Study of a Regional Approach for Delivering Special Education Programs and Services in Maine

A study of school districts’ use of a regional approach for delivering special education programs and services in Maine

Recommendations and Resources for Evaluating Community School Programs

The legislative definition of “community schools” is intentionally broad and anticipates the possibility that community schools might vary significantly in their locally-developed goals and intervention programs. The needs of students and their families may vary by community, as does the array of existing resources available in the surrounding area. This leads to a broad set of possible strategies that may imply different expected outcomes and evaluation processes. The grant program requires pilot schools to meet certain application criteria. Applications require schools to submit an audit or needs assessment, a community resources assessment, an outline of plans and goals based on the needs assessment and developed in collaboration with community partners, and a budget. Schools that receive awards will be required to develop an evaluation plan and to submit program evaluation reports to the Maine Department of Education (MDOE). This report is intended to assist schools in developing an evaluation plan that is feasible, cost efficient, and useful for informing whether their programs are providing expected results

Allocation of Federal Title IA Funds Under ESSA: Issues and Recommendations

This report highlights some issues the Department may wish to consider in those future analyses and discussions. Concluding with suggestions for options to test out when more years of current assessment data are available, in addition to other suggestions from the ESSA Advisory Group that are already planned for future consideration

A Review of Standardized Testing Practices and Perceptions in Maine

This report summarizes the resulting effort, which included a literature scan, document analysis, and surveys of two groups of school practitioners (testing administrators and teachers) to analyze the amount of time Maine students spend on testing, the types of tests administered, and whether the results are perceived as useful for practitioners

Proficiency-based High School Diploma systems in Maine: Implications for College and Career Access

This report shares research conducted to examine the alignment of proficiency-based diploma systems with college eligibility and admissions requirements as well as identify post-secondary career entry requirements and attributes of high quality workers. Findings suggest that most college admissions, scholarship selection and athletic eligibility processes still heavily rely on traditional components, such as grade point average, standardized test scores, course selection and grades. Admissions officers indicated that a precise, informative school profile and clear transcript with student information that could be compared to other applicants was important. Although participants in this study said they had not received many proficiency-based high school transcripts yet, they communicated that it would be critical to explain changes and felt proposed changes have the potential to be a less reductive way of evaluating students

The Every Student Succeeds Act: a Summary of Federal Policy & Implications for Maine

Part I summarizes key topics of federal education policy articulating accountability requirements for state education agencies (SEAs) and local education agencies (LEAs, or school districts). In that section we describe major goals of the legislation and which components are the same or changed in the federal law. The findings are grouped into nine topic areas, so that readers may more easily find information on areas of particular interest. We also provide short excerpts from key sections of the law for reference at the end of each topic section. Part II describes specific goals and changes in both the structure of federal funding programs and anticipated funding levels for selected programs. That section is organized by the numbered entitlement programs. Funding for some initiatives has been shifted from one block grant program to another and, in other areas, states will have more flexibility to choose how federal funds are spent