Per Maine Statute: §6209. System of learning results established, the Department traditionally follows a scheduled, cyclical review of the Maine Learning Results every five years. Under this model, 2–3 content areas are reviewed each year to stagger implementation and support continuous improvement. This cycle includes:

• Year 1: Review and revise standards in partnership with educators, administrators, and higher education partners
• Year 2: Major Substantive Rulemaking and development of implementation resources
• Year 3: Statewide professional learning and implementation support
• Ongoing: Continued guidance as SAUs transition to revised standards at a pace appropriate to their local context

This five-year review cycle is intended to ensure ongoing improvement and alignment, and does not necessarily result in major revisions during every cycle.

Temporary Pause of the Review Cycle Under LD 1701

In 2025, the Legislature enacted Resolve, LD 1701, which calls for a comprehensive, statewide examination of the purpose, structure, and efficacy of the Maine Learning Results across all content areas.

To support this broader and deeper work, the Department has paused the regular five-year standards review cycle while the Maine Learning Results Taskforce completes its two-year charge. The Taskforce is bringing together educators, leaders, community members, and partners to:

• Examine the role of standards in supporting meaningful learning for all students
• Study the structure, coherence, and design of current standards
• Consider how the Learning Results can more strongly reflect the Science of Learning and Development
• Develop recommendations for the future framework of Maine’s PK–12 standards

At the conclusion of this process, the Taskforce will present recommendations to the Maine Legislature for consideration. The regular standards review cycle will resume following legislative action on the Taskforce’s recommendations.

Below is a list of content area standards. Click on the "see review details" button to see where each content area is in the review process. 

News

• Public Comment Period to End Soon for Rule Chapter 132, Learning Results: Parameters for Essential Instruction
• Public Comment for Rule Chapter 132: Learning Results, Parameters for Essential Instruction
• Public Comment: Rule Chapter 132: Learning Results: Parameters for Essential Education; Science and Social Studies Standards 
• Maine DOE Seeks Public Comment for Social Studies and Science and Engineering Standards 
• Maine Department of Education Seeks Educators for Science and Social Studies Standards Revision Writing Team

 

Standards

 

Review Process

The Maine Department of Education utilizes a 13-step process to review the Maine Learning Results in each of the content areas.

Step	Time Period	Details
Step 1	Fall	The commissioner gives the approval to begin the standards review process
Step 2	Fall	Public comment period and hearings on current content standards
Step 3	Winter	Steering Committee: A committee of content area experts who represent the cultural diversity found in Maine and a range of viewpoints as to the content of the standards is formed and tasked to: Review all comments submitted during the initial public comment period; Develop a blueprint for the revision of the state standards in their assigned content area; Address and advise the writing committees when deadlocks occur. The Maine State Board of Education will appoint one member of the Steering Committee.
Step 4	Winter	Maine DOE review and approval of the steering committee's recommended blueprint for standards revision
Step 5	Summer	Writing Team: Teams of pk-12 public school teachers who represent Maine’s cultural and geographical diversity are formed and broken into smaller groups, facilitated by the Maine DOE content specialist, to revise content standards based on guidance from the Steering Committee.
Step 6	Summer	The Writing Team submits draft proposal to the Maine Department of Education.
Step 7	Fall	Internal Maine DOE review of standards revision
Step 8	Fall	The Maine DOE files the standards revision document as proposed rules with the Secretary of State.
Step 9	Fall	Maine DOE will hold a public hearing followed by a public comment period on the proposed rules.
Step 10	Winter	Maine DOE prepares and submits provisional adoption of standards revision to the Secretary of State and Legislative Council. The Legislature, once in session in January, will refer the rule as a legislative document to the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee where they will be given an LD Resolve to revise during session.
Step 11	Winter	The Education and Cultural Affairs Committee will hold a public hearing and work session before sending the proposed rules on to the full legislature.
Step 12	Spring	Final adoption of revised standards by the Maine State Legislature.
Step 13	Spring	The Maine Department of Education will prepare the standards regulation for final adoption