Special services year-end reports now available

The following applications and year-end reports for the Maine DOE Office of Special Services are now available on the Department’s Reporting Calendar.

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Department to host writing IEP workshops this fall

The Maine DOE will be offering an evidence-based practice IEP Goal Writing for College, Career and Community Readiness workshop this fall in four locations across the state. This workshop is designed for special education teachers who need assistance aligning IEP goals to standards.

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Maine DOE provides special services eligibility guidance for English learners

The Maine DOE recognizes that, due to their limited English language proficiency, determining eligibility for special education services for English learners (ELs) may be challenging. These challenges, however, should not result in ELs failing to be properly evaluated for eligibility for special education and related services. Maine DOE recommends that school administrative units (SAUs) with EL populations review the proportion of ELs in their unit identified for special education in comparison to the SAU’s overall special education identification rate.

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Commissioner’s Update – June 4, 2015

From the Maine Department of Education

Maine’s top Career & Technical Education students were honored as students of the year recently at a ceremony at the Lewiston Regional Technical Center.

It was a great night to celebrate the best CTE students in Maine. Twenty six centers were represented. State School Board Chair, Peter Geiger, indicated that it was the best celebration for students he has seen. Senator Brian Langley, Education Committee Chair, was also impressed and gave the audience a superb presentation with his remarks aligned to CTE in Maine.

Each of the 26 students was presented with an award certificate and two received scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each at the event sponsored by the Maine Administrators of Career & Technical Education (MACTE).

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Notices and Reporting

End-of-Year Student Enrollment Responsibilites, due June 30
End-of-Year Behavior Reporting, due June 30
End-of-Year Special Education Exit Reporting, due June 30
End-of-Year Truancy Incident Reporting, due June 30
Aggregate Daily Attendance / Membership Reporting, due June 30
End-of-Year MEDMS Staff Data, due June 30

More Notices | Administrative Letters | Reporting Calendar

News & Views

FFA students celebrate accomplishments at 85th annual state convention

Secondary and middle school students in the Maine FFA Association (formerly known as “Future Farmers of America”) celebrated numerous accomplishments during the annual state convention held on May 14-15 at the University of Maine. | More

Data training sessions announced

There are many changes coming in the 2015-16 school year. In order that accurate student and staff data is reported to the Maine DOE, it is important that the appropriate staff attend one (or more) of these training sessions. | More

Learning Disability Report (LDR) form guidance

In a letter dated February 23, 2015, the United States Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services directed the Maine DOE to issue guidance clarifying the use of the Learning Disability Report (LDR) form. | More

Office of Special Services notice of changes in special education forms

The Maine DOE Office of Special Services has revised the forms listed below. Revised forms are to be used effective August 1, 2015. | More

Maine DOE provides assistance for Civil Rights Data Collection to districts

The Maine DOE is offering some assistance to local districts who are working to comply with the U.S. Department of Education’s Civil Rights Data Collection. | More

Fact sheet highlights academic performance and student health risk

A newly available one-page fact sheet on the relationship between Academic Performance and Student Health Risks is available. | More

School and workplace violence training Aug 19-20

The National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA) and the Brewer Police Department will host a two-day training event on school and workplace violence on Aug 19-20 in Brewer. | More

More Dispatches | Press Releases | From the Commissioner

LATEST DOE Career/Project Opportunities

Office of Special Services notice of changes in special education forms

The Maine DOE Office of Special Services has revised the forms listed below. Revised forms are to be used effective August 1, 2015.

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Maine DOE issues Learning Disability Report (LDR) form guidance

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Commissioner’s Update – May 14, 2015

From the Maine Department of Education

LD 131 “An Act To Amend the Laws Related to Public Funding of Charter Schools” was signed May 8, 2015 by Governor LePage. Under the new law Maine DOE will make monthly payments directly to approved public charter schools starting in FY16, the same way the Department has long distributed funds to traditional public school districts.

Currently, districts that lose students to public charter schools are billed directly by the receiving charter school. The Maine DOE will provide financial relief to traditional school units since they no longer must include these payments in their annual budgets.

The new funding method will relieve the unpredictable financial impact of charters to individual (sending) districts and was overwhelmingly supported by leaders of Maine’s school districts, including the 100 or so that now have at least one student enrolled in one of the state’s five bricks-and-mortar charter schools or the virtual Maine Connections Academy. The change also allows Maine to move beyond the divisive debate about charter school funding and refocus on how to create opportunities for students to be most successful at Maine public schools, whether they be charters or traditional.

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Notices and Reporting

SPPS Report on Transition to a Proficiency-Based System, due July 1 (Reminder)

More Notices | Administrative Letters | Reporting Calendar

News & Views

First Lady LePage, Acting Education Commissioner announce 2015 County Teachers of the Year

First Lady Ann LePage and Acting Education Commissioner Tom Desjardin marked Teacher Appreciation Week by announcing the top teacher from each Maine county. | More

Maine Department of Education pledges additional funding to support autism resource, research institute

The Maine Department of Education is committing over $150,000 to continue the work of the state’s first autism institute. | More

Department seeks feedback on ESEA waiver renewal

The Maine DOE is seeking feedback on Maine’s proposed Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Waiver Renewal application. | More

Alternate assessment for math, ELA closing May 15

The deadline to submit the National Center and State Collaborative Alternate Assessment (NCSC), used to assess students with the most significant cognitive disabilities in mathematics and English language arts is this Friday, May 15. | More

Maine DOE joins library advocates in Washington, D.C. for National Library Legislative Day

Last week the Maine DOE was represented along with hundreds of library supporters in Washington, D.C. to speak with their legislators about the importance of libraries. | More

Notice to 30th annual school wellness conference applicants; due date extended to May 29

If your school submitted an application for the 30th Annual Maine Schoolsite Health Promotion Program “Wellness” Conference to the Maine DOE but has not yet received a confirmation please contact the Department. | More

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LATEST DOE Career/Project Opportunities

Alternate assessment for math, ELA closing May 15

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Maine Department of Education pledges additional funding to support autism resource, research institute

The funding will allow the Orono-based Maine Autism Institute for Education and Research to improve outcomes for the thousands of children in the state with autism spectrum disorder

AUGUSTA – The Maine Department of Education is committing over $150,000 to continue the work of the state’s first autism institute.

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Commissioner’s Update – May 7, 2015

From the Maine Department of Education

The Maine DOE will continue school site visits into June to provide targeted technical assistance for proficiency-based extension options five and six.

Visits to schools that were granted an extension five or six are providing valuable information about the types of supports needed by districts to sustain the transition to proficiency-based education and reflects the deep commitment of districts to student-centered learning.

The Maine DOE will release information about the 2015 renewal process for extensions soon. Last year’s extension applications provided a clear picture of the status of districts implementation of proficiency-based education to date. District extension applications can be viewed on the Maine DOE website. The Maine DOE anticipates a dramatically streamlined renewal process for spring 2015.

The Maine DOE plans to convene extension option six schools as a group in June to provide targeted supports for the implementation of proficiency-based diplomas. This convening is in lieu of a second site visit. More information about this event will be sent to districts in the coming weeks.

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