Letter to Maine on Maintenance of Equity — November 22, 2022

Summary

This is a letter dated November 22, 2022 from the United States Department of Education to Pender Makin, Commissioner of Education at the Maine Department of Education, with the name James F. Lane, Ed. D., Senior Advisor, Office of the Secretary, printed at the end. The letter states that it recognizes Maine's ongoing commitment to the maintenance of equity requirements under section 2004(b) of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and notes that the action resulted from cooperative efforts involving Governor Mills, appropriators in the State Legislature, and State educational agency leadership and staff. It says the Department looks forward to continuing work in implementing the second year of maintenance of equity requirements in fiscal year 2023.

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Cite this document

“Letter to Maine on Maintenance of Equity — November 22, 2022.” Original at www.ed.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/department-of-education-11-22-2022-used-www-ed-gov-47336c003d-d5f73d2f8a/, SHA-256 55ffa58133b7641046298dfc7cda5ea6e68106e5bbdb3cd03016e1a6760dee25.

Full text

                      UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


                                       November 22, 2022

The Honorable Pender Makin
Commissioner of Education
Maine Department of Education
23 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333

Dear Commissioner Makin:

I am writing to recognize Maine’s ongoing commitment to the maintenance of equity
requirements under section 2004(b) of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP). Knowing
the numerous, competing priorities facing States, State educational agencies, and local
educational agencies, your early work to implement these new, critically important resource
equity requirements is appreciated. We note that Maine’s action is a result of cooperative efforts
involving Governor Mills, appropriators in your State Legislature, and State educational agency
leadership and staff.

ARP maintenance of equity requirements help ensure that State and local education funding
supports students who experienced longstanding opportunity gaps before, and were
disproportionately impacted by, the COVID-19 pandemic. In implementing these provisions
through a mix of data quality efforts, engagement with Department-provided technical
assistance, and maintenance of State education funding for the communities and students who
need it most, Maine is taking critical steps to accelerate academic recovery and close opportunity
and achievement gaps.

My team looks forward to continuing our work with yours in implementing the second year of
maintenance of equity requirements in fiscal year 2023. Thank you for your collaboration, and
all you do for Maine’s students, educators, and families.

                                             Sincerely,


                                             James F. Lane, Ed. D.
                                             Senior Advisor, Office of the Secretary
                                             Delegated the Authority to Perform the Functions
                                             and Duties of the Assistant Secretary for
                                             Elementary and Secondary Education

CC:    The Honorable Janet T. Mills
       Governor of Maine
       1 State House Station
       Augusta, ME 04333

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Our copy: department-of-education-11-22-2022-used-www-ed-gov-47336c003d.pdf
Original: www.ed.gov