Maine DOE Invites Educators to Apply to Serve on Reading and Math Advisory Councils

In the 2025-2026 school year, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) launched the Maine State Reading and Math Action Plans, twin initiatives designed to bring more evidence-based instruction, educator training, and academic partnerships into Maine classrooms.

As part of the Action Plans, the Maine DOE is launching two new statewide groups, the Reading Advisory Council and the Math Advisory Council, which will support the state’s renewed focus on strengthening foundational skills for all Maine students in these core academic areas. Applications for these councils are open now through Thursday, December 11, 2025.

“The Maine Department of Education is pleased to invite educators representing different grade levels and regions from across Maine to apply for this opportunity,” said Maine DOE Commissioner Pender Makin. “Your expertise will help to directly inform best practices regarding reading and math instruction to be shared with the field, ensuring that Maine students graduate from school well-prepared for their futures.”

The councils will be composed primarily of practitioners, classroom educators, instructional coaches, school and school administrative unit (SAU) leaders, and higher education partners, who work directly with Maine learners and can bring firsthand expertise to this work. Members will help to ensure that statewide efforts remain grounded in classroom realities and reflect the needs and strengths of Maine schools and communities.

Each council will be chaired by a statewide leader in the field: Dr. Peter Lancia, superintendent of the Westbrook School Department, will chair the Reading Advisory Council, and Dr. Victoria Cohen, former math teacher, will chair the Math Advisory Council. The chairs will partner closely with Maine DOE leadership to shape meeting agendas, facilitate discussion, and synthesize input from the field.

The Maine DOE is seeking a diverse group of 10-12 members for each council. The Maine DOE will review applications to ensure representation from practitioners across grade levels, regions, professional roles, and school contexts. Members will serve a two-year term, participate in regularly scheduled meetings, review materials, and share perspectives from their local contexts.

The application form is available here. Applicants will be asked to describe their current role, interest in serving, and relevant experience. A reference letter must be submitted separately via email to Maine DOE Chief Teaching and Learning Officer Beth Lambert at beth.lambert@maine.gov.

Applications are due on December 11 at 11:59 p.m. Applicants will be notified of their selection by January 5, 2026, and the first council meetings will be held the week of January 12.

About the Back-To-Basics Initiative

At the direction of Governor Janet Mills, the Maine DOE on October 9 announced major new approaches to strengthen back-to-basics reading and math skills in Maine students. 

The Maine State Reading and Math Action Plans include evidence-based strategies and updated guidance for schools and SAUs, as well as commitment from the Maine DOE to provide necessary support and resources. Strategies in the plans include:

• Preparing future elementary and early childhood educators to use evidence-based reading and math instruction;
• Providing teachers and school leaders access to high-quality instructional resources, as well as participation in annual teacher summits and workshops;
• Helping local schools and districts to set literacy attainment goals using universal literacy screeners in early education and elementary grades;
• Enabling schools and districts to utilize best practices in early math instruction, incorporating real-world applications in mathematics;
• Creating further recommendations for teacher preparation programs through the advisory councils.

The Maine DOE developed the action plans with input from experts in the field. The plans were also informed by data, including the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which sampled approximately 1,700 Maine students per grade level (4th and 8th) per subject (reading and math) in 2024. Over the past decade, NAEP scores have shown concerning declines in Maine and other states.

Additionally, the action plans incorporated testing data from the Maine Through Year Assessment, which is administered to approximately 85,000 students in grades 3-8 and 10 at least twice a year to measure progress from fall to spring. The Maine DOE used input from schools that administer local assessments that gauge student progress, as well.

This effort builds upon a $10 million investment by the Maine DOE in 2024 for literacy grants to schools for high-quality teaching materials and professional development opportunities.