New Early Learning and Development Standards Resources Now Available in Five Languages

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) are pleased to announce the release of updated resources designed to support the effective use of the Infant/Toddler and Preschool Maine Early Learning and Development Standards (MELDS). These tools offer practical, accessible guidance for families, caregivers, and educators, helping to bring the MELDS into everyday early childhood settings.

Developed by experienced professionals currently working in the early childhood field, these tools reflect real-world practice and are thoughtfully designed to meet the diverse needs of those supporting young children’s growth and learning. This initiative was made possible through funding from the federal Preschool Development Grant, which supports Maine’s ongoing commitment to expanding access and quality in early childhood education.

Key resources include:

Clear, user-friendly guides to developmental milestones
Practical strategies for implementing learning standards
Straightforward explanations of age-appropriate expectations.

Together, these tools help to ensure that all children in Maine receive high-quality care and education aligned with the MELDS.

To support accessibility, all materials are now available in the five most commonly spoken languages in Maine—English, Arabic, French, Spanish, and Portuguese—ensuring families and early childhood professionals across the state can use these resources effectively, regardless of their primary language.

All translated resources are available to download for free on the Maine Department of Education Early Learning Standards website.

For more information, please contact:

Nicole Madore, Early Childhood Specialist, Maine DOE: nicole.madore@maine.gov.
Megan Swanson, Community and Partnerships Manager, Maine DHHS Office of Child and Family Services: megan.swanson@maine.gov.

Public Comment for Rule Chapter 132: Learning Results, Parameters for Essential Instruction

During the Second Regular Session of the Maine Legislature, Maine’s Legislative Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs declined to authorize the proposed social studies content standards of the Maine Learning Results. The committee directed the Maine Department of Education (DOE) to reengage in the rulemaking process for the social studies standards. To this end, the Maine DOE reopened the 2024 Steering Committee and writing team conversations for the social studies standards.

On May 3, the Maine DOE convened the 2024 Steering Committee to begin the revision process for Maine’s social studies standards. This committee was composed of various collaborators from the community with a diverse and relevant skill set, including classroom teachers, district administrators, university faculty, and representatives from the Wabanaki nations. Given that the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee did not provide substantive feedback on the 2023 revision when asking the Maine DOE to restart the social studies standards review process, the 2024 Steering Committee determined that, because they did not know what specific issues members of the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs wanted to be amended, they decided to support resubmitting the proposed 2023 Social Studies revised standards in the 132nd legislative session.

The public will have the opportunity to provide public comment during the public comment period of October 1, 2024, through October 31, 2024, at 5 pm.

There will be an opportunity to deliver feedback in person or via Zoom for the revised rule on October 21, 2024 from 1 pm – 3 pm in room 103 A/B of the Cross Office Building located at 11 Sewall Street in Augusta, Maine. As space will be limited, participants are encouraged to attend virtually through Zoom, using this link: Zoom Link for Public Comment on Social Studies
Written comments may be submitted to the Maine DOE Legislative Team member Laura Cyr, State House Station #23, Augusta, Maine 04333; 207-446-8791 or laura.cyr@maine.gov until 5:00 pm on October 31, 2024.

The proposed revised Chapter 132 can be found here:

CONTACT PERSON FOR THIS FILING: Laura Cyr, laura.cyr@maine.gov, 207-446-8791

Maine DOE Seeks Public Comment for Current Social Studies Standards

As part of the scheduled periodic review of the Maine Learning Results, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) is seeking public comments regarding the current social studies standards. These comments will inform the work of the standards revision teams.

The standards review process opens with a public comment and public hearing prior to the convening of teams that will review and revise the social studies standards. The public hearing will occur on April 29th, Burton Cross Building, 111 Sewall Street, Augusta, Room 500, from 3-5pm and is intended to give anyone the opportunity to weigh-in on the direction of future social studies standards in Maine. Anyone may speak at the public hearing. People wishing to speak will be asked to sign in and it will be helpful, but not mandatory, to provide a written copy of their comments.

Anyone unable to attend the public hearing may send written comments by 5 pm on April 29th, 2024. Written comments may be emailed to sis.doe@maine.gov with the subject “Social Studies Standards Review” or mailed to Maine Department of Education, attn: Beth Lambert, 23 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333. You may also fill out this form.

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

Seeking Maine Science and Social Studies Educators to Design and Deliver Professional Development on Updated Standards (Stipends Available)

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is seeking dynamic, creative, and collaborative science and social studies educators to design and deliver professional development on the updated standards.

We are looking for Maine educators including, but not limited to, teachers, curriculum leaders, and administrators with a strong background and understanding of the revised science and/or social studies standards. These cohorts of educators will work with Maine DOE content area experts as well as community partners to support their work.

Work will begin in March 2024 and run through February 2025. We will work to design, create, and deliver high-impact asynchronous, live/virtual, and live/in-person professional development. Selected educators will meet with their design teams once a month and be expected to complete work between meetings. We are looking for 40 educators to work with us. Educators will earn stipends of $900 to create professional learning and selected teacher-leaders can earn an additional $300 to take on a leadership role in the design teams. Interested educators should submit an application via this form. Please submit your application by March 6th, 2024. Selected applicants will be notified by March 15th, 2024.

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Beth Lambert, Maine DOE Chief Teaching and Learning Officer, beth.lamber@maine.gov.

PUBLIC COMMENT: Rule Chapter 132: Learning Results: Parameters for Essential Education; Science and Social Studies Standards

As part of the scheduled periodic review of the Maine Learning Results, the Maine Department of Education is seeking public comments regarding the proposed revisions to the social studies standards and the science standard in Rule Chapter 132. These comments will inform the continued work of the standards revision teams and are an integral part of the rulemaking process.

This proposed rule revision is part of a periodic review of the Maine Learning Results as required under 6209, subsection 4. The science and social studies standards were last reviewed and revised in 2018.

The rulemaking process began in the summer of 2023 with the science and social studies standards steering committees, which are composed of content area experts who represent the cultural diversity found in Maine and a range of viewpoints as to the content of the standards. These groups met and reviewed all the comments submitted and developed a blueprint for the revision of the state science and social studies standards. Following that process, groups of writing teams, representing prek-12 teachers, met and revised the current standards.

The proposed revisions focus on elements outlined in the Science and Social Studies content areas. No other aspects of the Learning Results were modified in any way.

This process was completed according to Title 5, Section 8051-B regarding consensus-based rule development process.

As required by law, a period of public comment will be open October 11, 2023 through November 14, 2023. Written comments may be submitted to DOE Rulemaking Liaison Laura Cyr, State House Station #23, Augusta, Maine 04333; 207-446-8791 or laura.cyr@maine.gov until 5:00 pm November 14, 2023. For documentation purposes, written comments are preferred.

In addition, a public hearing for the revised social studies and science standards in Rule Chapter 132 will be held in person and virtually on October 30, 2023, from 3:00 pm to 5 pm at the Burton Cross Office Building, located at 111 Sewall Street, Augusta, Maine 04333, Room 600. As space will be limited, participants are encouraged to attend virtually through Zoom, using this link:

Topic: Rule Chapter 132 Public Hearing

Time: Oct 30, 2023 3:00 pm Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 878 1068 6789
Passcode: 98277489

Timeline for Rulemaking for Rule Chapter 132 – Standards Review, Major Substantive

File: October 4, 2023
Post: October 11, 2023
Comment Period End: November 14, 2023

The revised Rule Chapter 132 Social Studies and Science Standards can be found here.

You may also submit comments via this form.

CONTACT PERSON FOR THIS FILING (include name, mailing address, telephone, fax, TTY, email):

Laura Cyr, laura.cyr@maine.gov, 446-8791

Maine Department of Education Seeks Educators for Science and Social Studies Standards Revision Writing Teams

As a part of the regular review cycle schedule, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) is performing a review of the Maine Learning Results for Social Studies and Science and Engineering and is looking for educators to serve as the writing teams for each content area. The purpose of each writing team is to revise the current standards based on guidance from a steering committee. For more information about the standards review process, check the new Maine DOE standards revision website.

The Maine DOE will be convening two writing teams, one for each content area under review. The writing teams will serve as a representative sample of Maine K-12 educators covering K-12 grade levels, geographic locations, and content area strengths. While specific dates are still to be determined, most of the work will take place in late June, July, and early August, and will include at least one face-to-face meeting in Augusta.

All interested educators are encouraged to participate. Participants will receive contact hours for time worked, be reimbursed for travel costs, and be provided lunch at face-to-face meetings.

If you are interested in participating as a member of one of these writing teams, please complete the survey by 8:00am on Monday, May 15^th to be considered. We will reach out to interested participants with more information in the coming weeks.

Maine DOE Seeks Public Comment for Social Studies and Science and Engineering 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 social studies standards and science and engineering standards. These comments will inform the work of the standards revision teams.

The standards review process opens with a public comment and public hearing prior to the convening of teams that will review and revise the social studies and science and engineering standards. The public hearing will occur on March 21st, Burton Cross Building, 111 Sewall Street, Augusta, Room 103, from 3-5pm and is intended to give anyone the opportunity to weigh-in on the direction of future social studies and science and engineering standards in Maine. Anyone may speak at the public hearing. People wishing to speak will be asked to sign in and it will be helpful, but not mandatory, to provide a written copy of their comments.

Anyone unable to attend the public hearing may send written comments by 5 pm on April 6th, 2023. Written comments may be emailed to sis.doe@maine.gov with the subject “Social Studies Standards Review” or “Science and Engineering Standards Review” or mailed to Maine Department of Education, attn: Beth Lambert, 23 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333.

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

Seeking Writing Teams and Targeted Reviewers for Update of the Maine Early Learning and Development Standards

The Maine Early Learning and Development Standards (MELDS) are the state’s learning standards for children ages three-five. Building from the Infant Toddler MELDS (IT MELDS) and bridging developmental expectations to the Maine Learning Results (MLRs), the MELDS inform all early childhood professionals about the typically developing expectations of young children as well as curriculum and assessment practices.

The MELDS Steering Committee is now accepting applications from individuals interested in being part of the review process to serve as participants on one of the writing teams, or as a targeted reviewer. The Steering Committee is seeking professionals in the field of Early Care and Education that work or have worked with or on behalf of children. Prospective participants must apply no later than February 21, 2023.

To understand the details of participation, please read the following Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Q: What are the Maine Early Learning Development Standards (MELDS)?

A: Early Learning and Development Standards describe the concepts and skills children develop and learn along the developmental continuum from birth to kindergarten entry. Their purpose is to support the development and well-being of young children and to foster their learning.

The standards promote the understanding of early learning and development, provide a comprehensive and coherent set of early childhood educational expectations for children’s development and learning, and guide the design and implementation of curriculum, assessment, and instructional practices with young children.

Maine’s Early Learning and Development Standards (MELDS) serve as a guide for state and local early childhood educators’ efforts to improve practice and programs for young children during their preschool years. The Infant/Toddler MELDS is a companion tool for ages birth-36 months.

Q: Who should consider participating?

A: In order to develop an evidence-based set of standards, we are seeking a diverse population of professionals from the Early Care and Education (ECE) field:

Child Care and School Administrators
Child Care Health Consultants
Child Care Providers and staff of all licensed programs (family, small facility, facility, nursery school, out of school time programs)
Child Care Providers and staff from licensed exempt programs
Early educators within the school setting (Pre-K through 3rd grade)
Ed Techs
English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Professionals
Head Start staff
Higher education professionals and their students within or specializing in the ECE/ECS field
Individuals that provide professional development to the Early Care and Education field
Parents, Guardians, Caregivers, or Family Members
Special Education Teachers / Specialists
Student and School Support Specialists: Speech, Occupational and Physical Therapists, School Counselors, School Social Workers, Interventionists, Title I staff
Other professionals serving families of young children

Q: What are writing teams and what is the time commitment?

A: Each of the domains of development will need a team of professionals to review content for relevance and alignment to current research in order for the MELDS to provide early childhood educators with guidance as they design inclusive environments, shape curriculum, lead professional development initiatives, build intentionality into teaching practice, engage families, and support children’s learning at home. The domains include:

Social and Emotional Development
- Goal Areas: Trust and emotional security, self-regulation; sense of self, self-awareness, and self-concept, relationships with adults, relationships with children
Approaches to Learning
- Goal Areas: Engagement and persistence, initiative and curiosity, creativity
Early Language and Literacy
- Goal Areas: Language comprehension (receptive language), language expression (Expressive/productive communication), emergent literacy
Physical Development and Health
- Goal Areas: Perceptual development, gross motor (large muscle), fine motor (small muscle), self-help and adaptive skills
Cognitive Development
- Goal Areas: exploration and inquiry, concept development and working memory, reflection and problem-solving, mathematical thinking, scientific reasoning, social studies learning

In addition to the domains of development, there are additional sections of the document that will need review. Those sections include:

Introduction, History, Key Components of Early Learning Standards,
Purpose Statement and Potential Users, Guiding Principles and Universal Design for Learning
Introduction to the Stages of Development Ages 3-5

Time Commitment: The facilitator(s) for each writing team will determine the time necessary for both whole group and individual review. Participants should expect this to be no more than two hours per week. Writing teams will convene in March and work through June.

Q: What are targeted reviewers and what is the time commitment?

A: Targeted reviewers will review the updated sections provided to them and offer structured feedback. Targeted reviewers will begin review once the initial updates have been made to provide feedback to the Steering Committee.

The time commitment will be less for targeted reviewers than writing team participants, however the window for review and feedback will be shorter and more time sensitive (approximate document turnaround time of two weeks).

Q: What will I earn in exchange for my time and expertise?

A: Not only will individuals be afforded an opportunity to participate in furthering the field of Early Care and Education, but each participant will also be awarded contact hours at the completion of the writing team cycle based on attendance and at the discretion of the team leader.

Contact hours may be used for furthering education, documentation of professional development experiences, or for continuing education credits (CEUs) and/or training hour conversion.

Q: Why is periodic updating of learning and development standards important?

A: Research in the field of early care and education is constantly evolving. A regular process of updating early learning and development standards helps to ensure their validity and alignment with other sets of standards across the birth to grade 12 spans. The updated MELDS will result in a child-centered tool that will inform program development, instruction, assessment, policy decisions, and professional learning for early care and education efforts across Maine.

Q: What is the overall timeline for the MELDS revision?

A: MELDS revision began in the Fall of 2022 with the creation of the Steering Committee. This group has been meeting regularly to discuss the current format of Maine’s MELDS as well as to review feedback from the field, other states’ Early Learning and Development Standards and national research trends/findings. The remaining work is set to unfold on the following timeline:

January-February 2023: Recruit writing team members and targeted reviewers
February 2023: Assign Steering Committee members and teams to review the current standards
March-June 2023: Teams will work to review terminology, assure alignment to Maine’s Infant/Toddler MELDS and to the Maine Learning Results, and review for readability, diversity, inclusion and ease of use
July-August 2023: A final version will be translated and introduced to the field for further use

Thank you for time and consideration. If you have any questions, please contact the Department of Education’s Early Childhood Specialist, Nicole.Madore@maine.gov or the Office of Child and Family Services First4ME Program Manager, Megan.Swanson@maine.gov

Panelist Opportunities for Maine Science Educators

The Maine Department of Education is currently recruiting elementary (5^th grade) educators and alternate participants (grades 8 and 3^rd year of high school) to participate in an upcoming standard setting for the state’s science assessment, Maine (MEA) Science.

Maine educators and the DOE play a crucial role in the development of this assessment for students. No prior experience with standard setting or standard setting methodology is required however, panelists should be a science expert that teaches students who participate in the Maine Science assessment and have a thorough understanding of the assessed Maine Learning Results (MLRs) Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Participants must be able to differentiate between student performances at different levels of achievement. Standard setting panels consist of 10 educators per grade band (grade 5, 8, and 3^rd year of high school). Panelists will have the opportunity to discuss and determine application thresholds for Maine.

Current needs include:

Grade 5 – 4 Educators
Grade 8 – Alternates*
3^rd year of High School – Alternates*

*Alternates need to indicate they would be available should a panelist be unable to participate.

The standard setting is scheduled to take place from July 26^th – 28^th 2022 in Augusta. Travel, accommodations and expenses will be covered with a daily stipend provided to selected panelists.

Please consider applying or sharing the upcoming opportunities with colleagues. The expertise and contributions of Maine educators are a critical element of the continued development cycle for these assessments.

Interested? Complete the panelist registration survey.

Want more information? Please reach out to Janette Kirk, Chief of Federal Programs at Janette.Kirk@maine.gov.

Panelist Opportunities for Maine Science Educators

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is currently recruiting educators to participate in an upcoming standard setting for the state’s science assessment, Maine (MEA) Science.

Maine educators and the DOE play a crucial role in the development of this assessment for students. No prior experience with standard setting or standard setting methodology is required, however panelists should be a science expert that teaches the students who participate in the Maine Science assessment and have a thorough understanding of the assessed Maine Learning Results (MLRs) Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Participants must be able to differentiate between student performances at different levels of achievement. Standard setting panels consist of ten (10) educators per grade band (grade 5, 8, and 3^rd year of high school). Panelists will have the opportunity to discuss and determine application thresholds for Maine.

The Assessment Team is currently recruiting educators with a general science background, however preference will be given to high school teachers with the following areas of science expertise to ensure broad representation of all science domains:

Chemistry
Physics
Life Science
Earth & Space

The standard setting is scheduled to take place from July 26^th – 28^th 2022 in Augusta. Travel, accommodations, and expenses will be covered with a daily stipend provided to selected panelists.