PRIORITY NOTICE: Proposed Reinstatement of Rule Chapter 115 (The Credentialing of Education Personnel Rules) Part II Requirements for Specific Certificates and Endorsements

The State Board is proposing the reinstatement of Chapter 115 Part II: Requirements for Specific Certificates and Endorsements, which was in effect May 14, 2014. This rule, following the emergency adoption of the same version of Chapter 115, maintains the status quo for credentialing at this time, and will be in effect until such time as the State Board develops new Chapter 115 rules.

Find the details for proposed changes for Rule Chapter 115 on the Maine DOE Proposed Rule & Rule Changes webpage (proposed rules are listed in order by rule number).

Public Hearing Information for Rule Chapter 115:

December 16, 2019 from 9:30am- 11:00am
Room 500 in the Cross State Office Building, 111 Sewall Street, Augusta, Maine
All are welcome to attend, and no RSVP is required. Anyone unable to attend the public hearing may send written comments via email to jaci.holmes@maine.gov or by mailing comments to:

Maine Department of Education
attention: Jaci Holmes
23 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0023

Comment Period Deadline: December 27, 2019

PRIORITY NOTICE: Live Broadcast Link Available for Public Hearing on Proposed Revisions to Rule Chapter 132 (Career and Education Development, English Language Arts, and Mathematics Standards) on November 13, 2019

As a reminder, the Maine Department of Education has scheduled a public hearing on November 13^th, 2019 as part of the scheduled periodic review of the Maine Learning Results. The Department is seeking public comments regarding the proposed revisions to Rule Chapter 132, revised career and education development, English language arts, and mathematics standards until 5 pm on November 27^th, 2019.

The public hearing will take place in room 103A of the Burton Cross Building in Augusta from 1-4 pm. Anyone present may speak at the public hearing. People that wish to speak will be asked to sign in and, preferably, provide two written copies of comments, as well as an electronic copy. The live broadcast is for viewing the hearing only. You will not be able to provide public comment via the live broadcast.

Anyone unable to attend the public hearing may send written comments by 5 pm on November 27^th, 2019. Written comments may be emailed to sis.doe@maine.gov with the subject “Career and Education Development Standards Review,” or “English Language Arts Standards Review,” or “Mathematics Standards Review” or mailed to Maine Department of Education, attn: Beth Lambert, 23 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333.

Below is a list of relevant links, as well as the hearing information including a link for the live broadcast:

Chapter 132 Proposed Life and Career Ready Standards
Chapter 132 Proposed Mathematics Standards
Chapter 132 Proposed English Language Arts
Notice: Chapter 132 Notice posted October 23, 2019
Hearing information: November 13, 2019
Location: Cross Office Building, room 103, 111 Sewell Street, Augusta
Time: 1:00 – 4:00pm
Live broadcast link: https://zoom.us/j/478886902

For further information about the standards review process contact Beth Lambert at Beth.Lambert@maine.gov.

Priority Notice: Live Stream Information for Public Hearing on Health Education and Physical Education, Visual and Performing Arts, and World Languages Standards

As part of the scheduled periodic review of the Maine Learning Results, the Maine Department of Education is seeking public comments regarding the current health education and physical education, visual and performing arts, and world languages standards. Find links to each of the current standards below along with details for submitting comments.

Current Standards:

The standards review process opens with a public comment period and a public hearing, prior to the convening of steering committees who are charged with reviewing all submitted comments and with developing blueprints for the revision of the state standards in their assigned content area. Once the blueprints are created, writing teams, consisting of pk-12 teachers who represent Maine’s cultural and geographical diversity, will assemble to draft the standards revisions.

Anyone may speak at the public hearings, which will be live-streamed. People wishing to speak will be asked to sign in, and it will be helpful, but not mandatory, to provide a written copy of comments. We invite you to share critical comments as well as elements you appreciate in the revisions.

Public hearings will occur on October 23^rd in room 103 at the Cross Building, 111 Sewell Street, Augusta, from 1-4pm. The hearing will be live-streamed. Here is the link to view: https://zoom.us/j/805007386

Anyone unable to attend the public hearing may send written comments by 5 pm on November 8^th, 2019. Written comments may be sent to Standards Review at sis.doe@maine.gov, or mailed to Beth Lambert, 23 SHS Station, Augusta, ME 04333.

PRIORITY NOTICE: Seeking Public Comment on Health Education and Physical Education, Visual and Performing Arts, and World Languages Standards

Current Standards:

Public hearings will occur on October 23^rd in room 103 at the Cross Building, 111 Sewell Street, Augusta, from 1-4pm. A link to the live-streamed hearings will be available prior to the public hearing.

PRIORITY NOTICE: Proposed Revisions for Rule Chapter 180 (Educator Effectiveness Rules); Hearing on October 28, 2019

The Department is proposing revisions to Rule Chapter 180: Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth Systems to reflect recent statutory changes and feedback from conceptual conversations.

This proposed rulemaking provides a sunset for Section 7, Student Learning and Growth Measures, which are no longer a requirement. School administrative units will have flexibility in developing multiple measures on the local level. Section 13, subsection 3 has been revised to reflect, “A majority of the steering committee members must be teachers and must be chosen by the local representative of the applicable collective bargaining unit if the teachers in the school administrative unit are covered by a collective bargaining agreement.” Redundant and unnecessary language has been deleted.

The Department will be developing guidance to be available on the PEPG General Resources web page.

Find the details for proposed changes for Rule Chapter 180 on the Maine DOE Proposed Rule & Rule Changes webpage (proposed rules are listed in order by rule number).

Public Hearing Information for Rule Chapter 180:
October 28, 2019 from 10:00am- 11:30am
Room 500 in the Cross State Office Building, 111 Sewall Street, Augusta, Maine
All are welcome to attend and no RSVP is required. Anyone unable to attend the public hearing may send written comments.

Comment Period Deadline: November 22, 2019

Comments can be submitted to Jaci Holmes at jaci.holmes@maine.gov

PRIORITY NOTICE: Proposed Revisions for Rule Chapter 40; Hearing on October 28, 2019

The Department is proposing revisions to Rule Chapter 40: Medication Administration in Schools to reflect recent statutory changes.

This rule provides directions to public and private schools approved pursuant to 20-A MRSA §2902 in the administration of medication within schools. It is to assist school administrative units in implementing the provision of the medication statute [20-MRSA §254(5)(A-D)] that provides direction for training of unlicensed school personnel in the administration of medication, requires that students be allowed to carry and self-administer prescribed emergency medications; specifically, asthma inhalers or epinephrine auto-injectors with health care provider approval and school nurse assessment demonstrating competency and authorizes any student who attends public school to possess and use topical sunscreen product while on school property or at a school-sponsored event without a note or prescription from a health care provider if the product is regulated by the federal Food and Drug Administration for over-the-counter use for the purpose of limiting skin damage from ultraviolet radiation. In addition, refinements have been made to the proposed rule related to medications related to the care of students with insulin dependent diabetes.

Find the details for proposed changes for Rule Chapter 40 on the Maine DOE Proposed Rule & Rule Changes webpage (proposed rules are listed in order by rule number).

Public Hearing Information for Rule Chapter 40:
October 28, 2019 from 1:00pm- 2:30pm
Room 500 in the Cross State Office Building, 111 Sewall Street, Augusta, Maine
All are welcome to attend and no RSVP is required. Anyone unable to attend the public hearing may send written comments.

Comment Period Deadline: November 22, 2019

Comments can be submitted to Jaci Holmes at jaci.holmes@maine.gov

PRIORITY NOTICE: Mandatory Annual Notification of Eligibility for Schoolwide Programs

Updated annual notification of eligibility for schoolwide programs

Schools that receive federal Title I funds, have poverty rates of at least 40 percent and have approved Title IA Schoolwide Plans are eligible to use their Title I funds – and funds from other sources – to develop “schoolwide programs.”

Schoolwide programs are comprehensive reform strategies, aimed at raising the achievement levels of all students.

To facilitate the inclusion of students with disabilities in schoolwide programs, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the federal regulations at 34 CFR §300.206(a) allow school administrative units to use a portion of the funds they receive under Part B of IDEA for any fiscal year to fund such schoolwide programs.

SAUs can use those funds, as long as students with disabilities receive the services to which they are entitled under their Individualized Education Programs and that are guaranteed under IDEA.

The amount of Part B funds a school expends for schoolwide programs cannot exceed the amount the SAU has received for that fiscal year, divided by the number of children with disabilities in that unit, multiplied by the number of children with disabilities participating in the schoolwide program.

For more information, contact Maine DOE’s Title I Coordinator Monique Sullivan at monique.sullivan@maine.gov, or Acting Director of Special Services Jan Breton at janice.breton@maine.gov.

PRIORITY NOTICE: Notice from Maine Charter School Commission- Public Input for Proposed New Public Charter School

Maine Charter School Commission Banner

The Maine Charter School Commission has received applications from two entities proposing a new public charter school opening in the fall of 2020. There are 9 public charter schools operating in the state of Maine. Current law allows for a maximum of 10.

Applications were received for:

Ecology Learning Center, located in Montville. will serve grades 9-12 with a target population of high school-aged youth seeking experiential, community-based learning. The catchment area of the school will be Waldo County.
Sheffwood Academy, located in Topsham, will serve grades 6-12 with a target population of students with a passion for the arts and/or technology. The catchment area of the school will be a 20-mile radius around Topsham.

At its August 6, 2019 Business Meeting, the Maine Charter School Commission determined whether the application(s) appear to demonstrate the applicant’s competence in each element of the Commission’s published approval criteria and appears to demonstrate that the applicant is likely to open and operate a successful public charter school in the state of Maine. The Maine Charter School Commission denied the application for Sheffwood Academy, with no further action recommended. The Maine Charter School Commission has moved the Ecology Learning Center application forward, and a public hearing will be held on August 7th for the Ecology Learning Center from 4:00pm-6:00pm in the Washington/York Room of the Augusta Civic Center. The purpose of the hearing is to elicit public comment on the expected impact of the proposed charter school on students, parents, the community to be served by the school, and public education in the State. It’s important to note that if a school is approved for a charter, all students in the state of Maine are welcome to enroll.

If you are unable to attend a public hearing in person, written comments will be accepted through 5:00pm on Friday, August 23rd. Written comments can be mailed to the Maine Charter School Commission at 182 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333 or emailed to mcsc@maine.gov.

Information will be provided on the Commission’s website http://www.maine.gov/csc.

PRIORITY NOTICE: Conceptual Conversation Around the Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth Systems (PEPG)

Since 2012, educators across the State of Maine have worked collaboratively to create locally developed, effective models for professional growth. Since that time, plans have been revised and refined to reflect the requirements of Chapter 180 and school or district goals. In response to changes to Chapter 180 made during the 129th legislative session, The Maine Department of Education invites interested stakeholders to attend a conceptual conversation related to educator effectiveness on August 5, 2019 from 3pm-5pm at the Burton Cross Building (Room 103A and 103B) in Augusta. The conceptual conversations will provide an opportunity to explore hallmarks of educator effectiveness in the current rule Chapter 180.

PL 2019, Chapter 27, removed the mandate that student learning and growth be used as a measure in summative effectiveness ratings effective on September 1, 2021. In accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, sections 13704 and 13706, the Department of Education is required to amend the department’s rule Chapter 180: Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth Systems, to implement the provisions of the law, and submit the provisionally adopted rule to the Legislature.

The department intends to take the following steps in order to submit the provisionally adopted rule to the Legislature by January 10, 2020, as required.

On August 5, 2019 stakeholders are invited to attend a conceptual conversation which will be facilitated by Maine Department of Education’s Educator Effectiveness Specialist Emily Gribben and Legislative Liaison Jaci Holmes; the Commissioner and other Maine DOE members may join the conversations as their schedules allow. This conversation will be guided by the following discussion prompt:

Prompt: What are the critical components of educational practice that lead to educator’s overall effectiveness?

2. Taking into consideration the insights gained from conceptual discussions and the requirements under Chaptered Law 27, the Maine DOE staff will write a proposed rule Chapter 180 and begin again the Maine Administrative Procedures Act (A.P.A.) major substantive rule process pursuant to 5 MRS §8052 (public notice of filing, public hearing, open public comment period).The Maine DOE is working diligently to honor the hard work that has been done by steering committees and all educators to implement PEPG systems that foster improved teaching and learning.

3. Once the proposed rule has been filed, the public will be notified of the scheduled public hearing and comment period. This will be an opportunity to provide written and oral comments regarding the proposed rule.

4. The department will review all comments and respond accordingly. Updates to rule will then be filed for legal review before being submitted to the legislature by January 10, 2020.

For more information on the conceptual conversations for Chapter 180 and Educator Effectiveness, contact Emily Gribben at Emily.gribben@maine.gov.

PRIORITY NOTICE: School Year 2019-2020 Enacted ED279 Subsidy Printouts Now Available

Thank you for your patience as we finalized School Year 2019-2020 ED 279 subsidy printouts to reflect the enactment of Public Law 2019 Chapter 343. You may find these on the Maine Department of Education website:

FY 2019-2020 ED 279 Printouts

The subsidy amounts allocated to each school administrative unit are calculated using the Essential Programs and Services (EPS) funding model, based on $1.163 billion in General Purpose Aid (GPA) funding appropriated in the biennial budget. Governor Mills proposed a $41.3 million increase for GPA in her biennial budget, resulting in a lower mill expectation from the prior year, down to 8.28 from 8.48.

The legislature approved the Governor’s budget, and appropriated an additional $3 million in funds to GPA for FY 2019-20, targeted toward Career and Technical Education schools and the Maine Education Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

The majority of school administrative units will not see a change in the enacted ED 279 from the preliminary ED 279, published on February 15, 2019, which were calculated based on the proposed budget.

If you have questions or need additional information as you review your enacted ED 279, please contact our School Finance Team: Tyler Backus at tyler.backus@maine.gov Ida Batista at ida.batista@maine.gov or Paula Gravelle at paula.b.gravelle@maine.gov