Resolve, To Prepare Students for Success in the Twenty-first Century March 1, 2007
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 0947
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: ROTUNDO, BOWMAN, MAKAS, TURNER, WAGNER

Legislative Document 
No. 947 
S.P.298 
Resolve, To Prepare Students for Success in the Twenty-first 
Century 
March 1, 2007 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin. 
JOY 1. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Cosponsored by Senator BOWMAN of York, Representative MAKAS of Lewiston and 
Senator: TURNER of Cumberland, Representatives: eRA VEN of Lewiston, WAGNER of 
Lewiston. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Sec. 1. Bipartisan School Redistricting Panel established. Resolved: That 
the Bipartisan School Redistricting Panel, referred to in this section as "the panel," IS 
established. The membership and duties of the panel consist of the following. 
1. The panel consists of 11 members appointed as follows: 
A. One registered member of the political party holding the largest number of seats 
in the Legislature, appointed by the Governor; 
B. 
One registered member of the political party holding the 2nd largest number of 
seats in the Legislature, appointed by the Governor; 
C. One registered member of the political party holding the largest number of seats 
in the Legislature, appointed by the President of the Senate; 
D. One registered member of the political party holding the 2nd largest number of 
seats in the Legislature, appointed by the President of the Senate; 
E. One registered member of the political party holding the largest number of seats 
in the Legislature, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; 
F. 
One registered member of the political party holding the 2nd largest number of 
seats in the Legislature, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; 
G. One member of the State Board of Education, appointed by the Chair of the State 
Board of Education; 
H. One member representing the Maine Municipal Association; 
I. Two members of the Maine School Management Association; and 
J. One Maine Teacher of the Year, appointed by the Maine Education Association. 
2. 
The first-named registered member of the political party holding the largest 
number of seats in the Legislature and the first-named registered member of the political 
party holding the 2nd largest number of seats in the Legislature are the chairs of the 
panel. 
3. All appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date 
of this resolve. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the 
Legislative Council once all appointments have been completed. Within 15 days after 
appointment of all members, the chairs of the panel shall call and convene the first 
meeting of the panel. 
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4. The panel shall redraw the boundaries of the State's school administrative units so 
that each unit serves between 3,000 and 4,000 students while keeping intact schoo! 
administrative units that currently serve at least 3.000 students and giving priority to 
retaining community integrity, CUiTent school administrativc unit integrity and 
transportation issues. 
5. The Legislative Council shall provide necessary staffing services to the panel. 
6. A legislative member of the panel is entitled to receive the legislative per diem, as 
defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 3, section 2, and reimburscment for travel 
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and other necessary expenses related to the member's attendance at authorized meetings 
of the panel. Public members not otherwise compensated by their employers or other 
entities that they represent are entitled to receive reimbursement of necessary expenses 
and, upon a demonstration of financial hardship, a per diem equal to the legislative per 
diem for their attendance at authorized meetings of the panel. 
7. No later than December 5, 2007, the panel shall submit a report that includes its 
findings and recommendations, including suggested legislation, to the Joint Standing 
Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. The panel is authorized to introduce 
legislation related to its report to the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature at 
the time of submission of its report. The Legislature intends that the school redistricting 
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plan submitted to it by the panel pursuant to this section become law in substantively the 
same form as it is submitted. 
8. If the panel requires a limited extension oftime to complete its study and make its 
report, it may apply to the Legislative Council, which may grant an extension. 
9. The chairs of the panel, with assistance from the panel staff, shall administer the 
panel's budget. Within 10 days after its first meeting, the panel shall present a work plan 
and proposed budget to the Legislative Council for its approval. The panel may not incur 
expenses that would result in the panel's exceeding its approved budget. Upon request 
from the panel, the Executive Director of the Legislative Council shall promptly provide 
the panel chairs and staff with a status report on the panel budget, expenditures incurred 
and paid and available funds; and be it further 
Sec. 2. Department of Education to create student investment account 
program. Resolved: 
That the Department of Education shall develop a student 
investment account program, referred to in this section as "the program," for safe and 
cost-effective investment accounts for students in the State. Under the program, the 
department shall establish an investment account upon the birth of every child in the State 
and shall provide an initial investment of $200 in each account. Proceeds of accounts 
created under the program are payable to residents of the State for postsecondary 
education undertaken at institutions of higher learning located in the State. 
The 
Department of Education shall submit the program in the form of legislation to the 
it further 
Sec. 3. 
Department of Education to create postsecondary tuition 
assistance program. Resolved: That the Department of Education shall develop a 
postsecondary tuition assistance program, referred to in this section as "the program," that 
provides a graduate of an approved secondary school in the State who is admitted to a 
postsecondary institution in the State that offers an associate degree or bachelor's degree 
with an amount equaling 50% of the tuition for 2 years of the average tuition of the 
Maine Community College System if the graduate demonstrates financial need. The 
department shall establish criteria to demonstrate financial need for purposes of this 
section. The program must provide that a graduate under the program who elects to 
pursue teacher certification and commits to teaching in the State for 3 years after 
graduation is eligible to receive an additional amount equaling 50% of the average tuition 
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of the Maine Community College System for the graduate's junior and senior year at the 
postsecondary institution in the State. The program may also include other forms of 
financial aid. The Department of Education shall submit the program in the form of 
legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature no later than 
. December 5,2007; and be it further 
Sec. 4. Department of Education and University of Maine System to offer 
leadership training institutes. Resolved: That the Department of Education and 
the University of Maine System shall jointly offer leadership training institutes for 
teachers and school administrators in the State. The institutes must focus on the skills of 
change agency and strategic planning and the necessary background in organizational, 
human resource and financial management to meet the challenges of the future. The 
teachers and administrators shall attend institutes in groups called cohorts. A cohort 
under this section must gather for a week in each of 2 succeeding summers to perform 
follow-up work on real leadership issues facing schools in Maine. The Department of 
Education shall adopt rules that require a school administrator to participate in an institute 
created under this section every 5 years as a condition of recertification under the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, chapter 502; and be it further 
Sec. 5. School administrative unit plan for targeted funds to include 
wireless devices for students. Resolved: That a school administrative unit plan for 
targeted funds pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15671, 
subsection 7 must provide that each student from 9th grade to 12th grade in that school 
administrative unit receives an individual wireless device that the student may take home 
every day and have for use during a summer vacation; and be it further 
Sec. 6. 
Rules. Resolved: That the Department of Education may adopt rules to 
carry out the purposes of this resolve. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are major 
substantive rules pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 
2-A. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve: 
1. Creates the Bipartisan School Redistricting Panel to redraw school administrative 
units to eliminate all units that serve under 3,000 students; 
2. 
Directs the Department of Education to create a ·student investment account 
program that creates investment accounts for each child born in the State for use by 
residents for postsecondary education at institutions of higher learning located in the State 
and endows each account with $200; 
3. Directs the Department of Education to create a tuition assistance program in 
which each graduating high school student who demonstrates financial need and is 
accepted into an associate's or bachelor's program in a postsecondary institution in the 
State will receive" an amount equal to 50% of the average tuition for 2 years at the Maine 
Community College System, and those students pursuing teaching certificates and 
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committing to teaching in the State for 3 years after graduation will receive an additional 
50% of the average tuition for 2 years at the Maine Community Col1ege System for their 
junior and senior years; 
4. 
Directs the Department of Education and the University of Maine System to 
administer leadership training institutes for teachers and school administrators and 
requires school administrators to attend the institute every 5 years as a requirement for 
recertification; and 
5. Directs that school administrative units provide for individual wireless devices for 
99th to 12th graders as part of their plans submitted to receive targeted funds for 
technology.