Governor John E. Baldacci issued an Executive Order in April 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 front lines 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.