Topsham elementary named National Blue Ribbon School

TOPSHAM – An elementary school in Topsham that has seen double-digit increases over the last five years in the percentage of its students deemed proficient is Maine’s National Blue Ribbon School.

The Williams-Cone School in RSU 75 was one of 236 public schools across the country named this morning by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan into the prestigious program that recognizes schools where students perform at very high levels or show significant improvements in closing achievement gaps.

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Proficiency-based learning resources available

The Maine DOE Center for Best Practice (CBP) has created and posted five flyers designed to help districts move forward the conversation about the shift to a proficiency-based learning system. Continue reading “Proficiency-based learning resources available” →

2014 Maine Teacher of the Year finalists named

The annual educator recognition program is now administered by Educate Maine, a business-led organization whose mission is to champion college and career readiness

AUGUSTA – Maine Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen has announced that two elementary school teachers and one middle school teacher have been selected as the state finalists for the prestigious title of 2014 Maine Teacher of the Year.

The 2014 finalists are Mary Graziano, a fourth grade teacher at Hartland Consolidated School in Hartland; Karen MacDonald, a sixth and seventh grade English language arts teacher at King Middle School in Portland; and Suzen Polk-Hoffses, a kindergarten teacher at Milbridge Elementary School in Milbridge.

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A letter from Commissioner Bowen: A new opportunity

It has been a great honor to serve students and schools as the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Education for the past two and a half years. In that time, we’ve made incredible progress in moving from plan to practice our Education Evolving strategic plan to restructure Maine’s education system around our students. Continue reading “A letter from Commissioner Bowen: A new opportunity” →

Maine receives ESEA waiver

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act waiver will allow Maine to move forward on local and State reforms that will cut in half the percentage of non-proficient students at each Title I school by 2018

AUGUSTA – Maine will have flexibility in meeting federal education requirements and be allowed to implement its own statewide system to hold schools accountable and help them improve student outcomes.

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Education Commissioner affirms commitment to accountability in wake of reformer’s resignation

AUGUSTA – Maine’s Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen released a statement today in response to the resignation of Florida Education Commissioner Dr. Tony Bennett, affirming his Department’s commitment to school reform and accountability.

Bennett, who like Commissioner Bowen is a member of the visionary Chiefs for Change education reformers group, headlined the Governor’s Education Conference: Putting Students First this past March.

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Notice of change in law regarding Superintendent Agreements

The statute regulating Superintendent Agreements has been amended to include the following language: “A transfer approved under this subsection may be made only to a receiving school administrative unit that operates a public school that includes the grade level of the student whose parent requests the transfer.”

As a result of this new law, a transfer granted so the student can be tuitioned to a private school will no longer be allowed. Continue reading “Notice of change in law regarding Superintendent Agreements” →

State Education Board has new leadership

AUGUSTA – The Maine State Board of Education has new leadership, having elected Nancy S. Perkins as chair and Peter E. Geiger as vice-chair.

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State awards Lewiston’s Montello Elementary $1.8 million for school improvement

The funding from the Maine Department of Education will help transform the struggling school and increase student proficiency, teacher effectiveness and community engagement

LEWISTON – Montello Elementary School will use $1.8 million in new State support to improve student proficiency by double-digit percentages, enhance teacher effectiveness and better engage the community.

The Maine Department of Education announced its award Thursday to the struggling Lewiston school, which joins 10 others across the state – including the Governor James B. Longley School also in Lewiston – that have received significant funding since 2010 through the federal School Improvement Grant program (SIG) to initiate intensive reforms that advance student achievement.

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Commissioner Bowen to address Rockland Kiwanis Monday

ROCKPORT – Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen will speak to the Rockland Kiwanis Club Monday about his department’s commitment to seeing all Maine students leave school college and career ready.

In his remarks as the guest speaker at the June 10 lunchtime Kiwanis meeting at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, Commissioner Bowen will share how the Maine Department of Education is increasingly a resource to districts in developing and deploying the best practices that ensure educator effectiveness and high student achievement.

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