As part of the Maine DOE’s ongoing commitment to helping our schools improve, we have launched a completely redesigned gifted and talented section of our website.
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Commissioner applauds strong start of charter schools
Monitoring by the Maine Charter School Commission of the two charter schools that served students during the 2012-13 academic year show the state’s first charters are meeting their missions
AUGUSTA – The State’s Acting Education Commissioner is applauding the state’s first two public charters after their inaugural monitoring reports show the central Maine schools are engaging students and adapting quickly to meet emerging needs.
Cornville Regional Charter School in Cornville, which served approximately 60 grade K-6 students, and the Maine Academy of Natural Sciences (MeANS) in Hinckley, which served 52 students grades 9-12, opened in the fall of 2012 after Maine, under the leadership of Governor Paul R. LePage, became the 41st state to allow public charter schools.
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Maine DOE Monthly – October 29, 2013
Welcome to the October issue of the Maine DOE Monthly.
Under the leadership of new Acting Commissioner Jim Rier, we’ve made incredible progress this month in moving forward several of the Department’s key initiatives that will ultimately improve student outcomes. We released $2 million in funding and extensive online resources to help districts transition to the proficiency-based diploma, hired our first Educator Effectiveness Coordinator who will support Maine schools in ensuring there is a great teacher in every classroom and refocused superintendent transfer decisions on the best interests of our students.
We also furthered our efforts to improve our Department’s service to you by launching a new autism resource and research institute in partnership with UMaine and a newly-redesigned www.maine.gov/doe. And, we’ve continued to celebrate the success stories in our schools, including announcing Maine’s finalists for the prestigious Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching and the state’s improved SAT results that show an increasing percentage of high school students who are proficient in math and reading.
As you can see, a lot happens here in just a few weeks, so please stay tuned to our Newsroom throughout the month for the latest Maine DOE updates.
Commissioner’s Update – October 24, 2013
From the Maine DOE
Last week, we released the statewide results from the 2012-13 Maine High School Assessment (MHSA).
The good news? Proficiency in math and reading is on the rise again in our high schools, suggesting students are better prepared for success in college and their careers.
Most notable was the nearly 2 percent increase in the number of tested students who achieved proficiency or above in critical reading, up from 47.2 percent in 2011-12 to 48.9 percent in 2012-13, with 8.6 percent of those students exceeding proficiency standards. The percentage of students who tested proficient or above in math also showed a positive uptick, from 47.2 percent in 2011-12 to 48.1 percent in 2012-13, with a record high 4.7 percent of those students exceeding proficiency expectations.
Notices and Reporting
- Notice of proposed new educator evaluation rule
- Survey on educator evaluation implementation
- Clarification of act to promote financial literacy
- Daily education rates set for special purpose private schools
- Clarity on charter school special education student funding
- Gifted and Talented forms, due Dec. 6:
Math and reading proficiency rates rise, work continues
Last week, we released the statewide results from the 2012-13 Maine High School Assessment (MHSA).
The good news? Proficiency in math and reading is on the rise again in our high schools, suggesting students are better prepared for success in college and their careers.
Continue reading “Math and reading proficiency rates rise, work continues”
Maine DOE names educator effectiveness coordinator
Mary Paine, a former English teacher, has been named the new educator effectiveness coordinator for the Maine DOE. The Department established the position in order to better coordinate its efforts to prepare, evaluate and support educators to promote the goal of having an effective teacher in every classroom and an effective leader in every school.
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Clarity on charter school special education student funding
In response to several questions from the field, the Department is providing clarity for charter schools regarding funding allocations for students who are newly identified as special education but were not identified as such by their attending school administrative unit (SAU).
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Research project seeks opinions on education and technology issues
The Maine DOE has partnered with Project Tomorrow to preregister all Maine schools for Speak Up 2013, a national research project that collects views and opinions of K-12 students, parents and educators on critical 21st century education and technology issues. Data findings are shared each year with federal, state and local policymakers to inform education programs, policies and funding.
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Clarification of act to promote financial literacy
This dispatch clarifies the requirements of LD 843 (Public Law Chapter 244), An Act to Promote the Financial Literacy of High School Students, passed by the Legislature this past session. The legislation further emphasizes the teaching of financial literacy that is already included in the standards for students at the secondary level.
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Notice of proposed new educator evaluation rule
The Maine DOE is proposing a new rule to implement the teacher and principal effectiveness law enacted in 2012. The proposed rule is Chapter 180, “Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth Systems.”
Continue reading “Notice of proposed new educator evaluation rule”
