Overview and Update June 2018 Maine’s Alternative Certification and Mentoring Program (Maine’s Plan for Compliance with Fully Certified Special Educator requirement) Overview and Update June 2018

Maine’s Alternative Certification and Mentoring Program (MACM) is Maine’s response to OSEP’s requirement for qualified special educators A temporary project to help Maine meet this requirement Intended ONLY for conditionally certified special educators in their FIRST year of teaching

Applies to the following certificates 282 (Teacher of Disabled Students) 286 (Teacher – Severely Impaired) 291 (Teacher-Visually Impaired), 292 (Teacher Deaf/Hearing Impaired) Employed in Public Schools, preschools, and charter schools Special Purpose Private Schools

Changes: Changes to existing rules and addition of alternative pathways Beginning JULY 1 2019, there will be TWO certifications: Professional, or Conditional Conditional is good for a maximum of 3 years During the 3 year period, the following things occur: Required semester hours and topics Praxis for HQ content knowledge ONE YEAR of intensive coaching and mentoring through MACM, collaborating with district- level certification teams

MACM Program Timeline Mentors and Instructors notified by June 8 Mentors Trained August 1, 2, 3 of 2018 Mentors, mentees paired Summer, Fall 2018 Mentoring begins Fall 2018 Course sections begin September 2018 Teacher evaluations will continue to be conducted according to district’s existing plan Participants will continue taking other courses needed for Professional Certification

Participants: Special Educators with Conditional Certification will… Develop an Initial Action Plan with mentor with input from the school certification team Participate in stand-alone special education course for up to 6 credit hours/1year (these fit into course requirements under the new rules) Maintain weekly contact with mentor Participate in 2 observations/Reflections per semester with mentor

Participants: Mentors will Support up to 5 mentees (mentors who have retired from teaching; others will support 1-2 mentees) Mentors will receive an stipend of $500 per mentee per 9 months Observe mentees 2x/semester (may use video, distance technology) and maintain weekly contact

Stand-Alone Special Education Course Designed as a “crash course” in special education specifically for the first year of teaching Topics in the course will be addressed in depth in other courses required under new Chapter 115 rules Will count toward professional certification

Stand-Alone Course Topics include

LEA Participation District-level certification committee and MACM mentors work together on Action Plans, observations Support SED 598 course costs with LE funds Support participants at building level (i.e. release time for mentors to observe, assigning a building-level teacher to orient the mentee to school community, culture) Conduct mentee evaluations (Building administrator and Special Ed administrator or district plan for Chapter 180) as needed for District Certification Team

Anticipated Outcomes and Long Term Goals Conditionally certified special educators earn Professional Certification by the end of 3 year period Cadre of well-trained, experienced special educator mentors will be developed across the state, available to districts in the future Intensive support during critical induction period will increase the likelihood that new teachers will stay in the field beyond 3 years MACM resources will be passed along to districts, regional collaboratives to assist in supporting new conditionally certified special educators

Can you help? YES! As soon as you anticipate having an open special educator position, AND/OR you know you intend to hire a newly conditionally certified teacher, Please contact Valerie Valerie.smith@maine.edu 581-2419

Why? We currently have no data source for this information Knowing where mentors might be needed increases the likelihood that we will have enough mentors in your geographic area Information is power (?)

Comments? Constructive concerns? Questions? Comments? Constructive concerns?

Maine’s Alternative Certification and Mentoring Program thanks you! Please visit our website http://umaine.edu/edhd/outreach/macm For Project updates