Maine Dept Of Education Wants Your Input On Reopening Schools

According to WCSH 6, the Maine Department of Education is looking for the input of parents with children in school on the process of reopening the state's schools.

While many of the state's colleges, including Bates and the University of Maine system, have announced their plans for the Fall 2020 semester, no concrete plans have been announced for Maine's K-12 schools.

The staff at the Maine Department of Education are working on a plan that will ensure the students will have a great educational experience while remaining safe.  As part of this planning process, they are looking for the input of the school system's "staleholders".  That is, they want to hear from the parents of students, educators, and school staff.

Between July 6th and July 12th, these "stakeholders" will be invited to take the appropriate survey.  There are four different surveys: teachers and educational technicians, school or district leadership, specialists and student support staff, and parents of students.

In a press release about the surveys, the Department of Education said:

Your participation in these surveys is greatly appreciated in preparation for the next school year. Our fervent hope is that our continued trends in the battle against COVID-19 here in Maine will allow our schools to resume classroom instruction for the start of the 2020-2021 school year, as our schools serve as a stabilizing force for our communities, students, families and the economy. Yet, it is prudent at this time to both hope for the best, and prepare for many possible scenarios."

The surveys, which will be available in eleven languages, can be found HERE

Recently, The Maine Department of Education's Pender Makin estimated that it would cost in excess of $300 million to reopen Maine's grade and high schools.