Two parent notification letter templates have been updated for use by school and district leaders in 2018 to notify parents about state assessments: one letter template for the “general assessment” and one letter template for “alternate assessments.” These templates are available for your school or district to modify and customize with local information prior to being used to notify parents in your community about the upcoming state assessments.
Technology plans are designed to help educators and school leaders think about how they use technology and how to better leverage technology to improve student learning. The Learning through Technology team at the Department of Education manages the technology planning process and assists schools in learning to use technology more effectively. This communication sets forth guidance regarding technology plans that are due in the 2017-18 school year as well as plans that were due in prior years.
Plans Due in 2018
For plans that are due by June 30, 2018, school administrative units (SAUs) have two options:
More information about the specific requirements can be found here: http://www.maine.gov/doe/mlti/techplan/
For both options, schools will need to administer the BrightBytes Technology and Learning Survey to students and use their data to inform planning for technology use in their schools and SAUs. BrightBytes offers webinars and in-person workshops to help schools and SAUs leverage their BrightBytes data for technology planning.
(Note: Webinars will be recorded and posted to be viewed at a later date.)
Webinar: Technology and Learning for Curriculum Leaders: Using T&L to Transform Instruction (March 15, 2018 from 3:30 -4:30pm) – still accepting registration.
Webinar: Technology and Learning for District Admin: Vision to Action, Lighthouse Schools, and Pilots (April 10, 2018 from 3 – 5pm)
Onsite “Data Into Action” Workshops: Building Actionable Instructional Technology Plans that Really Drive Change (Offered regionally during the weeks of May 7th and May 14th – specific locations and times TBD)
Registration and more information about these sessions (as well as recordings of past webinars) can be found here: http://bit.ly/2sxx7CZ
If you have any questions about technology plans due in 2018, please contact Amanda Nguyen, Digital Learning Specialist at Amanda.Nguyen@maine.gov or 207-624-6656.
Plans Due in 2016 or 2017
If you haven’t received an approval letter from the department for a technology plan that was due from your SAU in 2016 or 2017, , please send an email requesting an approval letter to mlti.project@maine.gov. If you have questions about those pre-2018 plans, please contact Deb Friedman, Learning through Technology Project Manager at Deborah.Friedman@maine.gov or 207-624-6834.
The Maine Department of Education is embarking on a new initiative called the Numeracy4ME K-4 Mathematics Pilot program. The project is designed to improve the mathematics achievement of students in kindergarten through grade four in 6 pilot schools: Academy Hill, Cherryfield Elementary School, Cornville Charter School, G.D. Cushing School, Indian Township School, and Milbridge Elementary School.
Students in kindergarten through grade four in the pilot schools are the focus of the Numeracy4ME Project. These learners will be supported by their teachers, who will be engaging in high quality professional learning on numeracy related instructional practices delivered by trained mathematics specialists. In addition, each school will be supported by a Maine Department of Education mathematics specialist coach.
Schools were selected based on mathematics achievement, defined by Maine Education Assessment (MEA) proficiency rates in Grades 3 and 4, and economic need, defined by free and reduced lunch counts. The pilot includes schools in two Regions: Washington County and Franklin/Somerset County.
As a pilot project, the Numeracy4ME program is designed to study results of implementation to inform decisions about extending the opportunity to other Maine schools in the future. The resources available to support the project are limited to 25 teachers in each region.
The Numeracy4ME Pilot Project will run from January 2018 through June 2018 and, pending funding, will continue through July 2019.
For more information about the Numeracy4ME Pilot Project contact Cheryl Toby, Mathematics Specialist for the Maine Department of Education at Cheryl.Tobey@maine.gov.
The Maine Department of Education will host a workshop regarding Equitable Shares for Private Schools. This workshop is designed as guidance and technical support for all ESEA Coordinators and Private School Officials that receive funds for equitable services across the state.
Participants will gain a better understanding of providing Equitable Services under ESSA through the following:
When: Thursday, April 12, 2018
Time: 9:00 A.M.-12 Noon
Where: Capital Area Technical Center, 40 Pierce Drive, Augusta, Maine 04330
Who Should attend: Private Schools officials responsible for delivery of equitable services, ESEA Coordinators, Curriculum Coordinators, Principals, Assistant Superintendents, Superintendents.Why: Under ESSA the provision of equitable services has changed. It is critical that public and non-public schools work together to provide fair and equitable services to eligible students according to the law. This workshop will help guide your decision making as a school administrator and ensure responsible fiscal stewardship in federal funding for both public and non-public schools across the state.
Register by clicking on the link below:
http://events.egov.com/eventreg/ME/event.htm?name=equitableservicesunderessa
Please register by no later than April 1, 2018. Space is limited.
For questions regarding this workshop or equitable services please contact Charles.lomonte@maine.gov
The 107th Commissioner’s Conference for Superintendents will be held Wednesday, June 27th through Thursday, June 28th at the Augusta Civic Center.
Registration information and a detailed agenda will be available in the coming weeks.
For more information, please contact Georgette Valliere at 624-6605 or georgette.valliere@maine.gov.
The Department is extending the period to identify a student’s test type as “alternate” or “general” until March 16 in order to allow districts sufficient time to complete their updates. | More
| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |
Due to the impending snow storm scheduled to arrive late Wednesday, March 7 and expected to continue through the early hours of Friday, March 9, the Department has made the decision to cancel the CNA/SAU Consolidated Plan technical assistance session scheduled for 9 am on Friday, March 9, 2018. | More
The Maine Department of Education (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 to children with disabilities, ages 3-20. | More
Rulemaking for Chapter 14: Education of the Homeless Students been filed as a proposed routine technical rule. A hearing date and comment period has been scheduled. | More
Rulemaking for Chapter 45: Rule for Vision and Hearing Screening in Maine Schools been filed as a proposed routine technical rule. A hearing date and comment periods has been scheduled. | More
Rule Chapter 51: Child Nutrition Programs in Public Schools and Institutions has been filed to be repealed. The routine technical rule is not needed as the federal regulations articulate the responsibilities for the school administrative units to follow. | More
Revised Rule Chapter 115: The Credentialing of Educational Personnel and Rule Chapter 180: Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth Systems have been provisionally adopted and will go to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. | More
Rule Chapter 129: Rights and Responsibilities of Educators and Pupils has been filed to be repealed as the underlying statutory authority has been repealed. | More
Rule Chapter 250: School Approval for Non-Traditional Limited Purpose Schools has been filed to be repealed as the underlying statutory authority has been repealed. | More
More Dispatches | Press Releases | Priority Notices
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Due to the impending snow storm scheduled to arrive late Wednesday, March 7 and expected to continue through the early hours of Friday, March 9, the Department has made the decision to cancel the CNA/SAU Consolidated Plan technical assistance session scheduled for 9 am on Friday, March 9, 2018. The session has been rescheduled for Friday, March 30, 2018. Please re-register at the link provided below.
Those who registered for the March 9 session have been notified directly via email.
Rescheduled Session (please re-register below):
Friday, March 30, 2018
9:00 am
Camden National Bank Ice Vault
203 Whitten Road
Hallowell, Maine
To attended the rescheduled session, please complete the registration below by Monday March 19, 2018.
Re-register here: https://goo.gl/forms/6FVmFR2YmbnTriu43
For further questions contact Janette Kirk, Deputy Director of the Office of Learning Systems for the Maine Department of Education at Janette.Kirk@maine.gov.
Revised Rule Chapter 115: The Credentialing of Education Personnel and Rule Chapter 180: Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth Systems have been provisionally adopted and will go to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs.
Proposed rules are posted on the Proposed Rule web page of the Maine DOE website – rules can be found in order of chapter number.
Purpose of the rulemaking:
Chapter 115: The Credentialing of Education Personnel
Major Substantive
The changes made the language clear, more concise, logical, and sequential and reduced the number of pages in Part 1 from over 40 to under 30. Some of the specific changes include:
Chapter 180: Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth Systems
Major Substantive
Changes are contained in a new Section (11): Peer Support and Feedback, and accomplish the following:
The proposed rules will be presented to The Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs in the current legislative session. Committee schedules for Public Hearings and Work Sessions can be found on the Maine State Legislature’s website.
The Department is extending the period to identify a student’s test type as “alternate” or “general” until March 16 in order to allow districts sufficient time to complete their updates.
All students participating in the Multi-State Alternate Assessment (MSAA) for mathematics and ELA/Literacy or the Personalized Alternate Assessment Portfolio (PAAP) for science must be identified in the Synergy Student Information System by March 16.
Students that are not identified in the Special Education Student Services module of Synergy will participate in the grade 3 – 8 mathematics and ELA/Literacy eMPowerME test, or the or the high school mathematics and ELA/Literacy SAT test.
For further information regarding alternate assessment testing contact Sue Nay at sue.nay@maine.gov or 624-6774. For technical assistance with Synergy contact the Helpdesk at MEDMS.Helpdesk@maine.gov or 624-6896.
Rule Chapter 250: School Approval for Non-Traditional Limited Purpose Schools has been filed to be repealed as the underlying statutory authority has been repealed.
The original statutory language can be found on the Proposed Rule web page of the Maine DOE website.
Comments can be submitted in writing via email to Jaci Holmes at jaci.holmes@maine.gov by March 30, 2018.
