Maine DOE has prepared a summary of major laws related to education enacted by the Second Regular Session of the 126th Maine Legislature. This information may prove helpful to educators when planning for the 2014-15 school year.
Category: News & Views
Department provides additional guidance on FERPA amendments
Last year, the Department posted a dispatch on amendments to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) resulting from the Uninterrupted Scholars Act. These amendments to FERPA included an Additional Exception to Parental Consent Requirements for Students in Foster Care and an Exemption to Notice Requirement When Records Released Under Court Order.
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Brewer School and Police Departments announce school and workplace violence training
The Brewer Police Department in partnership with the Brewer School Department are inviting members of the community, law enforcement, public safety staff, educators and administrators to a two-day training on August 18-19 at the Brewer Community School.
Maine DOE offers Infinite Campus, state reporting & school nutrition training sessions
The Department’s Maine Education Data Management System (MEDMS) Helpdesk Team is partnering with the School Nutrition Team to provide joint training sessions throughout the state in August for Maine schools. Both Infinite Campus District Edition users and non-Infinite Campus system users are encouraged to attend.
Student lunch prices set for 2015 school year
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.
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Human resources most integral to school improvement
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.
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Charter commission seeks proposals for 2015 school opening
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 DOE to distribute funds to support proficiency-based diploma transition
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.”
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Maine DOE offers free school safety, security workshop
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.
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Maine’s CTE Centers name students of the year
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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Maine DOE Newsroom 