Category: News & Views

State awards Lewiston’s Montello Elementary $1.8 million for school improvement

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” →

Enacted FY2013-14 General Purpose Aid for local schools

After months of deliberations, the biennial budget has been enacted following the 126th Legislature’s override of Governor LePage’s veto yesterday afternoon. Based on this enactment, updated school subsidy printouts (ED279s) are now available at: www.maine.gov/doe/eps/.

Some key factors in enacted funding level to note: Continue reading “Enacted FY2013-14 General Purpose Aid for local schools” →

We’re serious about our support

Congratulations on completing another successful school year.

I was honored to spend much of the past week connecting with many of Maine’s education leaders at the 102nd Annual Superintendent’s Conference in Northport. For those who attended, I hope the transformational leadership development combined with the transitional support to help your schools move to a proficiency-based diploma energized you as much as it did me. Just as our potential to graduate every student prepared is great, so are the stakes – as was made quite evident by the CEOs who spoke during Sunday’s session about the core competencies the opportunities of Maine’s future will demand.

Continue reading “We’re serious about our support” →

Student information system to include question on military families

Schools will see the following new question in the Infinite Campus State Edition student information system this fall: Are one or both of this student’s parents on full-time duty status in the active uniformed service of the United States (including members of the National Guard and Reserve on active duty orders), or within one year of medical discharge or retirement from those uniformed services? Parent is not required to provide this information.

Continue reading “Student information system to include question on military families” →

Legislative budget misses opportunity to support students

AUGUSTA – As Governor Paul R. LePage continues to review the upcoming two-year budget, which was delivered to him late last week, he has discovered a disturbing trend of cuts to education. The budget reflects a slashing by the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee of supports for existing programs proven to prepare Maine youth for success in college and their careers and some innovative new ones.

That committee cut a total of $18.4 million proposed by the Department of Education and Governor LePage, including reducing funding over the next two years for Jobs for Maine’s Graduates by $600,000 and the Aspiration program– which raises education aspirations by allowing students to take college courses at a reduced rate – by $1.2 million.

Continue reading “Legislative budget misses opportunity to support students” →

DOE committed to helping schools improve

School may be already out, but the Legislature isn’t just yet.

Last week, the Appropriations Committee cut $18.4 million in targeted funding Maine DOE and the Governor had proposed in the next biennial budget that would have supported improvement and innovation in our schools. Included in those cuts was $3 million specifically for school improvement, funding which several districts have already expressed an interest in receiving.

Continue reading “DOE committed to helping schools improve” →

Review MaineCare Seed payment adjustment reports by July 12

The June subsidy checks for General Purpose Aid for Local Schools will reflect additional adjustments for MaineCare Seed payments paid by Maine DOE on behalf of school administrative units (SAUs) for the following:

  • Quarter 3 adjustments
  • Corrections to Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 adjustments
  • Previously unrecovered MaineCare Seed for JF Murphy billings

Continue reading “Review MaineCare Seed payment adjustment reports by July 12” →

Opportunity to attend evidence-based autism training

Maine DOE will provide evidence-based autism team training during the 2013-14 academic year for 15 school-based teams that represent educators working with children with autism. Members of the teams should include general and special educators, related services staff and general and special education administrators.

Continue reading “Opportunity to attend evidence-based autism training” →