LD 309: An Act To Make Voluntary Membership in a Public Employee Labor Organization in the State, Rep Winsor
...amends the State's labor laws to ensure that each public sector union represents only those public employees who voluntarily are members of that union. [Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development]
Latest Committee Action: EXT APPROVED, Jan 26, 2012
LD 513: RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To More Equitably Fund the Liabilities of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System, Senator Thomas Saviello
...proposes to amend the Constitution of Maine to remove the requirement that experience losses incurred by the Maine Public Employees Retirement System be retired in only 10 years and to change the required amortization schedule of unfunded liabilities from a fixed 31-year schedule to a so-called open or rolling 25-year schedule. {APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE]
Latest Committee Action: EXT APPROVED, Jan 13, 2012
LD 675: An Act To Establish Multidistrict Online Classes in Maine, Senator Alfond
...allows nonresident students to enroll in a school administrative unit's online learning program, with the school administrative unit of residence for that student to pay the enrolling school administrative unit the student's tuition for the program. The bill also directs the Department of Education to create a stakeholder group to study the opportunities in and challenges of creating one online learning program for the State and to report to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs by January 4, 2012. ...amendment strikes and replaces the bill to provide several provisions that allow nonresident students to enroll in a school administrative unit's online learning program, with the school administrative unit in which the student resides providing the student's tuition payment to the enrolling school administrative unit for the online program. The amendment accomplishes the following. 1. It expands the eligibility provisions to permit a student to enroll in an online learning program or course that is offered by a school in a school administrative unit, a private school approved for tuition purposes that enrolls at least 60% publicly funded students or an online learning provider approved by the Department of Education and provides that a school administrative unit must pay for an online course that meets the content area requirements of the system of learning results when the school administrative unit does not offer the course or the student cannot take the course for certain reasons. These eligibility and course offering provisions are repealed July 1, 2015. 2. It establishes a 3‑year pilot project, including eligibility provisions, for enrolling students in full-time online learning programs, beginning in the 2012-2013 school year and ending in the 2014-2015 school year. The pilot project provisions are repealed July 1, 2015. 3. It establishes provisions pertaining to online learning programs and online course offerings that a school administrative unit may offer to students who reside in the school administrative unit and to students who reside, and whose parents reside, outside of the school administrative unit or outside of the State. These provisions are repealed July 1, 2015. 4. It provides that school administrative units must provide at least $5,000 in funding for students who meet the eligibility requirements to enroll in online courses and authorizes a school administrative unit to provide more than $5,000 in funding when the superintendent provides permission for an eligible student to enroll in an online course. The funding provisions are repealed July 1, 2015. 5. It directs the Department of Education to provide information on online learning programs and courses offered by eligible providers on the department’s publicly accessible website. This provision is repealed July 1, 2015. 6. It directs the Department of Education to create a working group to study the opportunities in and challenges of creating one online learning program for the State and to report to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs by January 4, 2012. 7. It requires the Department of Education to evaluate the multidistrict online learning programs that enroll students in one or more online courses, as well as the pilot project that enrolled full-time students, and to report the results of the evaluation to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters, which may submit a bill to the Legislature.
Committee Report: Feb 7, 2012, Ought to Pass as Amended
LD 958: Resolve, To Direct the Department of Education To Review the Essential Programs and Services Model, Rep Johnson
...directs the Department of Education to have an independent agency not previously involved with the essential programs and services funding formula review the essential programs and services model to analyze the impact of its implementation on children from economically disadvantaged areas, the funding shifts experienced by small rural schools and the result of the regional salary adjustment variable and the economically disadvantaged student variable on the equity of the distribution of state aid to municipalities for education and to provide a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs by December 1, 2011. The joint standing committee is authorized to submit a bill relating to the report to the Second Regular Session of the 125th Legislature. ...amendment replaces the resolve with a resolve that directs the Department of Education to enter into a contract for an independent review of the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act through a request for proposal process that awards a contract to a qualified research entity. The Department of Education is required to provide a report of the results of the independent review to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education and cultural affairs by January 31, 2013. The joint standing committee is authorized to submit a bill relating to the report to the First Regular Session of the 126th Legislature. The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section.
Work session: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 1:00 PM,Room 202, Cross Building
LD 980: An Act To Prohibit Cyberbullying in Public Schools, Representative Donald Pilon
...Current law requires each school board to adopt a policy that addresses injurious hazing. This bill repeals the injurious hazing law and enacts provisions requiring school boards to adopt policies prohibiting offensive student or organizational behavior, including injurious hazing, harassment, bullying and cyberbullying. It requires the school board to include in the policy a procedure for reporting the offensive behavior to the authorities. The bill also makes harassment by cyberbullying a civil violation.
Committee Report: Jan 25, 2012, Ought Not to Pass
LD 1003: An Act To Assist Maine Schools To Obtain Federal Funds for Medically Necessary Services, Rep. Edgecomb
... concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill proposes to increase school administrative units' access to federal Medicaid funding for medically necessary services provided by those school administrative units to special education students for whom those services are required under an individualized education plan adopted for the student and as part of a free and appropriate public education.
Work session: Wednesday, February 1, 2012 9:00 AM,Room 202, Cross Building
LD 1237: An Act To Prohibit Bullying in Schools, Representative Terry Morrison
...requires each school administrative unit to adopt, by August 15, 2012, a harassment, intimidation and bullying prevention policy based upon a model policy developed by the Commissioner of Education in conjunction with an advisory committee composed of representatives of parents, guardians, teachers, school employees, volunteers, students, administrators, community representatives, the Maine School Superintendents Association, the Maine Principals' Association and other interested parties. Harassment, intimidation and bullying prevention policies must be posted on the publicly accessible portions of the Department of Education's website and the respective school administrative unit's website.
...amendment is the majority report of the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. It replaces the bill, which requires the Commissioner of Education to develop a model harassment, intimidation and bullying prevention policy and school administrative units to adopt a policy based on the model by August 15, 2012. The amendment defines "bullying" and "cyberbullying." It requires each school administrative unit to adopt a policy to address bullying, which must include an emphasis on consequences that include alternative discipline. It specifies responsibilities for reporting incidents of bullying and for implementing and enforcing the law and policies adopted by a school board.
Latest Committee Action: VOTED, Jan 24, 2012, Ought to Pass as Amended
LD 1316: An Act To Expand Magnet Schools in Maine, Representative Stephen Lovejoy
Concept draft ...proposes to give school districts across the State authority to create magnet schools, either within their communities or in partnerships with other districts. Magnet schools that are created under this bill will be eligible for state funds under the essential programs and services funding formula.
Committee Report: Jan 10, 2012, Ought Not to Pass
LD 1422: An Act To Prepare Maine People for the Future Economy, Senator Brian Langley
...1. Establishes an education policy, core priorities for the State's education system, education system goals, benchmarks and intervention strategies; 2. Requires the development of a strategic plan to achieve the goals within the policy framework; 3. Requires that the state budget document present proposed expenditures on early childhood development, public education, adult education, higher education and workforce development in a manner that facilitates evaluation by the Legislature of whether funds are being appropriated and allocated in a manner that best accords with the established policy framework, advances the established goals and implements the strategic plan; 4. Requires that the Commissioner of Education adopt rules prescribing a uniform process for kindergarten screening in a manner that facilitates reliable and consistent measurement of statewide kindergarten readiness; 5. Requires school administrative units to award high school diplomas based on standards established by rule; and 6. Requires that, beginning with the class of 2015, students graduating from high schools demonstrate proficiency in the content areas of English language arts, mathematics, science and technology, social studies and health, physical education and wellness. Beginning with the class of 2018, students graduating from high schools must demonstrate proficiency in the content areas of career and education development; English language arts; world languages; health, physical education and wellness; mathematics; science and technology; social studies; and visual and performing arts.
Latest Committee Action: VOTED, Jan 24, 2012, Ought to Pass as Amended
LD 1437: An Act To Implement Recommendations on Reinventing Government, Senator Richard Woodbury
...oncept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill proposes to establish a process by which more profound changes in governance and public policy in Maine can be advanced and implemented. It is intended to accomplish the more fundamental system reforms that elude the traditional legislative process. [REFERRED to the Committee on LABOR, COMMERCE, RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT]
Latest Committee Action:VOTED, Feb 9, 2012, Ought to Pass as Amended
LD 1503: An Act To Promote School Attendance and Increase School Achievement, Senator Alfond
...implements the recommendations of the stakeholder group established by the Commissioner of Education pursuant to Public Law 2009, chapter 626. The charge provided to the stakeholder group was to develop methodologies and recommendations relating to increasing high school graduation rates and to address other policy issues pertaining to school expulsion, suspension, zero-tolerance practices and truancy in the State. The bill accomplishes the following. 1. It requires the Department of Education to obtain more accurate and complete data in calculating high school graduation rates. In addition to calculating the 4year adjusted cohort graduation rate required by the Federal Government, the department is required to collect and record graduation rates for a 5year cohort and a 6year cohort and also use other descriptors of academic success for school-age students on a statewide aggregate basis, including the Department of Education diploma, high school equivalency diploma obtained through adult education and the general equivalency diploma. 2. It changes the law regarding compulsory school age by reducing the age when a child must start school from 7 to 6 years of age and by increasing the age threshold under which a child who has not attained high school graduation or equivalency is expected to attend secondary school from 17 to 20 years of age. The bill also amends the exceptions to the compulsory school age requirements. 3. It amends the truancy laws by striking all references to "habitual" truancy. It changes the provisions for determining truancy and removes the requirement that local law enforcement be notified of a truant student. It describes response to intervention teams for schools and their duties, including assessing situations of student truancy and developing and helping implement intervention plans for truant students. 4. It clarifies provisions pertaining to the qualifications and role of school attendance coordinators and requires superintendents to appoint attendance coordinators. In current law, school attendance coordinators are elected. It establishes that the salary costs of attendance coordinators are eligible for state subsidy under the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act. 5. It directs school boards to review policies and procedures established for the code of conduct and school discipline, including provisions that encourage school boards to focus the code of conduct on positive intervention and expectations rather than unacceptable student behavior and to focus school disciplinary policies on evidence based positive and restorative interventions rather than set punishments for specific behavior. The bill also requires that schools provide notice to parents or legal guardians of a student's suspension regardless of whether it is an in school or out of school suspension and discourages the use of zero-tolerance practices in school discipline. 6. It establishes due process standards for school expulsion proceedings to inform students and their parents or legal guardians of the procedural steps involved in and of their legal rights prior to, during and following the due process hearing and provide an explanation of the consequences of expulsion. 7. It amends the laws regarding school expulsion to require that all students who have been expelled from school must be provided with a written reentry plan, developed by the superintendent in consultation with the student and the student's parents or legal guardian, that provides guidance to the expelled student regarding what the student must do to establish satisfactory evidence that the behavior that resulted in the expulsion will not likely recur. 8. It further amends the laws regarding school expulsion to authorize school boards to provide educational services to an expelled student in an alternative setting. 9. The bill also provides for an ongoing appropriation of funds to the Department of Education to disburse to school administrative units that request funding for providing appropriate interventions to students who are at risk of becoming truants or dropouts due to an expulsion from school or who struggle with mental health and substance abuse issues. ...amendment makes the following changes to the bill. 1. It strikes the definition of "response to intervention team" and all uses of the term from the bill and replaces it with references to a student assistance team or the school personnel designated by the superintendent in accordance with the system of intervention established by the school administrative unit in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20‑A, section 4710. 2. It amends the due process standards proposed for school expulsion proceedings by removing the provisions pertaining to a student's right to appeal the decision of the school board to the Superior Court within 30 days. 3. It amends the provision that requires a reentry plan to be developed for a student who has been expelled by a school board by providing that: A. The reentry plan may require the student to take reasonable measures determined by the superintendent to be helpful to establish the student's readiness to return to school; B. The expelled student's parents or guardian are responsible for the cost of any professional services necessary to establish the student's readiness to return to school under the reentry plan; and C. For a child with a disability who is expelled by a school board, the superintendent may, as necessary, provide the reentry plan to the student's individualized education program team. 4. It strikes the provision that requires a school board to use suspensions and expulsions only as a last resort when taking disciplinary action against a student who has violated the school administrative unit's student code of conduct. 5. It amends the changes to the compulsory school age statutes by reducing the age threshold under which a child who has not attained high school graduation or equivalency is expected to attend secondary school from 20 to 18 years of age. The amendment also makes technical changes to clarify the exceptions to the compulsory school age requirements. 6. It strikes the proposed changes to the truancy laws that would have counted excused absences, as well as unexcused absences, towards the number of days of absences that would determine when a student is truant. 7. It strikes procedural provisions proposed in the bill and makes technical changes to clarify the role of superintendents, principals, attendance coordinators and the student assistance team or other systems of intervention established by the school administrative unit pertaining to assessing situations of student truancy and developing and implementing intervention plans for truant students. 8. It strikes the provisions in the bill pertaining to the qualifications of school attendance coordinators and the provisions that propose to establish that the salary costs of attendance coordinators are eligible for state subsidy under the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act.
Committee Report: Feb 14, 2012, Ought to Pass as Amended
LD 1592: An Act To Update the Laws Concerning the Maine School of Science and Mathematics, Representative Bernard Ayotte
...updates the laws concerning the Maine School of Science and Mathematics to change the designation of the school from a chartered school to a magnet school and changes the title of "superintendent" of the school to "executive director" to avoid confusion with other statutory terms.
ENACTED, Feb 9, 2012
LD 1645: An Act To Require the Maine Community College System, the University of Maine System and the Maine Maritime Academy To Report the Number of Students Enrolled in Remedial Courses, Senator Alfond
...requires the Maine Community College System, the University of Maine System and the Maine Maritime Academy to report annually on the number of traditional students who attended high school in the State and who are enrolled in remedial courses at each campus within their respective systems.
Latest Committee Action: VOTED, Feb 15, 2012, Ant. Div. Rep.
LD 1668: An Act To Improve the Regional School Unit Budget Approval and Validation Process, Senator Snowe-Mello
... changes the form of the question for a regional school unit budget validation referendum. It also provides that if a budget for the operation of a regional school unit is not approved prior to July 1st, the latest budget approved at a budget validation referendum is automatically considered the budget for operational expenses for the ensuing year until a final budget is approved.
Latest Committee Action: VOTED, Feb 2, 2012, Ought Not to Pass
LD 1696: An Act To Modify the Alternative Organizational Structure Budget Approval Process, Rep Burns
...allows the budget of an alternative organizational structure formed pursuant to the laws governing the consolidation of school units to be approved by the governing body of the alternative organizational structure rather than at a meeting of the voters of all of the member entities of the alternative organizational structure if such a budget approval process is approved by the governing body of the alternative organizational structure and at a referendum by the voters of all of the member entities of the alternative organizational structure.
Committee Report: Feb 8, 2012, Ought to Pass
LD 1723: Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Chapter 122: Grant Application and Award Procedure: Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services, a Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Education, Rep Richardson
... provides for legislative review of Chapter 122: Grant Application and Award Procedure: Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services, a major substantive rule of the Department of Education.
Committee Report: Feb 15, 2012, Ought to Pass
LD 1724: Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 101: Maine Unified Special Education Regulation Birth to Age Twenty, a Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Education, Rep Richardson
...provides for legislative review of portions of Chapter 101: Maine Unified Special Education Regulation Birth to Age Twenty, a major substantive rule of the Department of Education.
Latest Committee Action: VOTED, Feb 1, 2012, Ought to Pass as Amended
LD 1742: An Act To Amend Education Laws, Rep Richardson
...Part A amends and clarifies audit requirements in order for the State and school administrative units to be in compliance with federal regulations. Part A also enacts statutory language requiring the audit of state-funded school construction projects and repeals language that is no longer necessary. Part B requires that the regional school unit budget meeting occur within 30 days after the failure of the budget validation referendum. Part C repeals the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, chapter 109, which establishes the union school governance structure, and fixes cross-references to that chapter. There are no longer any school administrative units using this governance structure. It also repeals statutory language that applies to school construction projects approved prior to July 1, 1985 and clarifies statutory language that applies to current school construction projects. Part D revises school construction language to be in compliance with the current funding requirements. Part E clarifies the treatment of foreign exchange students and students who do not reside in the State for the purposes of counting students for state subsidy. Part F repeals the addition of targeted funds to the elementary tuition rate for students who are residents of the unorganized territory to be consistent with the repeal of the addition of targeted funds to the secondary tuition rate by Public Law 2009, chapter 213. Part G refines state requirements for summer school tuition rates for the first year of operation. Part H reinstates the statutory requirement for school administrative units to operate education programs for gifted and talented students. It repeals outdated language related to funding and clarifies that approved gifted and talented education program costs are subsidizable costs under the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act. Part I corrects a reference in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 7001, subsection 2-C from Part C of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 United States Code, Section 1414(d)(1)(B) to Part B.
Latest Committee Action: VOTED, Feb 13, 2012, Ant. Div. Rep
LD 1762 An Act To Amend and Clarify the Public Charter School Law, Senator Mason
...amends the law authorizing creation of public charter schools. The bill makes the following changes with regard to authorizers of public charter schools. It allows the Commissioner of Education to suspend an authorizer's authority to enter into new charter contracts if the commissioner finds that the authorizer is deficient in performing its functions. It clarifies the functioning of local school boards that join together to form a regional charter school. It clarifies membership and operations of the State Charter School Commission, including specifying that members who are appointed because of their membership on the State Board of Education continue to serve on the commission only as long as they are members of the State Board of Education. It provides that the transitional 10-school limit on public charter schools in current law applies only to schools approved by the commission. It requires a public charter school authorizer to give a public charter school written notice of deficiencies in the school and to provide written notice of the authorizer's charter revocation procedures and criteria. The bill makes the following changes with regard to public charter schools. It provides that governing boards of public charter schools are subject to the same conflict of interest provisions as noncharter public school boards. It clarifies when public charter schools take over responsibility for special education services for a student transferring from a noncharter public school and clarifies special education funding. The bill changes the law regarding payment of special education funds to a public charter school authorized by a local school board by requiring that the payments be made to the local school board, not to the public charter school. The bill ensures that a public charter school student has the same access to career and technical education programs as students in the noncharter public school in the student's resident school administrative unit. Under current laws, if a school administrative unit fails to make payment to a public charter school, the Treasurer of State is directed to withhold payments to that school administrative unit. This bill provides that the Treasurer of State may withhold those funds from the municipalities that are members of the school administrative unit. Finally, the bill provides that public charter schools have access to high-risk pools and emergency funds operated by the State or by the school's authorizer, but do not have access to local high-risk or emergency funds.
Work session: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 2:00 PM,Room 202, Cross Building
LD 1766: Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 61: Rules for Major Capital School Construction Projects, a Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Education and the State Board of Education, Rep. Richardson
...provides for legislative review of portions of Chapter 61: Rules for Major Capital School Construction Projects, a major substantive rule of the Department of Education and the State Board of Education.
Work session: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 1:00 PM,Room 202, Cross Building
LD 1770: An Act To Encourage Parental Involvement in Education, Senator Alfond
... requires school administrative units and public charter schools, in consultation with parents, teachers and administrators, to develop a parental involvement plan that promotes student achievement. Each school board and governing board is required to annually approve a parental involvement plan for the school administrative unit and the public charter school and to submit the plan to the Commissioner of Education. The bill also requires the Commissioner of Education to post on the Department of Education's publicly accessible website the names of all schools and public charter schools that do not develop a parental involvement plan.
Work session: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 1:00 PM,Room 202, Cross Building
LD 1772: An Act To Enforce Prompt Payment to Career and Technical Education Regions, Rep Gifford
...enforces prompt payment from school administrative units to career and technical education regions. This bill establishes a process, similar to the process established in statute for school administrative unit assessments and regional school unit assessments, that authorizes the imposition of interest on unpaid installments of the amounts owed by school administrative units for their shares of the applicable career and technical education region assessment.
Committee Report: Feb 2, 2012, Ought to Pass
LD 1775: Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 115: Certification, Authorization and Approval of Education Personnel, Parts I and II, a Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Education and the State Board of Education, Rep Richardson
...provides for legislative review of portions of Chapter 115: Certification, Authorization and Approval of Education Personnel, Parts I and II, a major substantive rule of the Department of Education and the State Board of Education.
Latest Committee Action: VOTED, Feb 9, 2012, Ought to Pass as Amended
LD 1781: An Act To Restructure the National Board Certification Program for Teachers, Senator Alfond
... restructures the incentive established for teachers who attain certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The bill provides that, beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, the payment of the $3,000 annual salary supplement awarded to national board-certified teachers must be provided with funds from the Department of Education and the state subsidy allocated to the school administrative unit that employs the teacher. The bill also establishes an incentive to encourage teachers to apply for national board certification. The bill provides that, beginning with school year 2012-2013, up to 10% of the per-pupil amount for professional development allocated to a school administrative unit must be awarded to provide payment of the application fees for teachers employed by the school administrative unit who apply for national board certification during the year of allocation. If a school administrative unit fails to use the full 10% of the per-pupil amount to pay for application fees, the Commissioner of Education may withhold from the next year's allocation the unused amount.
Public hearing: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 1:00 PM,Room 202 Cross Building
LD 1782: Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 101: Maine Unified Special Education Regulation Birth to Age Twenty, Including Certain Sections and the Appendix, a Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Education, Rep Richardson
...provides for legislative review of portions of Chapter 101: Maine Unified Special Education Regulation Birth to Age Twenty, Including Certain Sections and the Appendix, a major substantive rule of the Department of Education.
Committee Report: Feb 2, 2012, Ought Not to Pass
LD 1783: Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Chapter 140: Public Charter Schools, a Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Education, Rep Richardson
...provides for legislative review of Chapter 140: Public Charter Schools, a major substantive rule of the Department of Education.
Work session: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 2:00 PM,Room 202, Cross Building
LD 1788: Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 64: Maine School Facilities Program and School Revolving Renovation Fund, a Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Education and the Maine Municipal Bond Bank, Rep. Richardson
...provides for legislative review of portions of Chapter 64: Maine School Facilities Program and School Revolving Renovation Fund, a major substantive rule of the Department of Education and the Maine Municipal Bond Bank.
Latest Committee Action:VOTED, Feb 16, 2012, Ant. Div. Rep.
