Earlier this week, the Department of Education put an ambitious, yet achievable, plan for improving our state’s early learning programs into the mail. Now, it’s in the hands of the U.S. Department of Education to determine whether Maine’s Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge grant application is funded.
Staff members at the Maine DOE worked with colleagues at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and with partners in higher education to craft a plan that sets consistent standards of quality for our current patchwork of early learning programs and offers the programs incentives to subscribe to those high standards. The plan also proposes improvements that will make it easier for families to make informed early childhood care and education decisions, and proposes significant investments in the resources available to train Maine’s workforce of early childhood educators.
If we’re fortunate enough to receive Race to the Top funding, the benefits will be widespread and longlasting. The funding will help us add to the solid foundation for early learning we already have in Maine.
And the results are something the professionals in our public schools will notice. The high-needs children who enter kindergarten with a solid educational foundation will enter our state’s schools ready to succeed.
Notice of Proposed Rule Change: Chapter 64, School Facilities Program
Notice of Proposed Rule Change: Chapter 101, Maine Unified Special Education Regulations
AUGUSTA — Maine has submitted an ambitious, yet realistic, plan to the federal government to strengthen the quality of early learning and development programs for the state’s youngest citizens. | More
Educators from across Maine joined the Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine, or ACTEM, at the group’s 25th annual conference on Oct. 13-14 at the Augusta Civic Center. | More
Proclamation makes Oct. 21 Bus Driver Appreciation Day
Service-learning grants available from DEP
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One thought on “Commissioner’s Update – Oct. 20, 2011”	
Thanks to the DHHS and DOE leaders who worked tirelessly with others to craft this RTT/EC application and focus. Having read the proposal, one can clearly see the degree to which collaboration was achieved promoting quality for all early childhood programs and services. Kudos!!!!