Additional IDEA, Part B funding for school administrative units

The Maine DOE Office of Special Services will make an additional $3 million in FY13 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B funding available to school administrative units to help offset financial losses they may have experienced as a result of the federal sequestration. These funds are part of the FY13 amount set aside by the Maine DOE, in accordance with its federally-approved Part B application, for State-level activities.

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Alternate assessment no longer required for second graders with disabilities

Beginning in fall of 2014, there will no longer be a fall administration of the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) for third grade students. As a result, as of this school year, Maine no longer requires that second grade students complete the Personalized Alternate Assessment Portfolio (PAAP), which tests grades 2-8 students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who are unable to participate in the NECAP.

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Nominate those who serve youth for national award

Organizations are invited to nominate individuals for the 2014 Lewis Hine Awards for Service to Children and Youth. These awards are presented annually by the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC) to 10 recipients – five professionals and five volunteers – for their commitment to the well-being, growth and development of youth through a paid job or volunteering.

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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.

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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.

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Notices and Reporting

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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.

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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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