None were proposed.

The School Performance Committee met on September 1.

Staff reviewed the Panorama school climate survey results. For the first time, all nine schools met participation thresholds for every stakeholder group, and six of nine met or exceeded Performance Framework expectations for every group. Feedback and coaching was the lowest-scoring area across the portfolio and is being addressed through professional development for school leaders. All schools will submit action plans in October.

MOXIE Public Schools opened on schedule with 131 students, above its enrollment goal, and its facility passed all required inspections.

The Finance Committee met on September 1st.

Staff presented the July 2026 financial report, the first month of FY27, which showed revenue and spending both slightly above projections. 

After independent audits, four schools need minor changes to their FY25 financial metrics, and amendments to their 2024–25 Annual Monitoring Reports will come to the Commission for a vote. 

The Executive Committee met on September 1st.

MOXIE Public Schools opened with 131 students, above its target of 120, and is now the Commission's tenth operating charter school. 

The Committee discussed naming a new Finance Committee chair and possible candidates for Commission appointments. 

The Committee reviewed the annual report and work plan, and planned the professional development session for the September 8 Commission meeting. It also agreed to pursue formal recognition of Norm Higgins' service to the Commission. 

The Committee noted that the State Board of Education will meet at the Ecology Learning Center on December 10.

Judith Jones addressed the Commission during public comment regarding "Maine's Next Education Test," published in the Midcoast Villager on August 27, 2026.

There were no individual school updates this month.

Staff congratulated the schools on the start of the school year and thanked school leaders, staff and boards for their work welcoming students and families.

Staff reported that end-of-year meetings with all schools wrapped up in late August, and each school had both board and administrative representatives present. Staff use these meetings to add context to each school's data under the Performance Framework. The findings will go into the Annual Monitoring Reports, which will come to the Commission in November. 

Staff also presented the 2026–27 annual calendar. The calendar lays out, month by month, how staff will carry out the Commission's four priorities: school leader development through the Accelerate Education partnership, policymaker engagement, supporting MOXIE Public Schools in its first year, and board, communications and public instrumentality work. It includes this year's major milestones, such as the upcoming renewals for CRCS and MeANS, and staff review progress against it every week. The Executive Committee reviewed the calendar, and staff made some changes based on its feedback.

Two articles - 'Planned center would expand STEM education across southern Maine' and 'Several Knox, Waldo County graduates among Class of 2026 at Maine Connections Academy' - were included in the packet for informational purposes. No discussion was held.

Staff presented a portfolio-wide comparison of student enrollment and unenrollment for SY2024-25 and SY2025-26, using monthly NEO data. Student persistence is measured in Performance Framework criteria 4.2 and 4.3:

• Year-end enrollment grew from 2,003 to 2,073 students. 
• The number of students who left fell from 504 to 463, which is 18.3% of students served, down from 20.1%. 
• Schools kept enrolling students throughout the year: at least 111 joined after the October 1 count and stayed through June, most of them in January. 
• Unenrollments peaked in June in both years. The largest change was in August, when departures fell from 85 to 32. 
• Almost all students who left went to another school or to home schooling. 
• Home schooling was the only destination that grew, from 115 to 141 students. 
• School-level reports are available for any school on request.

Addendums to the 2024–25 Annual Monitoring Reports for four schools - Community Regional Charter School, Ecology Learning Center, Fiddlehead School of Arts & Sciences, and Maine Arts Academy - were presented for review and consideration. 

Annual Monitoring Reports score financial metrics using each school's internally prepared fourth-quarter financials. Once the FY25 independent audits were complete, staff recalculated the metrics. An addendum was prepared for each school where the audited figures changed a risk rating on the Performance Framework:

• CRCS: current ratio and financial obligations coverage moved from low to moderate risk.
• ELC: three-year margin improved from moderate to low risk, and two-year cash flow improved from high to low risk.
• Fiddlehead: current ratio moved from low to moderate risk.
• Maine Arts Academy: financial obligations coverage moved from low to moderate risk.

Staff and the Commission's finance consultant, Joseph Drago, described the changes as routine audit true-ups rather than concerns. Most scores were unchanged, the shifts were small, and ELC's financial picture improved. Some differences may come from auditors classifying items differently than the schools did, and staff will look into this further. 

Chair Langley noted that addendums like these are issued every year to bring the records in line with audited actuals. Mr. Drago added that the data is from 2024–25 and does not reflect the schools' current financial positions.

The Commission received notice that Maine Academy of Natural Sciences has appointed Patty Duffy to its board of directors, and that Maine Connections Academy has appointed Angela Lallier.

Lisa Coombs resigned from the Maine Connections Academy governing board.

None reported.

The following future topics were included in the agenda for reference. No discussion was held.

October

• To Consider the Approval of Community Regional Charter School's Renewal Application
• To Consider the Approval of Maine Academy of Natural Sciences' Renewal Application

November

• To Receive and Place on File SY2025-26 Annual Monitoring Reports
• To Receive and Place on File SY2025-26 Annual Charter School Report

December

• NO MEETING

The following professional development opportunities were included in the agenda for reference. No discussion was held:

• Tuesday, September 8th (12:30-2:30pm)/Commission PD - "Launching The Year -

Authorizing, Vision, Mission, and Strategic Plan"/In Person (Maine Virtual Academy, Ballard

Center, 6 East Chestnut Street, Augusta)

• Wednesday, September 23rd (10:00am-12:00pm)/Panorama PD - "Launching the Year

Right"/Zoom

• Thursday, October 22nd (10:00-11:30am)/BoardOnTrack PD - "Governance and Fiduciary

Duties"/Zoom

• Thursday, November 5th (10:00-11:30am)/PLT Strategies - "Communications and Advocacy

101"/Zoom

The following upcoming Business Meeting dates were included in the agenda for reference. No discussion was held.

• Tuesday, October 13th (10:00am-12:00pm) - Location TBD
• Tuesday, November 10th (10:00am-12:00pm) - Location TBD
• Tuesday, January 12th (10:00am-12:00pm) - Location TBD