Office of Innovation

EnGiNE

EnGiNE is Maine's Professional Learning Ecosystem for Educators & School Staff. From coastal islands to northern rural communities, it is an online hub that connects Maine's entire educational workforce through professional learning, collaboration, contact hours, and shared resources. Here, Maine's educators can engage in innovation and develop creative solutions to 21st-century learning challenges.

EnGiNE Home

Environmental Education & Outdoor Learning

Environmental Education helps students build the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to understand and engage with the natural world. This includes expanding equitable access to Outdoor Learning, supporting student well‑being and climate resilience, and developing skills for recreation, conservation, and climate action. Rooted in Maine’s outdoor heritage and informed by the Wabanaki relationship with the land and waters, this work connects students with the places, histories, and cultural traditions that shape the state. Environmental & Outdoor Home

Green Schools Program

The Maine Green Schools Program, a partnership between the Maine Department of Education and the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, supports schools in advancing sustainability across leadership, facilities, curriculum, and career pathways. As part of Maine’s broader climate and education strategy, the initiative helps schools adopt cleaner technologies, improve building performance, and create meaningful climate‑related learning opportunities that extend from the classroom into the community. 

Building Assets, Reducing Risks (BARR)

The BARR model uses eight interconnected strategies that strengthen relationships among staff and students and leverage real‑time data to support academic, social, and emotional growth. By focusing on intentional connection and coordinated problem‑solving, BARR helps schools create the conditions for every student to succeed. BARR Home

Global Partners Network

The Global Partners Network expands opportunities for Maine students and educators to engage with an increasingly interconnected world. Through international partnerships, the Maine Department of Education collaborates with schools and institutions around the globe to build cross‑cultural understanding, enrich learning experiences, and broaden what is possible for students and teachers. Global Partners Home

Innovative Research & Design (IR&D)

Innovative Research and Design (IR&D) continues the work of the original Rethinking Responsive Education Ventures (RREV) initiative, which was funded through a federal grant from 2020 to 2024. Today, IR&D supports schools in pursuing innovative approaches to teaching and learning, guided by state statute and informed by lessons learned from the RREV project. The team helps schools design, test, and refine new ideas that respond to local needs and expand educational possibilities. IR&D Home