From Patsy.Dunton at maine.gov Tue Feb 10 14:16:56 2009 From: Patsy.Dunton at maine.gov (Dunton, Patsy) Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:16:56 -0500 Subject: [Englishlanguagearts] Update_10_FEB_09 Message-ID: <32E5C6B0B949584D9B6168C5F727916B047BC8B4@SOM-TEAQASMAIL1.som.w2k.state.me.us> Welcome to Maine Department of Education English Language Arts This service is an attempt to keep Maine educators informed about current issues, upcoming opportunities and resources in ELA. Please send any responses to: patsy.dunton at maine.gov or diana.dioron at maine.gov as this is not a discussion forum. Current Topics: * MCELA Spring Conference * High School Graduation * Proposed Changes to Chapter 131 and the Ripple Effect * MEA/NECAP Information at this moment * Arne Duncan article in Newsweek * Obama's Education Agenda MCELA Spring Conference Seats are still available for the Maine Council of English Language Arts Annual Conference. Continuing Conversations: English Teaching and Literacy Learning in the 21st Century will be Friday, March 20, 2009 at Southern Maine Community College - Bath Campus. Topics which will be explored in intimate break-out sessions include Visual Literacy for All Students, Student-staffed Writing Centers, Rhetorical Literacy through Close Reading, teaching speaking and listening, and creating the middle school to high school to college continuum in the English classroom. The cost is VERY nominal, only $50, which includes lunch. FYI: If you are concerned about paying for this event, perhaps you could find out whether your district has any Title IIA funds left. Title IIA funds can be used for any professional development as well as any materials related to professional development. These funds can be used to pay substitutes, course or registration fees, travel, or lodging. If these funds are not used within a certain specified time, they must be returned to the State so there is a great incentive to use all of them. Title II funds are subject to the "supplement not supplant" conditions which means that they can not be used to pay for state-mandated professional development instead of local funds. The local NCLB Coordinator would be familiar with all of the allowable uses of this money as well as its availability in any school district. High School Graduation Did you have the opportunity to participate in the Diploma Stakeholder discussions in your region? If you haven't yet participated, there are still a few opportunities left: February 10, 2009 Kennebec County - Messalonskee High School 4-5:30 PM Don Reutershan, don.reutershan at maine.gov February 11, 2009 Aroostook County - Caribou High School Performing Arts Center 3-4:30PM Diana Doiron, diana.doiron at maine.gov February, 2009 (date to be determined) Washington County - We will use three ATM sites Argy Nestor, argy.nestor at maine.gov February, 2009 (date to be determined) Penquis Superintendent Region Dan Hupp, dan.hupp at maine.gov The next step in this process will be a public hearing with the legislature's Education and Cultural Affairs committee. The exact date has not been set but it is expected to be in March. The process is that anyone in the public sector can address the committee for a brief time and make their feelings known about this proposal. As time is brief, it helps to write a statement ahead of time. We will let you know when this date is set. The vote on the proposal will take place some time after the hearing. Proposed Changes to Chapter 131 and the Ripple Effect As you know, Maine has joined New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont in the New England Comprehensive Assessment Program which will replace the MEA in reading, writing, and mathematics. This partnership required that we adopt the NECAP standards for reading and mathematics as our state testing standards. The proposed change can be found at http://www.state.me.us/education/rulechanges/chapter131.pdf. You will notice that science is not impacted as we will continue to use the MEA for science assessment at grades 5, 8, and 11. The NECAP reading standards do, however, extend to the secondary level for consistency although Maine will continue to assess reading and writing at grade 11 using the SAT. We are currently determining the impact of these proposed changes on Chapter 132 also known as Maine Learning Results: Parameters for Essential Instruction found at http://www.state.me.us/education/lres/pei/index.html. We will keep you informed as information develops. MEA/NECAP Information at this moment The Maine Education Assessment for reading and mathematics is about to sing its swan song. The last administration of these content areas, grades 3 through 8, will be in March. The home page for Maine's Comprehensive Assessment System will soon sport a NECAP link with the NECAP standards, released items, and pertinent information posted. Check this address periodically as the NECAP link is created and populated http://www.state.me.us/education/lsalt/index.htm. Arne Duncan article in Newsweek If you haven't seen the article What Arne Duncan Thinks of No Child Left Behind, then check out this link: http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/2009/02/05/what-arne-duncan-thi nks-of-no-child-left-behind.html Obama's Education Agenda If you would like to keep up with current developments regarding President Obama's education plan, go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/education/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.informe.org/pipermail/englishlanguagearts/attachments/20090210/4b7c3150/attachment.html From Patsy.Dunton at maine.gov Tue Feb 10 14:19:12 2009 From: Patsy.Dunton at maine.gov (Dunton, Patsy) Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:19:12 -0500 Subject: [Englishlanguagearts] forgot the link! Message-ID: <32E5C6B0B949584D9B6168C5F727916B047BC8B5@SOM-TEAQASMAIL1.som.w2k.state.me.us> Sorry! I forgot to include the link for the MCELA conference. If you would like more information or to register, go to http://sites.google.com/site/mainecela/Home/conference Patsy Dunton English Language Arts Specialist Grades 6 - diploma Midcoast Regional Representative Maine Department of Education 624-6625 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.informe.org/pipermail/englishlanguagearts/attachments/20090210/f3c91186/attachment-0001.html