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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626">Priority Notice - MeTRIC Request for Application Published<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in;line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;color:black">Dear Champions of Education,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">The Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education at the Maine Department of Education is now accepting applications from school administrative units for the Maine Transition
Regional Interagency Collaborative (MeTRIC) grants. The purpose of these grants is to provide students with disabilities the necessary support and resources to seamlessly transition to post-secondary education or employment.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">To qualify, applicants must demonstrate innovative and sustainable partnerships among multiple agencies to provide inclusive transition services such as vocational training, job
readiness, financial literacy, and advocacy. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">The MeTRIC initiative also encourages inclusive transition opportunities like apprenticeships, work based learning, mentoring, and community college partnerships. Applicants must
facilitate a forum for sharing best practices and resources with students and agency participants.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">The Maine DOE, Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education applied and received a $750,00.00 ESSA grant award to develop regional transition collaboratives. Each SAU applying
and approved will receive a minimum of $100,00.00 each to establish their seamless and sustainable coordinated set of transition program(s) in their region. The number and size of awards will depend on the number of applications received and available funds.
The Department reserves the right to eliminate the lowest scoring application(s) and/or make awards for amounts less than requested, whichever is in the best interest of the State.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Eligible schools interested in the Maine Transition Regional Collaboratives (MeTRIC) Grant Program opportunity may access the application through the </span><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#2E75B6"><a href="https://maine.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a582edd6473e477ef6307c769&id=276c07bb46&e=d2d4908104" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2E75B6">Grant
RFPs and RFAs webpage</span></a>.</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#2E75B6"> </span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;color:black">A timeline for the RFA process is provided below. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:105%"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Deadline<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:105%"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Action Steps<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:105%"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Fri - 06/30/23<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:105%"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Questions due date from SAUs emailed to
<a href="mailto:titus.orourke@maine.gov"><span style="color:black">titus.orourke@maine.gov</span></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:105%"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Mid July<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:105%"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Answers will be posted to the public via Procurement<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:105%"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Wed - 07/26/23<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:105%"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">RFA Applications due<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">All questions related to the Maine Transition Regional Interagency Collaborative (MeTRIC) RFA should be submitted to:
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Titus O’Rourke, Transition Specialist, Office of Special Education and Inclusive Education,
</span><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#2E75B6"><a href="mailto:titus.orourke@maine.gov"><span style="color:#2E75B6">titus.orourke@maine.gov</span></a></span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#2E75B6">
</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">no later than Friday, June 30, 2023.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">_______________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Titus O’Rourke, M.S. ED<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Transition Specialist<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626">Office of Special Services & Inclusive Education
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626">Maine Department of Education<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626">23 State House Station
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626">Augusta, Maine 04333<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626">Email:</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626">
<a href="mailto:titus.orourke@maine.gov"><span style="color:#0563C1">titus.orourke@maine.gov</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Phone:</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"> 207 215 6303<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626"><img border="0" width="171" height="62" style="width:1.7833in;height:.6416in" id="_x0000_i1026" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D9A37E.17FA0B90"></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626">
<img border="0" width="91" height="91" style="width:.95in;height:.95in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image003.png@01D9A37E.17FA0B90"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626"><a href="http://www.maine.gov/doe" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue;background:white;text-decoration:none">Maine DOE</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#0070C0;background:white"> | </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MaineDepartmentofEducation1/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue;background:white;text-decoration:none">Facebook</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#0070C0;background:white"> | </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626"><a href="https://twitter.com/mdoenews" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue;background:white;text-decoration:none">Twitter</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#0070C0;background:white"> | </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/mainedepted/?hl=en" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue;background:white;text-decoration:none">Instagram</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#0070C0;background:white"> |</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626"><a href="https://mainedoenews.net/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue;background:white;text-decoration:none">Maine
DOE Newsroom</span></a><span style="background:white"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626">Transition Planning Resources:
<a href="https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/specialed/transition"><span style="color:#0563C1">https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/specialed/transition</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626">Professional Learning Page:
<a href="https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/specialed/pl/transitionplanning"><span style="color:#0563C1">https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/specialed/pl/transitionplanning</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626">Register for a Power Hour:</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">
</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Transition Planning Resources:
<a href="https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/specialed/transition/powerhour"><span style="color:#0563C1">https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/specialed/transition/powerhour</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#262626">Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged
information. If you are not the intended recipient, or an authorized agent of the intended recipient, please immediately contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy/delete all copies of the original message. Any unauthorized review, use, copying, forwarding,
disclosure, or distribution by other than the intended recipient or authorized agent is prohibited.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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