LEADING ME TO PROMISING FUTURES

Leading ME to Promising Futures is an innovative model demonstration to develop, implement, evaluate and disseminate an emerging model of personnel development at the middle and high school levels, consistent with the recommendations of Maine's Commission on Secondary Education (Promising Futures).

The project's overall goal, to improve and enhance teaching, learning and school structure, assures whole school reform resulting in improved outcomes for all youth. Utilizing 'community of learners' the project will engage youth, educators and project staff to make change in the way in which all youth are educated and our schools structured to enhance and promote systems change in our demonstration schools. Together with the systemic restructuring initiatives at the national, state, and local levels, personnel development will conceptualize and enact instructional interventions to establish and actualize high expectations for the achievement of high standards for all students, including students with a full range of disabilities.

Through a collaborative infrastructure comprised of CCI, the Maine Support Network and the Western Maine Partnership, Maranacook Middle School and Mt. Abram High School, the project is responsive to the concerns of LEAs and the SEA related to the new requirements in IDEA and the wider call to improve and enhance educational practices and outcomes for all.

The project will work closely with the school based IASA Design Teams and middle and high school educators, administrators, parents, community organizations, employers and youth. These activities will provide educators with the content, skills and knowledge to prepare all Maine youth to achieve the goals set in the Learning Results and realize the Promising Futures that are possible when all youth exit school prepared for the pursuit of higher education and careers. In particular, professional development will include content and skill building in the areas of access to the general curriculum by all students, alternative and authentic assessment, including portfolio and other forms of demonstration; student centered planning and transition; positive supports and, inclusive school to work strategies.

Major Project Outcomes:

• The design, conduct, and evaluation of school based professional development designed to assure that middle and secondary educators are skilled and able to realize the achievement of the Learning Results by all students in partnership with youth leaders.
• The establishment and dissemination of the model program to promote statewide systems change in the content and process of middle and secondary education delivery consistent with the Learning Results and Promising Futures in partnership with youth leaders.
• Youth leaders with and without disabilities will become leaders and mentors who share responsibility in their planning and futures through the design, implementation, and evaluation of model "youth leader' education.

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