establishing national professional standards for all school nutrition employees.
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