The U.S. Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education requires the Maine Department of Education to conduct career and technical education (CTE) site visits as part of its Vocational Education Methods of Administration (MOA) civil rights compliance of districts that receive federal funding.
Governing Regulations
- Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (34 CFR, Part 100) — Prohibits discrimination based on race, color, and national origin.
- Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (34 CFR, Part 106) — Prohibits discrimination based on gender.
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (34 CFR, Part 104) — Prohibits discrimination based on disability.
In preparation of the MOA review, this guidance document provides information regarding the eight major areas addressed during the review, as well as sample Grievance and Admissions policies and a reference list of Accessibility Standards for Students with Disabilities (ADA):
MOA Selected Subrecipient Targets
| School Year | Term | Targeted School |
|---|---|---|
| 2025–2026 | Fall | Calais — St. Croix Regional Technical Center |
| Spring | Machias — Coastal Washington County Institute of Technology | |
| Wells — York County Community College | ||
| 2026–2027 | Fall | Mexico — Region 9 School of Applied Technology |
| Spring | Presque Isle — Northern Maine Community College | |
| Waterville — Mid-Maine Technical Center |
Nondiscrimination Notices
In compliance with federal guidelines, prior to the beginning of each school year, recipients of federal CTE funds must advise students, parents, employees, and the general public that all CTE opportunities will be offered without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, sex, or disability.
The announcement must be published after July 1 and before the beginning of each school year in a forum visible to the general public, program beneficiaries, minorities, women, and disabled persons — such as local newspapers, recipient publications, or other media. The publication must include a summary of CTE program offerings, admission criteria, and the name, address, and phone number of the person designated to coordinate Title IX and Section 504 compliance.
If the service area contains a community of national origin minority persons with limited English language skills, public notification must be disseminated to that community in its language.
In addition to the annual notice, districts and schools are required to publish a notice of nondiscrimination on a continuing basis and in a variety of locations, including postings of notices, newspapers and magazines, applications for admission and employment, recruitment materials, announcements, bulletins, catalogs, and websites.
Comprehensive On-Site Reviews
In an effort to sustain a process of continuous improvement in assuring equity for all students, comprehensive on-site reviews are conducted on selected CTEs and community colleges. Reviews focus on the following areas: access and admissions, accessibility, administrative, comparable facilities, counseling and pre-CTE programs, employment, housing and dormitories (post-secondary only), recruitment, services for students with disabilities, site locations, student financial assistance, and work study/cooperative education/job placement/apprentice training.
Information is gathered through student and staff interviews, a comprehensive review of documents, school/district websites, and an accessibility walk-through of all schools with CTE programs.
A Letter of Findings report is issued to the district within 90 days and contains a brief explanation of requirements, observations of the school's compliance, and documentation/methodology used to determine compliance. Findings denote issues requiring the district to develop a plan within 30 calendar days. The report may also contain recommendations for continuous improvement and commendations for outstanding programs or services observed during the review.
Contact
Danielle Despins
CTE Consultant, Education Specialist III
Phone: 207-592-1448
Email: danielle.r.despins@maine.gov