Governor Signs Order to Put Maine in Better Position to Access Federal Education Funds

Press Release

Governor John E. Baldacci today issued an Executive Order to put Maine in a better position to compete for a portion of the $4.3 billion in federal Race to the Top education funds. The order directs the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Education to establish a stakeholder group to review potential models for evaluating teacher and principal performance, a critical requirement of the federal competitive grant program. The federal standard for Race to the Top requires that school districts be able to use student achievement as one of a multiple of elements in teacher and principal evaluations.

Convening a stakeholder group was a provision added by the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs to the Governor's Bill, LD 1799, which the Governor signed into law on Monday, April 12. Under the Executive Order, the Commissioner of Education will bring the stakeholders together for discussion and action sooner than required under the legislation.

"It is essential that those on the frontlines of education in Maine are part of the process of developing the model by which Maine will meet the federal guidelines for Race to the Top funding," said Governor Baldacci.

Maine needs to have a process for developing the models well underway by June 1 to meet the application deadline of the federal government. The model or models will show school districts how to use student achievement data as an element in the evaluation process of teachers and principals. Federal awards will be made in September.

The text of the Executive Order follows.

11 FY 10/11

April 14, 2010

AN ORDER TO CONVENE STAKEHOLDERS TO BEGIN REVIEWING EVALUATION MODELS THAT MEET FEDERAL RACE TO THE TOP CRITERIA

WHEREAS, the Legislature has enacted and the Governor has approved LD 1799, an Act to Encourage the Use of Models in the Collection and Use of Student Achievement Data (Public Law 2009, Chapter 626); and

WHEREAS, the legislation is part of the state's effort to achieve reforms needed to comply with current and expected changes in federal law and to improve the State's chances for a significant grant under the federal Race to the Top competition; and

WHEREAS, one element of necessary reform is the ability for local school units to include student achievement as one of multiple elements in the process of evaluating teachers and principals; and

WHEREAS, the application to the federal government for Race to the Top must be completed before the effective date of LD 1799; and

WHEREAS, convening stakeholders immediately to begin considering evaluation models will speed the work required in LD 1799, and will provide evidence to the federal government in evaluating Maine's reform efforts;

NOW THEREFORE, I, John E. Baldacci, Governor of the State of Maine, do hereby order the Commissioner of the Department of Education to:

1.

Convene a group of stakeholders, as defined in LD 1799, comprised of a representative of the Maine School Boards Association, the Maine Principals' Association, the Maine Education Association, the Maine School Superintendents Association and the Maine Administrators of Services for Children with Disabilities; and
2.

Lead the stakeholder group in reviewing and approving, not later than May 14, 2010 at least one model for the evaluation of professional performance of teachers and principals that meets the federal Race to the Top criteria for improving teacher and principal effectiveness based on performance.

Effective Date

The effective date of this Executive Order is April 14, 2010.

John E. Baldacci, Governor

Source