School districts from across the state attended the 2013 Maine Schoolsite Health Promotion Conference, Celebrating the Seasons of Wellness, last month to gather knowledge, skills, resources, ideas and inspiration to apply to their 2013-14 Health Promotion and Wellness Action Plans.
Continue reading “Conference promotes student, staff health and well-being”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is offering a free webinar series to help school communities take sensible, low- or no-cost steps to create healthier environments in their buildings. Each webinar will feature school district personnel from across the country presenting their real-life examples and solutions.
Continue reading “Free webinar series supports healthy school environments”
Maine DOE has developed a new required special education form titled “Parental Consent to Invite Other Agencies to IEP Meetings – Postsecondary Goals & Transition Services.” The Department has also made significant revisions to the required “Form for the Determination of Adverse Effect (AE) on Educational Performance” and developed a guidance document for the AE form. Continue reading “New and revised required special education forms available”
MSAD 27’s Center and Home-based Instructional Program for Parents and Youth (CHIPPY) Family Literacy project has hit a significant service milestone.
Continue reading “Fort Kent’s CHIPPY Family Literacy program surpasses 200 families served”
Effective July 31, the Maine DOE will no longer provide non-English translations of the State-required special education forms on its website, including those for: Advance Written Notice, Adverse Effect Form, Documentation for Excusal of IEP/IFSP Team Member whose Curriculum Area is Being Discussed, Documentation of Agreement of Non-Attendance for IEP/IFSP Team Member whose Curriculum Area is Not Being Discussed, IEP, Learning Disability Evaluation Report, Parental Consent for Evaluation, Speech/Language Eligibility Form, Summary of Performance and Written Notice. Continue reading “Changes in available translated special ed forms (outdated info)”
Effective July 31, the Maine DOE will no longer provide non-English translations of the State-required special education forms on its website, including those for: Advance Written Notice, Adverse Effect Form, Documentation for Excusal of IEP/IFSP Team Member whose Curriculum Area is Being Discussed, Documentation of Agreement of Non-Attendance for IEP/IFSP Team Member whose Curriculum Area is Not Being Discussed, IEP, Learning Disability Evaluation Report, Parental Consent for Evaluation, Speech/Language Eligibility Form, Summary of Performance and Written Notice. Continue reading “Changes in available translated special ed forms”
As many of you know, since LD 1858, “An Act To Ensure Effective Teaching and School Leadership,” was enacted in April 2012, the Department has been working to establish rules to guide you in your local development of the now required teacher and principal evaluation and support systems.
It is with great frustration that I report to you that while the 125th Legislature unanimously supported this initiative to implement a fair, meaningful educator evaluation system, legislators this session have failed to reach consensus – specifically around fulfilling the law’s directive that measurements of student learning and growth be a significant factor in the determination of the rating of an educator. As a result, the Department will need to start the process of adopting Chapter 180 over again in the fall in order to submit a provisionally adopted rule to the Legislature in January 2014. Continue reading “Law provides educator evaluation and support system development guidance in absence of rule”
WATERVILLE – The chair of the State’s Board of Education has been honored for his advocacy on behalf of adult education.
Dr. Steve Pound, of Greenville, was recognized as the 2013 recipient of the Gerald N. Levasseur Award, presented by the Maine Adult Education Association (MAEA) at the Maine Adult Education Conference held at Colby College last week.
Continue reading “State Education Board Chair honored for Adult Education advocacy”
AUGUSTA – Maine’s Education Commissioner says the demise of Democrat-led legislation that would have derailed the new State school report card system allows his Department to keep its focus fully on school improvement.
LD 1540, “An Act To Fix and Improve the System Used to Evaluate or Rate Public Schools in Maine,” was introduced by Democrats as a challenge to the LePage Administration’s new A-F school grades.
The funding from the Maine Department of Education will help transform the struggling school and increase student proficiency, teacher effectiveness and community engagement
LEWISTON – Montello Elementary School will use $1.8 million in new State support to improve student proficiency by double-digit percentages, enhance teacher effectiveness and better engage the community.
The Maine Department of Education announced its award Thursday to the struggling Lewiston school, which joins 10 others across the state – including the Governor James B. Longley School also in Lewiston – that have received significant funding since 2010 through the federal School Improvement Grant program (SIG) to initiate intensive reforms that advance student achievement.
Continue reading “State awards Lewiston’s Montello Elementary $1.8 million for school improvement”
Maine DOE Newsroom 