Resolve, To Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Study the Scope and Quality of Citizenship Education
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1915
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs

Legislative Document 
No. 1915 
H.P.1417 
House of Representatives, March 9, 2004 
Resolve, To Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To 
Study the Scope and Quality of Citizenship Education 
Reported by Representative CUMMINGS of Portland for the Commission to Study the 
Scope and Quality of Citizenship Education pursuant to Resolve 2003, chapter 85, section 8 
and chapter 101, section 3. 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed under Joint Rule 218. 
Printed on recycled paper 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
PART A 
Sec. A-I. Considering citizenship education during review of system 
of learning results. Resolved: 
That the Department of Education 
shall consider the recommendations of the Commission to Study the 
Scope 
and 
Quality 
of 
Citizenship 
Education, 
established 
in 
Resolve 2003, chapter 85, related to implications for the system 
of learning results 
when 
the department 
reviews 
the guiding 
principles, the performance standards and the content indicators 
of the system of learning results beginning during the 2003-2004 
school year in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 
20-A, section 6209, sUbsection 4; and be it further 
Sec. A-2. Statewide public forums for youth. Resolved: 
That the 
Legislative Youth Advisory Council shall conduct a 
series of 
statewide public forums on issues important to youth and invite 
Legislators from the various regions of the State to participate 
in these public forums. 
The Legislative Youth Advisory Council 
shall submit a report including its findings and recommendations 
no 
later than January 
15, 
2005 
to the 
Governor, 
the 
joint 
standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
education matters, the Judicial Department and the Task Force on 
Citizenship Education established in Part B, section 1. 
PART B 
Sec. B-1. 
Task Force on 
Citizenship Education established. 
Resolved: That the Department of Education and the State Board of 
Education shall jointly establish and provide support for the 
Task Force on Citizenship Education, referred to in this resolve 
as 
"the 
task 
force." 
The 
task 
force 
shall 
address 
the 
recommendations of the Commission to Study the Quality and Scope 
of 
Citizenship 
Education, 
which 
was 
established pursuant 
to 
Resolve 2003, 
chapter 85, 
including, but not limited to, 
the 
following components: 
1. 
Developing recommendations to assist the Department of 
Education 
in 
its 
review 
of 
the 
guiding 
principles, 
the 
performance standards and the content indicators of the system of 
learning results, beginning with the 2003-2004 school year; 
2. 
Engaging state and local educational agency officials, 
educators, 
college officials, 
researchers, 
policy makers 
and 
other key stakeholders in an effort to research, produce and 
disseminate a resource guide to effective citizenship education 
in the State; 
Page l-LR2688(1) 
3. 
Examining the content of pre service 
State 
related 
to 
citizenship 
education 
and 
implications for teacher certification; 
education in 
considering 
this 
any 
4. 
Developing a plan for the creation of a civic education 
and citizenship engagement index to track data on civic skills, 
attitudes and behaviors of youth in this State. 
The task force 
shall review the North Carolina Civic Index and other measures of 
citizenship engagement and coordinate the development of an index 
in this State that builds upon the work begun by the Muskie 
School of Public Service in establishing Maine Marks: 
Social 
Indicators of Child, 
Family and Community Well-being and the 
Maine Economic Growth Council; 
5. 
Examining in-service professional development programs 
for educators in this State and identifying ways to infuse civic 
skills, attitudes and behaviors into curricular and cocurricular 
programs for students in this State; and 
6. 
Examining 
national 
voter 
education 
and 
voter 
registration models and making recommendations to the Secretary 
of 
State 
on 
ways 
to 
promote 
voter 
education 
and 
voter 
registration efforts for students in our secondary schools across 
the State; and be it further 
Sec. B-2. Report; legislation. Resolved: 
That the task force 
shall submit an interim status report including any preliminary 
findings and recommendations to the joint standing committee of 
the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters, to 
the Commissioner of Education and to the State Board of Education 
no later than January 15, 2005. 
The task force shall submit its final report, 
including 
findings, recommendations and suggested legislation, to the joint 
standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
education matters, the Commissioner of Education and the Chair of 
the State Board of Education no later than December 5, 2005. 
The 
joint standing committee of 
over education matters has 
based on the report to the 
Legislature. 
the Legislature having jurisdiction 
authority to report out legislation 
SUMMARY 
This resolve proposes to implement the recommendations of 
the Commission to Study the Scope and Quality of Citizenship 
Education. 
The resolve includes the following recommendations of 
the commission: 
1. 
That the Department of Education shall consider the 
recommendations of the Commission to Study the Scope and Quality 
of Citizenship Education related to implications for the system 
of learning results when it reviews the guiding principles, the 
performance standards and the content indicators of the system of 
learning results, beginning with the 2003-2004 school year; 
2. 
As part of the effort recommended by the Commission to 
Study the Scope and Quality of Citizenship Education to foster a 
statewide 
dialogue 
regarding 
C1V1C 
education 
and 
citizenship 
engagement, that the Legislative Youth Advisory Council shall 
conduct a series of statewide public forums on issues important 
to youth and invite Legislators from the various regions of the 
State to these public forums. 
The Legislative Youth Advisory 
Council shall report its findings and any conclusions to the 
Governor, the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over education matters, the Judicial Department and 
the Task Force on Citizenship Education; and 
3. 
That the Department of Education and the State Board of 
Education jointly shall convene the Task Force on Citizenship 
Education to address the recommendations of the Commission to 
Study the Scope and Quality of Citizenship Education.