Ongoing Projects

Regionalization efforts are underway, both through support from the Maine DOE and through well established and on-going partnerships at the local level.

To view regionalization initiatives by location, including ESCs, and both rounds of EMBRACE grants, click on the EMBRACE Regionalization Google Interactive Map.

An Education Service Center (ESC), as established by Title 20-A MRS Chapter 123, is a multiservice agency established and operated for the purposes of developing, managing, and providing services to its members. Nine ESCs became operational on July 1, 2018. A list of those ESCs including contact information, membership, and their services can be found at Contact a Regional Service Center.

2017-18 Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services (FEDES) Grants

Creating a Strong & Sustainable Regional Collaborative for Professional Development in Washington County

This project will re-establish the Washington County Consortium by creating a sustainable infrastructure for offering professional development in Washington county. This regional effort is intended to provide students with excellent school leaders and teachers.

Participants:

• Lead SAU - Calais Public Schools
• Cherryfield Public Schools
• Maine Indian Education
• RSU 37/MSAD 37 (Addison, Columbia, Columbia Falls, Harrington, Milbridge)
• AOS 77 (Alexander, Baring Plantation, Charlotte, Crawford, Dennysville, Eastport, Pembroke, Perry, Robbinston, RSU 85/MSAD 19 (Lubec))
• AOS 90 (Baileyville, Carroll Plantation, Cooper, Drew Plantation, East Range CSD (Codyville Plantation, Topsfield), Grand Lake Stream Plantation, Lakeville, Lee, Macwahoc Plantation, Meddybemps, Princeton, Reed Plantation, RSU 30/MSAD 30 (Lee, Springfield, Webster Plantation, Winn)
• AOS 96 (Cutler, East Machias, Jonesboro, Machias, Machiasport, Marshfield, Northfield, Roque Bluffs, Wesley, Whiting, Whitneyville)
• Washington Academy
• UM Machias
• Washington County Consortium
• Washington County Leadership Team

Greater Biddeford Child Development Services (CDS) Regionalization Project)

This project will support the transition of special education services for 3- to 5-year olds into the Biddeford School Department with full implementation by school-year 2021 to ensure a successful early integration of students into district schools.

Participants:

• Lead SAU - Biddeford Public Schools
• Dayton Public Schools

Kennebec Valley Expanded STEAM Outreach Project

This project will build on clear evidence of improved student outcomes to support the expansion of the current STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) program, which was funded through the round-one EBRACE grant. STEM-related arts will be added to the curriculum and student access will be increased. The STEAM program will introduce middle school students to STEAM educational experiences and career pathways.

Participants:

• Lead SAU - RSU 74 (Anson, Embden, New Portland, Solon)
• RSU 83/MSAD 13 (Bingham, Moscow)
• RSU 59/MSAD 59 (Madison)

Kennebec Valley Multiple Pathways Academy

This project will support a middle school alternative education program that aims to reduce dropout and truancy rates by providing new and improved opportunities for at- risk students with multiple pathways for achievement.

Participants:

• Lead SAU - RSU 59/MSAD 59 (Madison)
• RSU 74 (Anson, Embden, New Portland, Solon)
• RSU 83/MSAD 13 (Bingham, Moscow)

PBIS Regional Professional Development Cohort

This project will create a sustainable, regional professional development program with a multi-tiered Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework using evidence-based behavioral practices shown to improve academic achievement and social-emotional growth among students as well as improving overall school climate.

Participants:

• Lead SAU - RSU 3/MSAD 3 (Brooks, Freedom, Jackson, Knox, Liberty, Monroe, Montville, Thorndike, Troy, Unity, Waldo)
• Brewer Community School
• Indian Island School
• RSU 20 (Searsport, Stockton Springs)
• Wiscasset Elementary School
• University of Maine

Southern Aroostook Area Regional Alternative Center

This project will create a high school alternative education program that will provide students with learning opportunities in career and technical education with the aim of increasing individual achievement levels and graduation rates in a personalized learning environment.

Participants:

• Lead SAU - RSU 29/MSAD 29 (Hammond, Houlton, Littleton, Monticello)
• RSU 50 (Crystal, Dyer Brook, Hersey, Island Falls, Merrill, Moro Plantation, Mount Chase, Oakfield, Patten, Sherman, Smyrna, Staceyville)
• RSU 70/MSAD 70 (Amity, Haynesville, Hodgdon, Linneus, Ludlow, New Limerick)
• RSU 84/MSAD 14 (Danforth, Weston)

Unified Valley Cooperative Project

This project will support the development of a regional service center that will share central administration services and resources. This increased efficiency will allow resources to be reallocated to student programming including career education, world language classes, skill certification, and an innovation lab.

Participants:

• Lead SAU - MSAD 27 (Fort Kent, New Canada, St. Francis, St. John Plantation, Wallagrass)
• Madawaska Public Schools
• RSU 33/MSAD 33 (Frenchville, St. Agatha)

Westbrook-Gorham Adult CTE Program

This project will support the creation of a regional adult education program that will provide adult learners access to career and technical education that will prepare them for high-skill, high-demand occupations that have defined pathways for advancement.

Participants:

• Lead SAU - Westbrook Public Schools
• Gorham Public Schools

Western Maine Standard Analysis

This project will support an audit of the programming and graduation standards across the regional members. The analysis will lead to greater uniformity of standards across districts to support seamless transfer of student achievement from school to school and collaborative staff development.

• Lead SAU - RSU 73 (Jay, Livermore, Livermore Falls)
• RSU 9 (Chesterville, Farmington, Industry, New Sharon, New Vineyard, Starks, Temple, Vienna, Weld, Wilton)
• RSU 10 (Buckfield, Hanover, Hartford, Mexico, Roxbury, Rumford, Sumner)
• RSU 44/MSAD 44 (Bethel, Greenwood, Newry, Woodstock)
• RSU 56 (Canton, Carthage, Dixfield, Peru)
• RSU 58 (Avon, Kingfield, Phillips, Strong)
• RSU 59/MSAD 59 (Madison)
• RSU 74 (Anson, Embden, New Portland, Solon)
• Western Maine Education Collaborative

Educational Efficiencies and Opportunities Grants

Kennebec Valley STEM Collaborative Outreach

The three districts plan to introduce, enhance, and expand science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education at the middle level by creating a STEM outreach project/program that targets the needs of all students from at-risk to gifted and talented. This outreach project will align the STEM curriculum with the progression of local PK-12 standards. The project will employ a STEM Coach to work with teachers to promote goals such as - emphasizing STEM higher level thinking, explore STEM career pathways, promote student engagement, and to increase enrollment in science, math, and technology courses in high school.

Participants:

• Lead SAU - MSAD 74/RSU 74 (Anson, Solon, Embden, New Portland)
• MSAD 13/RSU 83 (Bingham, Moscow)
• MSAD #59/RSU #59 (Madison)
• Somerset Career and Technical Center (Skowhegan)

Rightsizing Education in the Upper St. John Valley

This plan aims to improve the quality and efficiency of three St. John Valley School Districts by regionalizing grades 9-12 into a regional combined high school/CTE center, while at the same time retain each community's individual identity by maintaining early childhood to grade 8 within the sending communities. The plan will align curriculum, assessment, professional development, policies and resources across the three SAU's, it will also introduce CTE learning styles to 8th graders, provide Chemical Health Education to students and enhance visual and performing arts programs.

Participants:

• Lead SAU - MSAD 27 (Eagle Lake, Fort Kent, New Canada, Saint Francis, Saint John Plt., Wallagrass)
• MSAD 33 (Frenchville, Saint Agatha)
• Madawaska School Department
• St. John Valley Technology Center
• University of Maine at Fort Kent

Service Bundling

The project will bundle special education, psychological services, transportation, technology and facilities services that are currently being operated independently.

Participants:

• Lead SAU - MSAD 01/RSU 79 (Castle Hill, Chapman, Mapleton, Presque Isle, Westfield)
• MSAD 45 (Washburn, Perham, Wade)

Shared Services Model

Participants will share budgeting, financial reporting, federal grant management, payroll and human resource functions. In addition they will hire a shared Collaboration Coordinator to work with participating schools to assess needs, identify service options, and implement services to meet those needs, collaborate on communication technology plans and tools, share student transportation services, share special education administration and evaluation services, and create a shared sustainable residential and learning space for international and out-of-state students using a model similar currently used by private and public schools in Maine.

Participants:

• Lead SAU - Maine Academy of Natural Sciences (Hinckley)
• Cornville Regional Charter School (Cornville)
• Snow Pond Arts Academy (Sidney)
• Snow Pond Center for the Arts (non-profit)
• Good Will Hinckley (non-profit)

Sheepscot Regional Education Program

The project will provide a single site for special education services for students in grades 6-12, through age 20, who need behavioral support. The day-treatment option will be a research-based intervention option for students to participate in prior to potential further out-of-district placement. The partnership will provide cost savings on infrastructure, staff, and administrative and financial oversight.

Participants:

• Lead SAU - Wiscasset School Department
• RSU 01 (Bath, Arrowsic, Phippsburg, Woolwich)
• AOS 93 (Sommerville)
• RSU 12 (Alna, Chelsea, Palermo, Somerville, Westport Island, Whitefield, Windsor)
• Bath Regional Career and Technical Center

Southern Aroostook Area Regional Transportation Facility

The plan will provide participating communities with a centrally located facility to serve as a bus garage for maintenance of the combined fleet of buses, vans and service vehicles of the participating partners. The project will save money, increase reliability and improve maintenance services which will is expected to lengthen the life of buses and other service vehicles.

Participants:

• Lead SAU - RSU 29 (Houlton, Hammond, Littleton, Monticello)
• RSU 70 (Hodgdon, Amity, Haynesville, Linneus, Ludlow, New Limerick)
• RSU 50 (Southern Aroostook and Kathadin)
• MSAD 14/RSU 84 (East Grand)
• Region Two School of Applied Technology

SPRPCE Innovative School

The project will create a regional, alternative education school beginning with 7th and 8th graders, with plans to expand to grade 10. The school is designed for hands-on, experiential learning to motivate and prepare at-risk youth for successful integration into further learning opportunities at local CTE centers and in early college programs. The funds will support the creation of the school for its first year.

Participants:

• Lead SAU - Bangor School Department
• AOS47 (Dedham, Orrington)
• AOS 81 (Holden, Eddington, Clifton, Amherst, Aurora, Great Pond, Osborn)
• Brewer School Department
• Glenburn School Department
• Hermon School Department
• Maine Indian Education
• Milford School Department
• RSU22 (Hampden, Newburgh, Winterport and Frankfort)
• RSU 26 (Orono)
• RSU 34 (Alton, Bradley, Old Town)
• RSU 64 (Bradford, Corinth, Hudson, Kenduskeag, and Stetson)
• RSU 87 (Carmel, Levant)
• Veazie School Department
• United Technology Center
• Eastern Maine Community College

Western Maine Mathematics 9-12/CTE Leadership Network

The project is designed to support the development of a high school mathematics coaching model to better meet the needs of 9-12 mathematics teachers and CTE teachers in western Maine. The project will use the proven success of the Maine Mathematics Coaching Project (MMCP) to provide high-quality mathematics professional development that will increase interest, engagement, and self-efficiency in mathematics for high school students and teachers.

Participants:

• Lead SAU - RSU 04 (Wales, Litchfield, Sabattus)
• RSU 09 (Chesterville, Farmington, Industry, New Sharon, New Vineyard, Starks, Temple, Vienna, Weld, Wilton)
• RSU 10 (Buckfield, Byron, Canton, Carthage, Dixfield, Hanover, Hartford, Mexico, Peru, Roxbury, Rumford, Sumner)
• RSU 58 (Avon, Kingfield, Phillips, Strong)
• RSU 73 (Jay, Livermore, Livermore Falls)
• RSU 74 (Anson, Embden, New Portland, Solon)
• Winthrop Public Schools
• Foster Career and Technical Education Center
• University of Maine Farmington
• Western Maine Education Collaborative

Western Maine Regional Education Program

This project will support the development of a regional education program that will serve students (K-12) who are in need of a therapeutic educational setting. The program treatment model will include family work and community collaboration in order to support students achieving meaningful outcomes in the least restrictive educational environment. While students are attending the program, academic and treatment goals focus on reintegration and participation with nondisabled peers.

Participants:

• Lead SAU - RSU 10 (Buckfield, Byron, Canton, Carthage, Dixfield, Hanover, Hartford, Mexico, Peru, Roxbury, Rumford, and Sumner)
• RSU 9 (Chesterville, Farmington, Industry, New Sharon, New Vineyard, Starks, Temple, Vienne, Weld, Wilton)
• MSAD 44 (Bethel, Greenwood, Newry, Woodstock)
• RSU 56 (Canton, Carthage, Dixfield, and Peru)
• RSU 58 (Phillips, Avon, Kingfield, and Strong)
• RSU 73 (Jay, Livermore, Livermore Falls)
• RSU 78 (Dallas Plantation, Magalloway Plantation, Rangeley, Rangeley Plantation and Sandy River Plantation)

Western Maine Regional Program for Children with Exceptionalities

The participants will share a space and resources to provide services to students in grades 6-12 with autism and/or emotional disabilities and other behaviorally challenged students who would otherwise be placed in special service private schools outside the participating districts. The plan will allow students to stay closer to home while also providing necessary technical and experiential learning opportunities.

Participants:

• Lead SAU - MSAD 17 (Harrison, Hebron, Norway, Otisfield, Oxford, Paris, Waterford, West Paris)
• RSU 44 (Bethel, Greenwood, Newry, Woodstock)
• RSU 72 (Brownfield, Denmark, Fryeburg, Lovell, Stoneham, Stow, Sweden)
• Maine Regional Vocational Center 11 (Oxford Hills Technical School)