Tom Desjardin has been appointed by Governor Paul R. LePage as Acting Education Commissioner. Continue reading “Tom Desjardin named Acting Education Commissioner”
Category: News & Views
Maine DOE Monthly – December 30, 2014
Welcome to the December issue of the Maine DOE Monthly.
With the administration window for the new Maine Educational Assessment for Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy developed by Smarter Balanced just a few months away, the Department has been busy releasing resources to ensure students and schools are prepared for success. In December we announced that we’d hired one of Maine’s foremost learning technology leaders to provide assessment implementation technical support; launched a website and portal with administration calendars, tools, and practice and training tests; and scheduled regional workshops for district and school test administrators.
This month we also shared the good news that the Maine DOE had received $14.8 million to support the expansion of locally driven preschool programs and provided clarification on what the expectations are of local districts following the passage of preschool legislation earlier this year. And, in light of several high profile security threats, we reminded districts of the Department’s existing resources to keep schools safe.
Read on for a roundup of other recent updates from the Department and as always, stay tuned to our Newsroom and weekly Commissioner’s Updates for the latest news you can use from the Maine DOE.
Please note: The Department will not be distributing our weekly Commissioner’s Update this Thursday, Jan. 1 as our offices will be closed for the New Year’s holiday. Expect to receive the next Commissioner’s Update on Thursday, Jan. 8 and the next Maine DOE Monthly on Tuesday, Jan. 27.
Dispatches & Press Releases
Maine DOE awarded $14.8 million to help expand public preschool access
In total, 33 new classrooms will be created with the funding and most will open next September, adding to Maine’s existing 205 classrooms serving 4-year-old students. Another 23 classrooms already in operation will be expanded so students can attend five days a week for the full day. | More
Department offers clarification of public preschool program requirements
The Maine DOE has received many inquiries from school district personnel seeking clarification on the public preschool legislation passed last spring. | More
Maine DOE provides resources to help schools keep students safe
In light of several high profile incidents in Maine involving threats to schools, the Department is reminding districts of the many resources it has already available to support schools in their ongoing efforts to keep students safe. | More
Maine DOE hires learning technology leader to assist with online assessment implementation
Andy Wallace will work with the Department to develop technology related resources and provide support to schools to ensure they are ready to successfully administer the Maine Educational Assessment for Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy developed by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC). | More
Maine DOE launches web resources for assessment
The Maine DOE has launched a new section on its website with resources related to the new online Maine Educational Assessment for Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy as well as a portal developed by its vendor for assessment administration. | More
Maine DOE offers regional assessment administration workshops in January
The Maine DOE is offering four regional workshops in January to support school districts as they prepare for the spring administration of the Maine Educational Assessment for Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy developed by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. | More
Interim assessments available next month
The new Maine Educational Assessment (MEA) for Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy developed by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) is part of a comprehensive assessment system with multiple components, including two types of interim assessments for optional classroom use that will be available on Jan. 27. | More
Maine DOE releases scheduling guidance for new State assessment
To support district and school testing coordinators in their planning for the spring 2015 administration of the Maine Educational Assessment in Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy, the Maine DOE has posted scheduling guidelines on the assessment section of its website. | More
Consortium sets new assessment achievement levels
These initial achievement levels establish a new baseline for measuring college and career readiness and were developed with input from thousands of educators and members of the public including many from Maine. | More
Maine DOE releases resources to support new educator evaluation system development
The Maine DOE has released new online resources to support school administrative units (SAUs) in designing and implementing Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth (PEPG) systems. | More
Department provides resources from principals as instructional leaders workshops
The resources provided by the Maine DOE during its November regional workshops focused on principals as instructional leaders are now available on the Department’s website. | More
Collaboration continues to develop policies to support implementation of proficiency-based diplomas
Collaborations begun last year to develop sample policies that can be used by districts to support their local implementation of systems that support the awarding of proficiency-based diplomas are continuing across Maine. | More
Maine joins New England states to create common system for reporting on educational performance
A consortium of states including Maine has released two years of reports created under a first of its kind regional common data project. | More
Student art submissions sought for MLTI screensaver contest
The Maine DOE is seeking artwork created by students to feature next year on the screensavers of the thousands of devices it provides to Maine schools through the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI). | More
More
Interim assessments available next month
The new Maine Educational Assessment (MEA) for Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy developed by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) is part of a comprehensive assessment system with multiple components.
Included among those are two types of interim assessments for optional classroom use designed to support teaching and learning throughout the school year: Interim Comprehensive Assessments and Interim Assessment Blocks. Continue reading “Interim assessments available next month”
Commissioner’s Update – December 18, 2014
From the Maine Department of Education
The Maine DOE has contracted one of the state’s foremost learning technology leaders to help schools as they prepare to administer Maine’s first-ever statewide online assessment this spring.
Andy Wallace will work with the Department to develop technology related resources and provide support to schools to ensure they are ready to successfully administer the Maine Educational Assessment for Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy developed by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC).
Wallace is currently the technology director for the South Portland School Department and will continue in that role while also working with the Department on a seven month contract. He brings more than 14 years of experience as a technology director in both rural and urban school districts to the Department assignment, and was recently named the 2014 Administrator of the Year by the Maine Association of School Librarians.
Please note: This is the final issue of the Commissioner’s Update for 2014 as State Offices will be closed for holidays on Thursday, Dec. 25 and Thursday, Jan. 1. All of us at the Maine DOE send warm wishes to you and your school communities for a happy holiday season and we look forward to continuing to serve you in 2015. Please expect to receive the December Maine DOE Monthly on Tuesday, Dec. 30 and the next weekly Commissioner’s Update on Thursday, Jan. 8.
Notices and Reporting
- Report of Adult Education for Subsidy Purposes (EF-M-39B), due Jan. 15
- Annual Certification of Superintendent, due Jan. 31
More Notices | Administrative Letters | Reporting Calendar
News & Views
Maine DOE releases scheduling guidance for new State assessment
To support district and school testing coordinators in their planning for the spring 2015 administration of the Maine Educational Assessment in Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy, the Maine DOE has posted scheduling guidelines on the assessment section of its website. | More
Clarification of public preschool program requirements
The Maine DOE has received many inquiries from school district personnel seeking clarification on the public preschool legislation passed last spring. | More
Maine DOE provides resources to help schools keep students safe
In light of several high profile incidents in Maine involving threats to schools, the Department is reminding districts of the many resources it has already available to support schools in their ongoing efforts to keep students safe. | More
Maine joins New England states to create common system for reporting on educational performance
A consortium of states including Maine has released two years of reports created under a first of its kind regional common data project. | More
Certification of superintendent election or reelection
The Maine DOE is reminding administrators and school board members of the approaching deadline for annual certification of employment of Superintendent of Schools. | More
Maine students put STEM skills to the test at FIRST LEGO League Championship
Hundreds of Maine students from Kittery to Frenchville came together last weekend to compete at the 15th Annual FIRST LEGO League Championship, run by Maine Robotics and held at the Augusta Civic Center. | More
Annual gifted and talented program applications past due
The Department is reminding school district administrators that their 2014-15 annual applications for gifted and talented program approval were due on Dec. 5. | More
Department encourages early summer food program planning
The Maine DOE is encouraging districts to begin planning now for their Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). | More
More Dispatches | Press Releases | From the Commissioner
LATEST DOE Career/Project Opportunities
Maine DOE hires learning tech leader to assist with online assessment implementation
The Maine DOE has contracted one of the state’s foremost learning technology leaders to help schools as they prepare to administer Maine’s first-ever statewide online assessment this spring.
Maine DOE releases scheduling guidance for new State assessment
To support district and school testing coordinators in their planning for the spring 2015 administration of the Maine Educational Assessment in Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy, the Maine DOE has posted scheduling guidelines on the assessment section of its website.
Continue reading “Maine DOE releases scheduling guidance for new State assessment”
Maine DOE provides resources to help schools keep students safe
In light of several high profile incidents in Maine involving threats to schools, the Department is reminding districts of the many resources it has already available to support schools in their ongoing efforts to keep students safe. Continue reading “Maine DOE provides resources to help schools keep students safe”
Maine joins New England states to create common system for reporting on educational performance
PORTLAND – A consortium of states including Maine has released two years of reports created under a first of its kind regional common data project.
Beginning in 2009, the five state education agencies participating in the New England Secondary School Consortium (NESSC) —Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont—have been collecting, calculating and reporting high school graduation rates, high school dropout rates, and postsecondary enrollment, persistence and completion rates using a common set of procedures and methodologies developed by a regional team of data specialists from each of the five state agencies. This week, the consortium is releasing the first two annual reports on public school performance for the 2011–2012 and 2012–2013 school years. Continue reading “Maine joins New England states to create common system for reporting on educational performance”
Certification of superintendent election or reelection
The Maine DOE is reminding administrators and school board members of the approaching deadline for annual certification of employment of Superintendent of Schools and related forms to be completed and submitted to the Department.
Continue reading “Certification of superintendent election or reelection”
Clarification of public preschool program requirements
The Maine DOE has received many inquiries from school district personnel seeking clarification on the public preschool legislation passed last spring.
Continue reading “Clarification of public preschool program requirements”
Maine DOE Newsroom 