MAEC News

MAEC is pleased to announce that it has received a continuation grant from the U.S. Department of Education to resume operation of the Region I Equity Assistance Center (EAC) and additional funding to lead the Region III EAC. The funding will ensure that the centers are active from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026.… Read More »

Real, lasting change for students, families, and educators starts with understanding how your school or district works as a whole. MAEC’s Family Engagement Assessment Tool and Equity Audit help schools and districts better understand current practices, strengthen communication with families, and identify areas for improvement. Gather meaningful data to drive change Collecting data is the… Read More »

SILVER SPRING, MD — October 9, 2025 — After six years of serving families, schools, and districts in Maryland and Pennsylvania, MAEC is announcing the closure of the Collaborative Action for Family Engagement (CAFE) program. The program’s federal funding through the Statewide Family Engagement Center program was discontinued and MAEC’s request for reconsideration was denied… Read More »

There is no “right” way to be a strong leader: every leader brings their own unique style, strengths, and approach. However, in our work across the country, we have consistently found that the most effective education leaders share these traits: Clear and consistent communication that is open and nonjudgmental Ability to have courageous conversations to… Read More »

On August 5, school teams from across Maine gathered at Thomas College to develop strategies and best practices for strengthening family engagement in their schools. The 2025–26 Family, School, and Community Engagement Community of Practice, hosted by the Consortium for Engaging Families Across Maine (CEFAM) and the Maine Department of Education, gave participants a chance… Read More »

On May 6, 2025, MAEC hosted the inaugural Connections virtual event, bringing together over 300 family members and practitioners from 38 states. This conference offered 25 session that explored best practices in family engagement, including strategies for fostering partnerships between schools and communities. On the Same Team: High-Leverage School-Family Partnership Practices In our first spotlight of… Read More »

MAEC has learned that lasting change in schools depends on strong leadership at every level. Parents, teachers, staff, school administrators, and district administrators all play a part. After our 30+ years in the field, we have learned that school communities can succeed when these elements are in place: Resources: Funding and people-power is necessary to… Read More »

At MAEC, our mission is to create school systems where every student can succeed, no matter their background or zip code. With over 30 years of experience in the field, we have learned that lasting change happens when key conditions are in place: Strong leadership support and buy-in from the whole school community Confidence and… Read More »

The new school year is just around the corner. Is your district prepared to ensure that every student is able to thrive? With the newly reopened Center for Education Equity, MAEC is once again offering our full range of services to schools, districts, and states across Region I (CT, DE, KY, ME, MD, MA, NH,… Read More »

July 23, 2025  Last month, members of MAEC’s Consortium for Engaging Families Across Maine (CEFAM) were invited by the Maine DOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning to join the Multilingual Learner Advisory Council meeting in Augusta, ME. As Maine’s statewide family engagement center, the CEFAM team partners with educators and organizations across the state to… Read More »