Dear Colleagues,
2025 brought changes and challenges to communities across the nation’s landscape. MAEC was no exception: we began this year facing the possibility of closure and worked tirelessly to stay funded. Today, we are grateful to still be here, reenergized and committed to strengthening schools so that every student can learn and thrive in safe, supportive environments.
Above all, 2025 was a year of resolve. We leaned on the foundation we built over 30 years and reexamined how best to carry our mission forward in a shifting landscape.
At our core, our purpose remains unchanged: to strengthen schools so that every student can learn and thrive in safe, supportive environments. Throughout the year, we worked closely with our board, staff, and advisors to reaffirm what matters most. Partnerships with schools and families remain central. Our commitment to safe, inclusive learning environments remains constant. At the same time, we recognized the need to evolve, by adapting our strategies, refining our tools, and responding thoughtfully to changing needs while staying grounded in our mission.
This period of reflection coincided with a pivotal leadership transition as MAEC’s co-founder, Susan Shaffer, retired from her role as President in July. Susan’s guidance and dedication has and continues to be nothing short of essential, and her leadership was indispensable in leading a critical lawsuit that ultimately reinstated the Equity Assistance Centers across the country. Without her, our work as MAEC truly could not exist. We are grateful for her leadership and continued support as MAEC Board Chair President.
Changing times called for changing approaches. In 2025, MAEC elevated family engagement as a key approach to improving opportunities in public education. We launched our Family Engagement Assessment Tool (FEAT) to help schools and districts assess the needs and contexts of their school community, and hosted our first Connections family engagement event, bringing together educators and families in meaningful dialogue and shared learning. In 2026, we will build on this momentum by expanding the FEAT tool into learning modules, launching the Maine Statewide Family Engagement Framework, and continuing to support clients in ensuring equitable and welcoming learning environments for all students.
As we look ahead, we do so with confidence and purpose. We will continue to provide practical tools and guidance to our communities, and we will build on the lessons of the past year. While the landscape may continue to change, our commitment to ensuring that all students thrive and excel does not.
Thank you for being part of this work. We are all in this together, and the progress we make gives us every reason to be hopeful for the future.
With gratitude,
Karmen Rouland
President, MAEC
View MAEC’s 2025 Annual Report
Previous Years’ Annual Reports
