MaineCare Seed adjustments to be made, review Q218 reports by April 13, 2018

The recovery of Q218 MaineCare Seed will occur in the April 2018 subsidy payment and the Maine DOE is asking Districts to review their reports to ensure accurate adjustments to subsidy. SAU staff must review student by student claims on both the public and private MaineCare reports for Q218 by April 13, 2018.

To access the MaineCare Seed reports, please follow the instructions below.

  1. Log into NEO using the link below

https://neo.maine.gov/DOE/neo/Dashboard

Anyone who currently has permissions to the Special Education modular, will automatically have permissions to access MaineCare reports.

As in the past, if a new staff member needs permission to access this modular, a request from the Superintendent to the Maine DOE helpdesk will be necessary.

  1. Click on the Student Data tab
  1. Click on the Student Report tab
  1. Select MaineCare in the Reporting Area drop-down
  1. Choose the quarterly Seed report and the report type (private/public)
  1. Click view report button
  2. Once the report appears on the screen, choose the export button.

You may export the reports to Excel but, please be aware that there may be multiple worksheet tabs within the workbook. Save the file to your computer.

If you disagree that a particular student or time period should be on the report, please provide the reason that you disagree along with the following to Denise.towers@maine.gov.

  • Identify the type of report (public or private) and the quarter in which the claims are located.
  • State Student ID
  • Service provided dates (to and from)
  • Total amount of Seed being disputed

Summer services: Students must be enrolled for the time period they are receiving educational services. This means that students that are receiving extended school year services in district or extended school year services in an out of district placement must have a primary enrollment for that time period in order for the MDOE to have the most accurate enrollment data to determine SAU responsibility for MaineCare Seed.

For more information or technical assistance related to MaineCare Seed, please contact Denise.towers@maine.gov.

School Nurse Day is May 8, 2018; Maine DOE offers professional development and celebration

Let’s recognize the contributions to student health and learning that school nurses make every day! Students across Maine and the country are able to fully access their education because of the interventions and actions performed by school nurses every day. School nurses optimize student health and learning every day of the year. But, on National School Nurse Day, we take special time to celebrate and recognize the contributions that school nurses are making to the health and learning of our state’s children and the nation’s 50 million children. This year, Maine celebrates National School Nurse Day on May 8, 2018.

Established in 1972, National School Nurse Day is set aside to recognize school nurses and foster a better understanding of the role of school nurses in the educational setting. National School Nurse Day is celebrated on the Wednesday within National Nurse Week and National Nurse Week is always May 6th through May 12th

Start out your School Nurse Day with some professional development and a celebration for school nurses.

 School Nurse Professional Development

Where: Burton Cross Office Building, Room 103 (ground floor), 111 Sewall Street, Augusta, Maine 04333
When: May 8, 2018 from 12:15 pm to 1:45 pm
Contact Hours:  1.25

  • Overview of current mental health trends
  • Discussion of bullying and risk of suicide
  • Continuum of care and school reintegration following in/out patient treatment

School Nurse Celebration

After the presentation, walk across the street for the Blaine House Tea from 2:00-3:30
We will celebrate the School Nurse of the Year and honor retiring school nurses!

Blaine House
State Street in Augusta, Maine
$5 fee for non-MASN members, please bring payment with you.

For more information contact Emily Poland at 207-624-6688 or emily.poland@maine.gov

Registration

Nominations sought for the 2018 Maine Curriculum Leader of the Year

The Maine Curriculum Leaders’ Association is accepting nominations for the 2018 Curriculum Leader of the Year until April 27, 2018.

The Maine Curriculum Leader of the Year is a champion of learning both within and outside his or her district and has held a curriculum leadership role for at least five years. Read the selection criteria and nomination information here.

Recommendation letters describing the nominee’s leadership of curriculum, instruction, and assessment should be emailed to director@mainecla.org

Maine DOE Update – March 15, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

| Visit the DC&R Reporting Calendar |

News & Updates

Save the date: 2018 Commissioner’s Conference for Superintendents

The 107th Commissioner’s Conference for Superintendents will be held Wednesday, June 27th through Thursday, June 28th at the Augusta Civic Center. | More

Maine DOE begins math achievement pilot program in 6 Maine elementary schools

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. | More

Technology Plan Update

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. | More

Template Letters for School and District Leaders to Notify Parents about State Assessments

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. | More

More Dispatches | Press Releases | Priority Notices

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

Equitable Services Training for ESEA Coordinators and Private School Officials

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. | More

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities

Template Letters for School and District Leaders to Notify Parents about State Assessments

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.

Assessment Template Letters:

MEA Parent Letter

Alternate-MEA Parent Letter

 

Technology Plan Update

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:

  1. Submit a learning technology plan following the guidelines from the 2016-2017 school year.
  2. Submit a learning technology plan using the guidance for the 2017-2018 school year. This guidance was developed recognizing that SAUs have a smaller window of time to complete this process and that many SAUs have asked for more clarity about what exactly the Department is looking for in these plans.

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.

Maine DOE begins math achievement pilot program in 6 Maine elementary schools

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.

Equitable Services Training for ESEA Coordinators and Private School Officials

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:

  • ESEA Titles including Title I, Title II, Title III, and Title IV
  • A review of Statute, Regulatory, and Non-Regulatory resources in providing Equitable Services
  • A review of the Role of State Ombudsman
  • A clear understanding of the consultation requirements under the law
  • An understanding of the impact of transferability and equitable shares
  • The process for disputes between public and non-public schools
  • How allocations are derived for public and non-public schools
  • Type and Delivery of Equitable Services
  • Allowable costs for private schools in each title

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

Save the date: 2018 Commissioner’s Conference for Superintendents

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.

Maine DOE Update – March 8, 2018

From the Maine Department of Education

Reporting Items

Maine Education Assessments (MEA) Student Test Status Extended 3/16/18

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 |

News & Updates

3/9 CNA/SAU Consolidated Plan technical assistance session rescheduled (re-registration needed)

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

Comments sought on Maine’s IDEA Part B application

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

Seeking comments for proposed Rule Chapter 14: Education of Homeless Students

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

Seeking comments for proposed Rule Chapter 45: Rule for Vision and Hearing Screening in Maine Schools

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

Seeking comments for proposed repeal of Rule Chapter 51: Child Nutrition Programs in Public Schools and Institutions – regulations already outlined in federal law

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

Proposed Rules for Chapters 115 and 180 (Credentialing and PEPG)

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

Seeking comments for proposed repeal of Rule Chapter 129: Rights and Responsibilities of Educators and Pupils

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

Seeking comments for proposed repeal of Rule Chapter 250: School Approval for Non-Traditional Limited Purpose Schools

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

Professional Development & Training Opportunities

| Visit the Professional Development Calendar |

Latest DOE Career/Project Opportunities