The maximum price students can be charged for school lunch in School Year 2015 is $3 per lunch. Districts who wish to exceed this amount must complete a price waiver request form and submit it on behalf of their legal agent/superintendent to Maine DOE’s Office of Child Nutrition.
Continue reading “Student lunch prices set for 2015 school year”
This week, the Department had the honor of announcing it was awarding $1.6 million in School Improvement Grant (SIG) funding to James Otis Kaler Elementary.
The South Portland school intends to use this State support to raise student proficiency in math and reading by 10 percent annually over the next three years by better supporting students, enhancing educator effectiveness and increasing parent/community engagement.
The commitment to school improvement is not new to Kaler. In 2011, a school-based renewal effort was launched, but meaningful headway has yet to be made. The school received an “F” on its State report card the last two years, and just 38.5 percent of its students are proficient in math and 44.4 percent in reading.
Continue reading “Human resources most integral to school improvement”
The Maine Charter School Commission is currently soliciting proposals for new public charter schools that would begin serving students in the fall of 2015.
In a request for proposals (RFP) published Wednesday, the Commission seeks detailed applications from capable school developers who are committed to educating their students well in a successful, sustainable, high quality charter school. Continue reading “Charter commission seeks proposals for 2015 school opening”
Maine school administrative units (SAUs) will receive targeted funds to support the transition to a proficiency-based diploma again this year. Beginning in the fall, the Maine DOE will distribute to each SAU a grant in the amount of 1/10th of 1 percent of that SAU’s total cost of education, as calculated under the Essential Programs and Services (EPS) school funding formula. Under Maine law, the funds are to be spent “in the manner determined by the school administrative unit to fund the costs of the transition (to proficiency-based graduation) not otherwise subsidized by the State.”
Continue reading “Maine DOE to distribute funds to support proficiency-based diploma transition”
The Maine DOE is encouraging staff from Maine schools to attend Preparing People: A School Safety and Security Workshop on Tuesday, June 24 at Colby College Alumni Center in Waterville.
Continue reading “Maine DOE offers free school safety, security workshop”
Maine’s top Career & Technical Education students were honored as students of the year recently at a ceremony at the Lewiston Regional Technical Center.
Continue reading “Maine’s CTE Centers name students of the year”
The Maine DOE recently honored the four state finalists for the 2013 Presidential Award in Excellence in Teaching Mathematics and Science (PAEMST) with a dinner held at the Maple Hill Farm Inn located in Hallowell. Maine DOE Science and Technology Specialist Shari Templeton and Mathematics Specialist Michele Mailhot planned the evening event honoring Robin Kennedy (Sebasticook Valley Middle School), Lisa McLellan (Windham High School) and Amy Toiano (Westbrook High School) for high school science and William O’Brien (Camden Hills Regional High School) for high school mathematics.
Continue reading “Department honors top math, science teachers”
AUGUSTA – As school gets out for the summer, the Maine Department of Labor is reminding students looking for summer jobs that the work-permit application is available online. All minors under the age of 16 must have a work permit before they start a job, whether or not they attend school. Continue reading “Maine Department of Labor offers students summer employment tips”
The funding from the Maine Department of Education will help transform the struggling school and increase student achievement, teacher effectiveness and community engagement
SOUTH PORTLAND – A South Portland elementary school will use $1.6 million awarded today by the Maine Department of Education to raise student proficiency in math and reading by 10 percent annually over the next three years. Continue reading “State awards South Portland’s Kaler Elementary $1.6 million for school improvement”
It’s high school graduation season and while the commitment of Maine K-12 public education system to proficiency-based diplomas starting in 2018 is clear, one of the questions I’m most frequently asked is whether colleges share that belief in the great value of this approach.
Actions like the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s transition to proficiency-based learning and college acceptances of graduates from Maine schools that have already gone to proficiency-based education reflect higher education’s support, which is not surprising given this shift ensures greater college and career readiness.
But Maine students and their families rightfully want more guarantees that post-secondary institutions will understand and embrace their proficiency-based diplomas.
Continue reading “Maine higher ed institutions endorse proficiency”
Maine DOE Newsroom 