The Certification and Higher Education Committee of the State Board of Education has completed a review of the 43 public comments received on the proposed Rule Chapter 115.  The State Board of Education has adopted revisions to the rule, including three substantive changes. Substantive changes require that the State Board provide 30 days of public comment. The topics included in changes are as follows:

• Refined some of the grade spans
• Reinstated the Adaptive Physical Education (APE) endorsement
• Revised language per P.L.2021, Chapter 348, which requires that rules which used the term ‘hearing impaired’ be changed to ‘hard of hearing’

The three changes are highlighted in yellow within the newest version of Part II of Chapter 115.  You can find the proposed revisions at the following link; listed by chapter number: https://www.maine.gov/doe/about/laws/rulechanges.  This is a targeted comment period for the changes named above. 

• File: October 26, 2021
• Post by Priority Notice: October 27, 2021 Public comments period begins with this notice
• Post by Secretary of State: November 3, 2021
• Comment Deadline: November 29, 2021 close of business.

Comments can be submitted until close of business November 29, 2021 to Jaci Holmes, 23 SHS, Augusta, Maine 04333, jaci.holmes@maine.gov , 207-831-3168

This rule provides directions to public and private schools approved pursuant to 20-A MRSA §2902 in the administration of medication to students during the students’ attendance in school programs.

The rule is to assist school administrative units in implementing the provision of the medication statute [20-MRSA §254(5)(A-D)] that provides direction for training of unlicensed school personnel in the administration of medication, and requires that students be allowed to carry and self-administer prescribed emergency medications, specifically, asthma inhalers, epinephrine auto-injectors, or prescribed medications or devices for the management of diabetes with health care provider approval and school nurse assessment. It provides direction for application of sunscreen on students in school, as well as provides guidelines for schools who intend to make naloxone available for use in the case of suspected opioid overdose.

Timelines for Rulemaking for Chapter 40 – Major Substantive Proposed 

• File: October 26, 2021
• Post: November 3, 2021
• Hearing: November 22, 2021 (19 days from posting)
• Comment End: December 3, 2021 (30 days from posting)

As required by law, a period of public comment opens on October 26, 2021 and will be open through December 3, 2021.  Written comments may be sent to Emily Poland at Emily.Poland@maine.gov

In addition, a public hearing for the proposed rule will be held in person and virtually on November 22, 2021, 9:00 – 10:30 AM at the Cross Office Building, 111 Sewall St, Augusta, ME 04333, Room 103A and B. As space will be limited, participants are encouraged to attend virtually through Zoom, using this link.

Following the comment period, the rule will be submitted to the Secretary of State for provisional adoption after Assistant Attorney General’s review. The rule is then submitted to Legislative Council for assignment to a Joint Committee. Find the details for proposed changes for Rule Chapter 40 on the Maine DOE Proposed Rule & Rule Changes webpage (proposed rules are listed in order by rule number).

As part of the scheduled periodic review of the Maine Learning Results, the Maine Department of Education is seeking public comments regarding proposed revisions to Health Education & Physical Education, Visual & Performing Arts, and World Languages Standards found in Rule Chapter 132 Learning Results: Parameters for Essential Instruction. Please note that the Department of Education is only seeking comments on the Health Education & Physical Education, Visual & Performing Arts, and World Languages sections of Rule Chapter 132 at this time.

You can find the proposed revisions at the following links:
Health Education & Physical Education
Visual & Performing Arts
World Languages

The standards review process for the Health Education & Physical Education, Visual & Performing Arts, and World Languages began in 2019 with a public comment period and a public hearing on the current Health Education, & Physical Education, Visual & Performing Arts, and World Languages Standards. After the public comment period, steering committees were convened who were charged with reviewing all submitted comments and with developing blueprints for the revision of the state standards in their assigned content area. Once the blueprints were created, writing teams, consisting of PK-12 teachers who represent Maine’s cultural and geographical diversity, assembled to draft the standards revisions.

Now, as part of this review process, the Maine Department of Education has submitted the revisions as part of a proposed rule change to Chapter 132. Details on each of the review processes can be found at the following links:
Health Education & Physical Education
Visual & Performing Arts
World Languages

As required by law, a period of public comment opens today, October 27, 2021 through December 3, 2021.  Written comments may be sent to Standards Review at sis.doe@maine.gov, or mailed to Beth Lambert, 23 SHS Station, Augusta, ME 04333 and received by midnight on December 3, 2021.

In addition, a public hearing for the proposed rule will be held in person and virtually on November 22, 2021, 3:00-5:00PM at the Cross Office Building, 111 Sewall St, Augusta, ME 04333, Room 103A and B. As space will be limited, participants are encouraged to attend virtually through Zoom, using this link.

You can find the proposed revisions at the following link, listed by chapter number: https://www.maine.gov/doe/about/laws/rulechanges

Recognizing the extreme challenges experienced at the start of the 2021-2022 school year as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to directly impact Maine SAUs, schools, students and families,  the Maine Department of Education (DOE) and our assessment team would like to ensure that the maximum flexibility possible is provided to support educators and students.

As such, the fall NWEA assessment window, due to close on Friday, October 29, 2021, will be extended a further two (2) weeks and will now close on Friday, November 12, 2021.

Due to the fluid and constant evolution of COVID-19 and the uncertainty this brings, the Department is proactively also extending the spring NWEA assessment window by an additional two (2) weeks. The spring 2022 NWEA assessment window will now open Monday, May 2, 2022 and will close six (6) weeks later, Friday, June 10, 2022.

We hope the additional time allotted will provide some level of reprieve from the multitude of demands you are facing, and we thank you for your dedication to Maine students and their families.

Many of us enjoy the connections and information provided as we participate in a wide variety of Social Networks. We have the ability to learn new things, ask questions and stay connected to family and friends far and wide. Professional education networks can also allow teachers to make connections to expand knowledge, problem solve and connect with educators well outside a narrow geographic area. Teachers who take advantage of professional learning networks are able to expand interests, participate in extended professional conversations and expand teaching expertise to directly impact teaching and learning. (“Together We Are Better”: Professional Learning Networks for Teachers, Trust, 2016).

Maine Department of Education is pleased to facilitate the forming of a Maine Elementary Literacy Leaders Network to support the work and one another on behalf of Maine students and their learning. The Maine DOE plans to facilitate this group through professional text and article studies, sharing problems of practice, conversations with educators across the state, sharing of resources, state updates, and development of professional presentations for the benefit of all Maine’s Elementary educators.

A network of Maine Elementary Literacy Leaders may be comprised of classroom teachers, literacy specialists, literacy coaches, interventionists, ed techs, special education teachers, English language teachers, pre-service teachers, and higher education faculty. This group, brought together by a common goal to strengthen literacy instructional practices across the state, has the potential to be a powerful team.

If you are interested in learning more about becoming part of a professional network of Elementary Literacy Leaders please complete this form.

FMI, please contact Dee Saucier at danielle.m.saucier@maine.gov.

Each year the Office of Special Services at the Maine Department of Education submits an Annual Performance Report (APR) to the federal Office of Special Education Programs, known as OSEP. The APR is a package of multiple reports called indicators, and each indicator is a report of the state’s performance in various areas for students that receive special education. States are required to monitor and report on their progress in each of the areas, and set annual targets for improvement.

Maine Parent Federation has partnered with the Maine Department of Education to create a series of videos, found here, and surveys to gather input from all stakeholders, (parents, school staff, students), on current and future performance. We are looking for feedback to assist Maine DOE in deciding on the targets for the next 6 years. Your input is critical to ensure the APR reflects the priorities of all stakeholders.

Please register below to join MPF staff and learn more about this project, as well as how you can assist. Please register for the day that works best for you below. If you have any questions please reach out to Dylan Campbell, dcampbell@mpf.org.

When: Oct 27, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) register HERE. 

When: Nov 4, 2021 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) register HERE.