Maine is seeking input on its application for the Part C (birth to age three) early intervention program under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, known as IDEA. The Part C budget included in the application is for State Fiscal Year 2017.
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A child who is placed by the Department of Health and Human Services outside the family home in a foster home or in a children’s residential care facility through the Intensive Temporary Residential Treatment process becomes a “state agency client” under Maine statute and Department of Education regulations, resulting in a shift of administrative and fiscal responsibility for the education of that child. Sometimes, such a child is later returned to the family home from which s/he was removed.
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The Maine DOE is seeking comments from the public on its annual application for federal funds under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which covers services for children with disabilities, ages 3-20.
The application, which covers Maine fiscal year 2017 (starting July 1, 2016) is posted on the Maine DOE’s web page at www.maine.gov/doe/specialed/idea. The Part B budget is projected on the basis of Maine’s award for the current State fiscal year (2016), pending the State’s receipt of the finalized federal award for the coming year.
Written comments will be accepted from March 26, 2016 until 4 p.m. on April 24, 2016. Please send comments to Janice Breton at janice.breton@maine.gov or 23 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333.
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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