The MEA Alternate Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy assessment known as the Multi-State Alternate Assessment (MSAA) is moving forward. On Friday, February 19, all students and Test Coordinators were registered in the MSAA System. Test Coordinators may now begin registering Test Administrators.
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In an effort to increase implementation of positive behavior supports in Maine schools, the Maine Department of Education in collaboration with the University of Maine, will be offering a webinar, “Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS)” on March 7 from 2:30-3:30 p.m.
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Special education administrators, special education high school teachers, transition coordinators and specialists, vocational rehabilitation case managers, and parents of children/students with disabilities are invited to attend a daylong conference on postsecondary transition planning.
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The reporting period for the EF-S-05 Part 2 (Special Education Personnel) is from Jan 21 – Feb 29, 2016.
This is the last year that reporting for the EF-S-05 Part 2 will be completed in MEDMS. Please read the detailed instructions that can be found by going to the Maine DOE Reporting Calendar at www.maine.gov/doe/reporting/calendar.shtml and, under Reporting Item, selecting “Report of Services to Students with Disabilities Part II (EF-S-05).”
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A recent dispatch from Maine DOE’s Office of Special Services on parental consent for evaluation informs school administrative units of the rules when a parent does not consent to an initial evaluation of a student. In these cases, the SAU may, but is not required to, request a due process hearing in an effort to obtain the authorization for the evaluation from a hearing officer, but otherwise may not proceed with the evaluation. (Note: an initial evaluation encompasses all types of evaluations that may be administered at the point where a student is being considered for eligibility).
Although dyslexia is not itself a category of disability under the federal IDEA or Maine’s special education regulations (MUSER), the definition of the disability category Specific Learning Disability (at both the federal and state level) expressly references dyslexia as one example of a disorder in psychological processing involved in understanding or using language which can be the basis for special education eligibility under that category.
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Accurate student lists for this spring’s computer-based Maine Educational Assessment (MEA) for Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy will depend on ongoing collaboration between the Maine DOE and the local school districts.
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Administrative Letter: 4
Policy Code: KLM
To: Superintendents of Schools, Business Managers, Directors of Special Education
From: William H. Beardsley, Acting Commissioner
Date: January 13, 2016
Re: Use of Federal Funds to Provide Food or Beverages
The Maine Department of Education has received a number of questions regarding the use of federal funds to provide food and beverages at meetings and conferences. Generally, the use of federal funds for food and beverages is discouraged. The documents posted at http://www2.ed.gov/policy/fund/guid/gposbul/gposbul.html are the federal government’s advisory on this topic.
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Administrative Letter Number: 2
Policy Code: BG/CH
To: Superintendents of Schools, Business Managers/Bookkeepers
From: William H. Beardsley, Acting Commissioner
Date: January 13, 2016
Re: Correction to Administrative Letter #2 2015 – Special Purpose Private School Tuition Rates
The MUSER citation and following explanatory text of the second paragraph of Administrative Letter #2 for 2015 is incorrect.
For a student who is in 9th grade or higher or 16 years of age or older, at least once during each school year (usually during the annual IEP review meeting), the IEP Team must review the transition plan portion of the student’s IEP (Section 8).
Maine DOE Newsroom 