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Education & Cultural Affairs Committee

Tuesday, November 17, 2009@ 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Cross State Office Building, Room #202

*** DRAFT *** AGENDA *** DRAFT ***

9:00 a.m. CHAIR’S “CALL TO ORDER”: Introductions and Preview Agenda

9:15 a.m. BRIEFING: Commissioner Gendron, Maine Department of Education: Review and update Department of Education proposals for FY 2010-11 budget savings related to the “Initiative to Streamline State Government” (pursuant to PL 2009, c. 213, Pt. QQQ)

10:15 a.m. WORK SESSION: Education & Cultural Affairs Committee Recommendations to Appropriations & Financial Affairs Committee in Response to their Request for Feedback on FY 2010-11 budget savings Related to the “Initiative to Streamline State Government” (pursuant to PL 2009, c. 213, Pt. QQQ)

11:00 a.m. BRIEFING: Commissioner Gendron, Maine Department of Education: Review and update Department of Education proposals to meet FY 2009-10 and FY 2010-11 budget reduction targets, including implications for General Purpose Aid for Local Schools program and the process and timeline for potential curtailments as part of Governor’s supplemental budget bill

11:45 a.m. LUNCH

12:30 p.m. BRIEFING: Panel Discussion on Improving the Laws Governing School District Reorganization: The Honorable Lawrence “Skip” Greenlaw, Chair, Maine Coalition to Save Schools, Superintendent Roger Shaw, MSAD 42 (Mars Hill), Superintendent Quenten Clark, MSAD 58 (Kingfield)

1:15 p.m. BRIEFING: Panel Discussion on Improving the Laws Governing School District Reorganization: Commissioner Gendron, Maine Department of Education, Ray Poulin, Consultant to Maine Department of Education (INVITED), Norm Higgins, Consultant to Maine Department of Education (INVITED)

2:00 p.m. BRIEFING: Improving the Laws Governing School District Reorganization: The Honorable Richard Spencer, Attorney, Drummond, Woodsum, McMahon (INVITED)

2:20 p.m. BREAK

2:30 p.m. BRIEFING: Commissioner Gendron, Maine Department of Education: Update on the following initiatives, including implications for the annual costs to State and the annual costs to local school units:

• High School Graduation Requirements and Standards-based Reform, including Reinventing Schools Coalition Pilots
• Oregon Curriculum Project to Review High School Curriculum Compared to National Standards
• Response to Intervention
• Maine Learning Technology Initiative

3:15 p.m. WORK SESSION: Education & Cultural Affairs Committee and Staff: Preview of the committee workload, including anticipated bills, oversight duties and other initiatives on the docket for the 2nd Session in January 2010

4:00 p.m. ADJOURNMENT: Announcements and Wrap-up