Category: News & Views

Topsham elementary named National Blue Ribbon School

TOPSHAM – An elementary school in Topsham that has seen double-digit increases over the last five years in the percentage of its students deemed proficient is Maine’s National Blue Ribbon School.

The Williams-Cone School in RSU 75 was one of 236 public schools across the country named this morning by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan into the prestigious program that recognizes schools where students perform at very high levels or show significant improvements in closing achievement gaps.

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School improvement webinars offer tangible tips

With schools now settled into the new academic year, Maine DOE resumed our School Improvement Webinar Series this week. Perhaps not surprisingly for a session on increasing attendance, we had our best turnout yet, with more than 60 educators from the across the state participating.

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Updated: Reminder about special education students placed in non-approved programs

Updated Oct. 1

Since the release of this dispatch, the Maine DOE has become aware of a need for further clarification. A parent has the right at any time to place his or her child receiving special education in a private school, including a non-approved private school. As stated in MUSER §IV.4.G(3)(a),  the residential district in this situation is not required to pay for the cost of the child’s education in the private school. The Department has become aware that some districts, nevertheless, are paying some or all of the educational costs for such children placed in non-approved private schools. Districts should not be making such payments unless the procedures described below (convening the IEP Team, developing an offer of FAPE, explaining to the parent the ramifications of a decision to place the child in a non-approved program and the right to revoke consent for continued provision of special education services) are followed and the parent revokes consent in writing. Under no circumstances should special education funds be used for such payments.

School administrative units (SAUs) sometimes become aware that a student identified as needing special education services has been placed in a program that has not been approved for special education by the Maine DOE. Placement of such a student by the SAU is prohibited by MUSER §XII.1.F(1)(c), but the student may have been placed directly by parents or a State agency.

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Governor LePage to celebrate students, technology on National Manufacturing Day

Students, educators, families and communities are invited to celebrate National Manufacturing Day in various locations across the state on Oct. 4. This annual event aims raise awareness and appreciation of manufacturing in the United States and highlight students and technology.

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First-grade classrooms needed for Lexile research study

MetaMetrics is looking for first-grade teachers who are willing to administer a short online study to their students for an ongoing early reader research initiative. The goals of this research include improving understanding of what makes text complex for the earliest readers and how early reading ability can be assessed reliably and fairly across different populations of students.

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Flags to half-staff until Friday, Sept. 20 in honor of Washington, D.C. Navy Yard shooting victims

The following is a news release from the Governor’s Office.

AUGUSTA – In honor of the victims, and in coordination with President Obama’s proclamation, Governor Paul R. LePage has ordered the lowering of flags on all public buildings and grounds to half-staff effective immediately until sunset Friday, Sept. 20, as a mark of respect for the victims of the shootings at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C.

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Maine replaces GED with new equivalency exam

The State Education Department’s action came in response to concerns from the adult education community about readiness to move to a fully computer-based test by 2014 as would be required with the current exam provider

AUGUSTA – In an effort to better support the college and career readiness of all Mainers, the State has chosen a new high school equivalency assessment provider.

Beginning in 2014, Maine will offer the ETS high school equivalency test program, known as HiSET, which covers the same content areas as the current GED and allows test-takers to demonstrate proficiency of the academic skills expected by employers and post-secondary institutions.

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Proficiency-based learning resources available

The Maine DOE Center for Best Practice (CBP) has created and posted five flyers designed to help districts move forward the conversation about the shift to a proficiency-based learning system.  Continue reading “Proficiency-based learning resources available” →