Constitutionally Protected Prayer in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools - A Response is required on or before October 26, 2007

INFORMATIONAL LETTER NO: 28

POLICY CODE: IMD

TO: Superintendents, School Principals

FROM: Susan A. Gendron, Commissioner, Department of Education

DATE: October 12, 2007

SUBJECT: PRIORITY - Certification re: Constitutionally Protected Prayer

- Please Forward to School Principals -

Time Sensitive. Please read immediately. A Response is required on or before October 26, 2007.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH NCLB, THIS IS A YEARLY REQUIREMENT. RESPONSES MUST BE IN BY OCTOBER 26TH, 2007.

Section 9524 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act ("ESEA") of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires that, as a condition of receiving ESEA funds, a local educational agency ("LEA") must certify, in writing to its State educational agency ("SEA"), that it has no policy that prevents, or otherwise denies participation in, constitutionally protected prayer in public schools as set forth in the guidance provided on the Internet through the U.S. Department of Education's website http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayerguidance.html?exp=0.

In order for the Maine Department of Education to be in compliance with this requirement for 2004, we must receive a written statement from each LEA by October 26, 2007, documenting that it does not have any policy that prevents, or otherwise denies participation in, constitutionally protected prayer in public schools. To do this, please either e-mail janice.bunnell@maine.gov or send a letter to Jacqueline Soychak, Federal Program Services Team Leader and Policy Director, 23 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0023 containing the following information:

Name of LEA_______________________________________ Date ________

_does __does not have any policy that prevents or otherwise denies participation in constitutionally protected prayer in public schools.

Signature of person authorized to provide this assurance__________________________

The Guidance provided by the USDOE is at http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance.html?exp=0. We realize that many of you will have questions. If your questions are not answered in their website, please submit your question(s) in writing to Jacqueline Soychak, Federal Program Services Team Leader & Policy Director, Maine Department of Education, 23 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333 as soon as possible.

Please return this form to janice.bunnell@maine.gov (if sending electronically) or mail to: Jacqueline Soychak, Federal Program Services Team Leader & Policy Director, Maine Department of Education, 23 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333, no later than October 26^th, 2007.