Source: http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_125th/billtexts/HP001001.asp
Timestamp: 2018-06-18 11:35:50
Document Index: 378930310

Matched Legal Cases: ['§4801', '§1', '§1', '§5001', '§3', '§1', '§15689', '§5', '§60', '§72', '§18']

HP0010, LD 18, item 1, An Act To Extend the School Year
LD 18 First Regular Session - 125th Maine Legislature
An Act To Extend the School Year
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §4801, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2009, c. 87, §1, is further amended to read:
1. Number. A school administrative unit shall make provision for the maintenance of all of its schools for at least 180 185 days a year. At least 175 177 days shall must be used for instruction. In meeting the requirement of a 180-day 185-day school year, no more than 5 8 days may be used for in-service education of teachers, administrative meetings, parent-teacher conferences, records' days and similar activities. A day when students are released early may not be used as one of the 8 in-service days.
A. The commissioner may reduce or waive the minimum number of days required on application from a school board. The commissioner may authorize an equivalent number of hours to be substituted for days for a limited time period upon application from a school board. The application must be supported in writing with a statement of the reasons for the request.
B. Notwithstanding any other section of the statutes, school committees, with the approval of the commissioner, may adopt or amend rules necessary to implement an extended school year at the local level. The commissioner may make appropriate adjustments, not to exceed the allowable subsidy, to insure fair and equitable treatment in the distribution of state aid.
C. Notwithstanding this subsection, the commissioner shall promulgate a rule to provide that local school units may allow secondary school students to graduate up to 5 school days prior to the regular end of the school year.
D. A school administrative unit, operating under a plan approved by the commissioner, may provide for the use of up to 5 of the 175 177 instructional days required by this section to be used for screening incoming first year students for the purpose of identifying children with disabilities and students at risk of school failure as required by state or federal law.
E. Notwithstanding this subsection and any other provision of law, for school years 1991-92 and 1992-93, a school administrative unit may reduce the number of days for the maintenance of all its schools by 5 days a year. A school administrative unit that decides to reduce the number of school days for school year 1991-92 or 1992-93, or both, shall notify the commissioner in writing of its plan.
Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §5001-A, sub-§3, ¶A, as amended by PL 2007, c. 111, §1, is further amended to read:
(iv) A statement of assurance that indicates the home instruction program will provide at least 175 177 days annually of instruction and will provide instruction in the following subject areas: English and language arts, math, science, social studies, physical education, health education, library skills, fine arts and, in at least one grade from grade 6 to 12, Maine studies. At one grade level from grade 7 to 12, the student will demonstrate proficiency in the use of computers; and
Sec. 3. 20-A MRSA §15689, sub-§5, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 2, Pt. D, §60 and affected by §§72 and 74 and c. 12, Pt. WW, §18, is amended to read:
B. The rate of reimbursement per student may not exceed the state average tuition rates in effect during the year of placement as computed under sections 5804 and 5805. The tuition rates must be computed based on the state average secondary tuition rate and may be adjusted if the program is approved to operate beyond the 180-day 185-day school year.
This bill extends the school year from 180 days to 185 days a year.