FAQ

What is the overarching goal of the Maine Syllabus and Course Pathways Project?

The primary goal of this project is to ensure all graduating high school students in Maine are provided the opportunity to learn the required state standards and be prepared for college-level work. Also, the project aims to create one consistent statewide definition of a public high school graduate. The Maine Learning Results were created with the intention of promoting a consistent definition, and this project is helping the Maine Department of Education in the implementation of the Maine Learning Results.

Why use syllabi to document evidence of the Maine Learning Results?

There are several reasons why the syllabus was chosen as the preferred method of documentation. First, syllabi are typically used in college courses. By incorporating it as a central piece of high school curricula, students will become more familiar with the importance of the syllabus at an earlier time in their schooling, and therefore will be more familiar with the nuances of college. Second, the syllabus can serve as a contract that presents agreed-upon guidelines between teacher and student, given at the beginning of a class semester as a common understanding of what material will be taught, including due dates, grading policies, as well as policies for attendance, tardiness, late assignments, and academic dishonesty. Third, the syllabus is permanent, public record that documents material to be taught by the teacher and learned by the student, holding both parties accountable. A syllabus provides evidence as to the content taught in a course that represents the opportunities for student learning.

What is a course pathway?

Typically, a course pathway is a sequence of courses within one subject area that spans over multiple years and covers specific content area standards. For example, a Mathematics course pathway may include Algebra, Geometry, Algebra II, and Trigonometry. The idea is the next course picks up where the last course left off, which facilitates sequential learning for the student over the course of their high school studies. In the case of the Maine Course Pathways Project, evidence must show that all students have been provided the opportunity to learn the Maine Learning Results during the four years of high school study.

What subject areas are covered by the Maine Learning Results? Who had input in the development process?

The subject areas included in the Maine Learning Results are English/Language Arts, Health, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Arts, World Languages, Career and Education Development. In addition, there are five overarching Guiding Principles that are embedded into each content area. The Maine Learning Results are a byproduct of the following state policies: Chapter 125 (Basic Approval Standards for Public Schools and School Administrative Units) and Chapter 127 (Instructional Program, Assessment, and Diploma Requirements). Chapter 125 included the following objectives: quality standards to be defined for all components of the system, validation process of standards to be defined, and technical assistance to be defined. In short, Chapter 125 defines how the state holds school districts accountable. Chapter 127 established instructional program requirements for elementary, middle, and secondary programs; set requirements for assessment, established diploma requirements, and established a review cycle of the Maine Learning Results. In short, Chapter 127 defines how students will be held accountable for their learning. These policies were the driving force behind the Maine Department of Education's efforts in developing the Maine Learning Results. Content area experts within the Maine Department of Education collaborated with educators around the state to write the Maine Learning Results.