During his State of the State address in February, Governor LePage announced that Maine will introduce a school performance grading system to simplify for parents, taxpayers and others how their schools are doing. Many of you have expressed interest in and concern about how we will generate the grades, and what we will do to support schools that receive low grades.
The Maine School Garden Network (MSGN)—serving schools of all grade levels—has hired its first ever coordinator, Suzanne Balbo, thanks to a USDA Specialty Crop Grant. The USDA grant also will allow the network to promote school gardens, update the website, disseminate information, provide educator trainings and workshops, attend conferences and events, create connections between schools and local farms, and create new school garden sites.
Continue reading “Maine School Garden Network hires coordinator”
Through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Education in the Republic of China (Taiwan), the Maine Department of Education invites new and experienced licensed teachers to apply to the Teaching in Taiwan program. The selected educators will teach English to students in Taiwan in public elementary and junior high schools (grades K-9) for one academic year beginning in August 2013.
Continue reading “Maine teachers have opportunity to teach in Taiwan”
The Maine Department of Education is accepting recommendations for the 2013 Maine Educator Talent Pool through April 30, 2013.
Continue reading “2013 Educator Talent Pool recommendations deadline coming up”
Student state officers from the Maine FFA Association (formerly known as “Future Farmers of America”) celebrated Maine Agriculture Day at the Legislature March 27. State officers were presented to both chambers of the Maine State Legislature, staffed a display in the Hall of Flags, and attended the culminating luncheon at the State Grange, with food served courtesy of the Grange and the Maine Aquaculture Association.
Continue reading “Maine FFA officers celebrate Maine Agriculture Day at the Legislature”
The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium shared the following news release March 28.
Due to the overwhelming demand for access to the Smarter Balanced Volunteer Pilot assessment from principals, teachers, parents and the public, the Executive Committee has decided to release a more complete and more broadly available “practice test” in lieu of the Volunteer Pilot assessment. As will be stressed in messaging to schools and districts, the change from a Volunteer Pilot to Practice Test does not impact current testing in support of the Scientific Pilot; all schools signed up for the Scientific Pilot are still expected to test as scheduled.
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The 31 states that have banded together to create a new, computer-based assessment system for English language learners are getting their first glimpses at the new English-language proficiency exam being developed to measure the language demands of the Common Core State Standards. Prototypes will be available to the public in the summer.
Continue reading “Preview new English language proficiency test”
The Legislature recently passed a resolution expressing support and appreciation for the Dirigo Boys and Girls State programs. This year’s Boys and Girls State programs will take place June 16-20.
Continue reading “Submit student nominations for Dirigo Boys and Girls State”
Preliminary State subsidy printouts (ED 279) for school administrative units are now available on the Maine DOE website. The subsidy amounts for FY 2013-14 are only preliminary and do not represent final action of the 126th Maine Legislature and should therefore only be used as “initial” guidance for your budget preparations. Continue reading “Preliminary state education subsidies for 2013-14”
The Maine Legislature’s Education Committee held a public hearing March 25 on legislation that clarifies the standard to be applied by superintendents when considering the transfer of a student from one school administrative unit to another by incorporating the standard set forth in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 2, which is that a student must be provided an opportunity to receive the benefits of a free public education.
Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen delivered the following testimony opposing LD 530, An Act to Apply the Standard of Best Educational Interest to Superintendent Agreements for Transfer Students. Continue reading “Bowen testimony in opposition to apply standard of best interest to superintendent agreements”
Maine DOE Newsroom 