Trainers from the National FFA Organization (formerly known as “Future Farmers of America”) traveled to Aroostook County last week to prepare the new team of Maine FFA State Officers for their responsibilities in overseeing the duties of the student-run leadership organization for secondary and middle school students enrolled in agriculture and natural resource classes. Continue reading “Maine FFA student officers receive leadership training”
Category: News & Views
New toll-free fax number for MEDMS helpdesk
The Maine DOE is pleased to share that the Maine Education Data Management System (MEDMS) Helpdesk has a new toll-free fax number: 866-219-8344. Please be advised this new number replaces 207-512-1150 and do not send faxes to that number any longer.
MEDMS helpdesk staff are additionally available to provide technical assistance at MEDMS.helpdesk@maine.gov or 207-624-6896.
Maine DOE to implement new school staff survey
Please note that this notification is different from the NEO based HQT data collection requirement discussed in a recent Commissioner’s Update.
Maine school administrative units (SAUs) have been completing the Educator Quality and Effectiveness Survey initiated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) annually since 2010. The survey data has been collected through the Maine Education Data Management System (MEDMS). Certain data elements of this survey are required for the Department’s annual federal reporting and other elements related to teacher and principal performance evaluation and professional growth (PE/PG) are now being collected by the Department’s educator effectiveness coordinator. As a result and building upon the feedback collected from previous year’s surveys, the Department is implementing a new process for the data collection. Continue reading “Maine DOE to implement new school staff survey”
Extension options ensure proficiency-based diploma done right
There is perhaps no greater opportunity to ensure Maine students graduate college and career ready than the transition to proficiency-based diplomas now underway in our state.
That’s why our Department supported the 2012 law making it mandatory that schools award these diplomas starting in 2018 and why we have worked hard in the two years since to be a resource to districts as they make this significant shift. It is also why earlier this week, the Department previewed the options it was offering Maine school administrative units (SAUs) who need more time in meeting this requirement.
The decision to use the authority I have under a provision in Maine’s Basic School Approval Law to grant school units waivers from the proficiency-based diploma requirement through July 1, 2020 was not one I took lightly.
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Maine DOE offers facilities, maintenance staff training
The Maine DOE and the Educational Plant Maintenance Association of Maine invite school administrators, facilities directors, business managers, maintenance teams and custodial staff to the 46th Annual School Facilities Conference at Colby College on June 23-25. Registration to the multi-track conference on leadership, maintenance and custodial care is free to public school staff.
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Maine teachers chosen for summer humanities institute
PORTLAND– Five Maine teachers have been selected as National Endowment for the Humanities (NEW) Summer Scholars from a national applicant pool to attend an Acadian culture summer institute.
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Maine DOE offers training to new ESEA/NCLB coordinators
The Maine DOE is inviting new coordinators of Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)/No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Title Programs to a free training session in Augusta on July 10.
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Maine DOE provides Q & A on educator effectiveness system development
Earlier this month, the Maine DOE announced the final adoption of rule Chapter 180, which governs the development and implementation of Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth (PE/PG) systems that improve teacher and principal effectiveness.
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New mentor reading program opportunity for schools
Funding is now available to Maine schools to offer a Teen Trendsetters™ program for their students.
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Guidance on transportation for special education students and equivalent school days
Maine Unified Special Education Regulations (MUSER) §VI.2.L state that “[i]t is the full expectation that children eligible under this Chapter will attend school the equivalent amount of time per day as children without disabilities in the same school and/or program.” MUSER §VI.2.L also provides that an abbreviated school day (defined at MUSER §II.1 as “any day that a child eligible under this chapter attends school or receives educational services for less time than age/grade peers without disabilities within the same school and/or school program”) can only be initiated based upon a child’s individual educational or medical needs.
Continue reading “Guidance on transportation for special education students and equivalent school days”
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