An Act To Require That Public Schools Start after Labor Day
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 0483
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: VALENTINO, HOLMAN, AUSTIN, BEAUDETIE, HOGAN, MUSE, NORTON, STRANG BURGESS, COURTNEY
Amends: 20-A MRSA §4801

Legislative Document 
No. 483 
H.P.367 
House of Representatives, February 1,2007 
An Act To Require That Public Schools Start after Labor Day 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative VALENTINO of Saco. 
Cosponsored by Representative HOLMAN of Fayette and 
/ll~/f7.~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: AUSTIN of Gray, BEAUDETIE of Biddeford, HOGAN of Old Orchard 
Beach, MUSE of Fryeburg, NORTON of Bangor, STRANG BURGESS of Cumberland, 
Senator: COURTNEY of York. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §4801, sub-§l, as amended by PL 2005, c. 662, Pt. A, § 10, 
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 days a year. A 180-day school year may not begin 
before the official Labor Day holiday of each year. At least 175 days sRaJ.l must be used 
for instruction. In meeting the requirement of a 180-day school year, no more than 5 days 
may be used for in-service education of teachers, administrative meetings, parent-teacher 
conferences, records' days and similar activities. 
lOA. The commissioner may reduce or waive the minimum number of days required 
on 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 .fftstH:e ensure 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 
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 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. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires that a 180-day school year not begin before Labor Day of each year. 
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