Maine DOE Update – September 11, 2026

From the Maine Department of Education

News & Updates

Launching Dirigo Schools of Distinction Framework in 2026-2027 School Year

We are excited to share the Dirigo Schools of Distinction (DSD) framework as a resource for Maine schools. DSD is intended to celebrate Maine schools that are making a meaningful difference for students, staff, and communities. DSD also offers a clear, supportive roadmap for schools and school administrative units (SAUs), as they consider where to focus time, energy, and resources to strengthen student outcomes. | More

Reminder: Recognize Your Outstanding School Staff: RISE Award Now Accepting Nominations

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) invites students, friends, families, community members, educational organizations or associations, co-workers, and supervisors to nominate school employees for the RISE Award. Anyone can nominate! | More

Maine Schools Sharing Success Stories

From Trees to Table: RSU 74 Alternative Education Students Turn a Sugaring Project into a Lesson in Grit and Teamwork

For students in RSU 74's Alternative Education program, learning this spring started in the forest and ended with maple syrup on ice cream. A month-long maple sugaring project gave students an opportunity to experience the full process of making maple syrup while building skills in observation, data collection, problem-solving, teamwork, and perseverance. | More

Better Together: County Teachers of the Year Open Their Classroom Doors to Learn From One Another

In the very early morning hours of August 28, Marcy Soucy, a fourth- and fifth-grade teacher at Fairmount School in Bangor and the 2026 Penobscot County Teacher of the Year, headed north. And not just north, north north, to the picturesque, close-knit community of St. Agatha, Maine, to visit fellow educator and 2026 Aroostook County Teacher of the Year Kathy Theriault, the high school math teacher at Wisdom Middle and High School, part of MSAD #33. | More

Submit good news to the Maine Department of Education here.

Professional Learning/Training Opportunities

Registration Open for EngageMEnt 2026-2027: Cultivating Innovative Teaching and Learning

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Offices of Teaching and Learning and Innovation are pleased to announce that registration is now open for EngageMEnt 2026-2027, a statewide professional learning opportunity designed to support educators in exploring innovative, engaging, and impactful practices for teaching and learning. Offered in partnership with the University of Maine and University of Southern Maine, EngageMEnt creates opportunities for educators from across the state to learn, collaborate, reflect, and apply new ideas in their classrooms, schools, and communities. The initiative also provides opportunities for practicing educators and pre-service educators to learn alongside one another while exploring current educational priorities and practices. | More

Maine DOE to Host Virtual 'For ME Instructional Programming' Professional Learning Communities for Pre-K through Grade 2 During 2026-2027 School Year

The Maine Department of Education (DOE), in collaboration with teacher leaders from across the state, is once again offering professional learning communities (PLCs) for educators and caregivers implementing the For Me Instructional Programming, which include Pre-K for ME, K for ME, 1st Grade for ME, and 2nd Grade for ME. | More

Maine Educators Invited to Explore Genealogy and Local History Through New Professional Learning Cohort

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Office of Teaching and Learning invites educators to apply for American Ancestors: Unlocking Maine's Story, a free professional learning cohort that begins with an in-person kickoff on October 13, 2026, at the University of Maine at Farmington from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The cohort is designed to help educators use genealogy and local history to strengthen classroom learning. | More

Registration Open for 16th Annual PBIS Conference

Maine's Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (Maine PBIS) program, a collaboration between the Maine Department of Education (DOE) and the University of Maine System (UMS), will host its annual conference on November 19, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Augusta Civic Center. | More

Maine DOE Launches Free Virtual Literacy Learning Series

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Offices of Teaching and Learning and Special Services and Inclusive Education invite educators and education professionals-including teachers, administrators, literacy specialists, and educational technicians-to participate in a free virtual literacy professional learning series during the 2026-2027 school year. | More

View the Maine Department of Education's Events Calendar here.

Career/Project Opportunities:

Find education-related jobs in Maine.