Resolve, Directing the Department of Education To Conduct a Fiscal Analysis of State Requirements That School Administrative Units Implement Local Assessment Systems
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 0784
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: GOLDMAN, TURNER, CAIN, FINCH, NORTON, STEDMAN, MITCHELL

Legislative Document 
No. 784 
H.P.561 
House of Representatives, February 15,2005 
Resolve, Directing the Department of Education To Conduct a 
Fiscal Analysis of State Requirements That School Administrative 
Units Implement Local Assessment Systems 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative GOLDMAN of Cape Elizabeth. 
Cosponsored by Senator TURNER of Cumberland and 
'71/~ /J7.11!dC~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: CAIN of Orono, FINCH of Fairfield, NORTON of Bangor, STEDMAN of 
Hartland, Senator: MITCHELL of Kennebec. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Sec. 1. Fiscal analysis of school administrative unit implementation of 
local 
assessment systems. 
Resolved: 
That 
the 
Department 
of 
Education 
shall 
conduct 
a 
fiscal 
analysis 
of 
the 
state 
requirement that the school board of each school administrative 
uni t must adopt and implement a local assessment system as the 
measure 
of 
student 
progress 
on 
achievement 
of 
the 
content 
standards of the system of learning results. 
The fiscal analysis 
must 
include 
the 
fiscal 
impact 
of 
the 
following 
state 
requirements: 
1. 
The Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 6202-A 
requirements, 
including 
the 
provision 
that 
each 
school 
administrative unit must have adopted and fully implemented its 
local assessment system by the end of the 2003-2004 school year; 
2. 
The 
Department 
of 
Education 
Rule 
Chapter 
requirements, 
including 
the 
provision 
that 
each 
school 
administrative 
unit must 
participate 
in 
the 
Maine 
Education 
Assessment in grades 4, 8 and 11 and the requirement that each 
school administrative unit's local assessment system must meet 
technical requirements, 
including the requirements of validity 
and reliability; 
3. 
Title 20-A, 
section 4502, 
subsection 1 
requirements, 
including the provision that each school administrative unit must 
have prepared and implemented a comprehensive education plan that 
is aligned with the system of learning results and that addresses 
all plans required by the Department of Education; and 
4. 
The 
Department 
of 
Education 
Rule 
Chapter 
requirements, 
including 
the 
provision 
that 
each 
school 
administrative unit must 
adopt 
and 
implement 
a 
comprehensive 
education plan, 
that each superintendent must convene 
a 
team 
including at least one teacher, one administrator, one citizen, 
one 
school board member 
and, 
as appropriate, 
one 
student to 
develop the comprehensive education plan and that the unit's 
comprehensive education plan must address all plans required by 
the department to meet state and federal req'uirements; and be it 
further 
Sec. 2. 
Investigation. 
Resolved: 
That 
the 
Department 
of 
Education 
shall 
collect 
financial 
data 
from 
each 
school 
administrative unit that specifies the total fiscal impact of 
implementing 
the 
requirements 
described 
in 
section 
1. 
The 
financial data collected from each school administrative unit 
must also be disaggregated in such a manner that the source of 
funding for implementing these requirements is reported for the 
following funding sources: 
s tate general funds, 
local general 
funds, federal funds and other sources of funds; and be it further 
Page l-LR0677(1) 
Sec. 3. Report. Resolved: 
That, 
no later than December 2, 
2005, the Department of Education shall submit a report based on 
its findings 
under 
sections 
and 
to 
the Joint Standing 
Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. 
The Joint Standing 
Committee 
on 
Education 
and 
Cultural 
Affairs 
may 
introduce 
legislation based upon the Department of Education report to the 
SUMMARY 
This resolve directs the Department of Education to conduct 
a 
fiscal analysis of 
the state requirement that each school 
administrative unit must adopt and implement a local assessment 
system. 
The Department of Education is required to submit its 
report to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural 
Affairs by December 2, 2005.