Spring 2020
MEGAT's Member Newsletter
We are excited to rollout a newsletter for our MEGAT members. This newsletter is a collective creation and we welcome any submissions that you would like to share! We want to celebrate with you and share resources and news that is worthy to our educational pursuits.
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From the Desk of Sue BC (MEGAT President)
On February 28, 2020, Kim Emerson and I sat down with Pender Makin, Angela Logan and Dan Chuuta from DOE to ask questions posed by MEGAT members across the state. Here are the replies.

1. Will the GT certification still be necessary for GT reimbursement?
  • For now, yes. The certification process is being revamped so it is hard to say exactly what that will look like in the future. Maine has one of the strictest certification criteria and yet we are short of teachers.
2. Is there still a shortage of GT teachers? It was not on the published list. 
  • The DOE has added GT teachers to the list a few weeks ago.
3. Is everyone going to be required to use differentiation as the only delivery method? 
  • NO, local control will determine the needs of students. If your system has a great pullout program and they are happy with it, we are not going to make them change.DOE would not nor is it allowed, to make schools change… curriculum and programing are local control decisions. 
4. Will there be GT in the future?
  • There is some research to suggest that the label is detrimental. The title of the program at DOE may be changed to something else such as talent development. The Commissioner said that people would not lose their jobs . Technically they don’t control whether people keep jobs in any content or program area - but they are not advocating for the removal of GT teachers by any means. There will still be a place for GT teachers in districts who choose this - as is presently the case.
5. Will the DOE be providing professional development around differentiation for increasing rigor in the regular classroom?
  • Yes. They will be looking for talent from the GT community to provide trainings.
6. Is the new DOE staff member being hired to support GT teachers solely dedicated to this role or will this person have other responsibilities to attend to at the DOE? If they have other responsibilities, what will they be?
  •  Andrea Logan, MTSS, hired for a job that “Includes whole spectrum”
7. Who will be compiling research for those assigned to review Chapter 104?
  • Pender would like to see research prior to making decisions. The Department’s Legislative Team and MTSS specialist will be compiling research as a group.
  • You can send research (with links if possible) to the department’s GT mailbox, Andrea is monitoring the box gt.doe@maine.gov
8. Who will have the power to make changes to Chapter 104 once the review is complete - the review board and/or the Commissioner?
  • Changes are drafted in DOE by Legislative Team. It needs to follow law in formatting a new rule. First there is a draft which is done by DOE’s Legislative Team. It then goes out for public comments/testimony, then it could be revised before going to the legislature.
9. Is there an expected timeline for conducting the review of Chapter 104?
  • The goal is to have it prepared for the 130th legislature. They would like to work on this over the summer. It will be at least a year. Changes would not be implemented until the 2021-2022 school year.
10. What are some specific plans for collaboration between DOE and MEGAT?
  • The Commissioner said that she is trying to give us as much input as possible and is allowed by law. The department doesn’t believe in unilateral decision making.


If you have specific questions, send them to the DOE. (gt.doe@maine.gov) When I hear anything, I will let you know. In the meantime you may want to sign up for the DOE’s weekly update to keep current.

Thanks for all that you do for gifted children today and every day.
Sue Boyce-Cormier
Important Points from the Commissioner
Important points from the Commissioner:
  • We are not putting an end to GT! (but we will likely change the name to Talent Development.)
  • We will not be dictating or requiring or prescribing any particular program models. That is strictly the purview of local school boards and administrations.
  • We do hope to increase the equity of program funding, and will likely be phasing out the expenditure reimbursement in favor of a formula driven funding model. (that way all districts will get an equitable amount of funding to use for their programs.
  • We will examine equity of representation within existing and future programs to determine whether we should set specific goals around increasing equity of access for all students. 
  • We will be updating the statutes and the rule, and welcome ideas, hopes, and concerns to help us create something that works well for most districts. 
  • We will keep MEGAT posted as things move forward so that you are able to provide up-to-date information to your constituents.

Support Meetings and Teacher Spotlight!
MEGAT Weekly Support Meetings
While schools are closed and we are home, MEGAT is offering weekly support meetings. Please be sure to visit our website to view previous meetings and join us on April 30th at 1:30 for our next support meeting!

Link to recorded support meetings

Click here to join the support meetings
Teacher Spotlight!
Proud to announce that Linda Andrews of Buckfield Jr/Sr HS has been nominated for the NHD Hannah E. MacGregor Teacher of the Year Award! Another GT teacher that makes a difference for kids.
Upcoming Events and PD
CSTANE2020, Portland, Maine, October 24 – Call for presentations
Planning is well underway for the regional CSTA New England conference (CSTANE2020), scheduled for October 24, 2020 at the University of Southern Maine’s Portland campus. We are hoping a new normal will have set in by then and allow us to hold this conference in person. Our theme is Innovation, which seems especially appropriate considering what we are now doing every day!
 
In addition to a variety of presentations (see call for presentations link later in this message), we have two fabulous keynoters lined up and expect to have a large number of colleagues and exhibitors in attendance.  Plus we are certain it will be a warm, lovely fall day in the foodie destination of Portland, Maine. 
 
The conference website is https://sites.google.com/view/cstane/ and the call for presentations is at https://sites.google.com/view/cstane/2020/proposals. 

Should you have a question about presenting at the conference, please contact Tom Keller at tom@stemeducationstrategies.org
FREE PD from Prufrock Press
Free On-Demand PD from Rutgers University
FREE On-Demand Webinars from NAGC
Recording of 2020 Maine Reading Round Up Conference