An Act To Require the Teaching of Agricultural Studiesin Maine's Schools
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0128
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Amends: 7 MRSA §242, 20-A MRSA §4706

FIRST RF,GUT JAR SESSION-2009 
Legislative Document 
No. 128 
H.P. 112 
House of Representatives, January 15, 2009 
An Act To Require the Teaching of Agricultural Studiesin Maine's 
Schools 
Reported by Representative PIEH of Bremen for the Joint Standing Committee on 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry pursuant to Public Law 2007, chapter 660, section 18. 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed under Joint Rule 218. 
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M1LLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 7 MRSA §242, sub-§2; as enacted by PL 2007, c. 456, §2, is amended to 
read: 
2. Purpose. The purpose of the council is to promote an understanding of the food 
and fiber system in the State and the nation through the infusion of agricultural concepts 
into primary, secondary and postsecondary curricula. The council shall help prepare for 
the inclusion of agricultural concepts into the required course in agricultural studies as 
specified in Title 20-A, section 4706, subsection 3. For the purposes of this section and 
Title 20-A, section 4706, subsection 3, "agricultural concepts" includes, but is not limited 
to: 
II 
A. 
The impOltance of agriculture in the State and in the nation's histOlY and 
development; 
B. The connections between geography, climate and agriculture; 
C. The relationship between technology and agricultural success and development; 
D. The economics of agriculture; 
E. The global aspects of agricultlire; and 
F. The relationship of the food and fiber system to public policy issues. ' .. 
Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §4706, as amended by PL 2003, c. 510, Pt. B, §5, is further 
amended to read: 
§4706. Instruction in American history, Maine studies, Maine Native American 
history and agricultural studies 
Ame'ricanhistory tlfl6~ Maine studies and' agricultural studies must be taught as 
specified in the system of learning results established in section ~209. 
1. 
American history. 
American history and civil government, including the 
Constitution of the United States, the Declaration of Independence, the impOliance of 
voting and the privilegcs and responsibilities of citizenship, must be taught in and 
required for graduation from all elementary and secondmy schools, both public and 
private. 
. 
'. 2. . Maihe studies. 
Maine histOly, including the Constitution of Maine, Maine 
geography and environment and the natural, industrial and economic resources of Maine 
and Maine's cultural and ethnic heritage, must be taught. A required component of Maine 
studies is Maine Native American studies, which must be included in the review of 
content standards and performance indicators of the learning results conducted in 
accordance with section 6209, subsection 4. The Maine Native American studies must 
address the following topics: 
A. Maine tribal governments and political systems and their relationship with local, 
state, national and international governments; 
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B. 
Maine Native American cultural systems and the experience of Maine tribal 
people throughout history; 
C. Maine Native American territories; and 
D. Maine Native American economic systems. 
3. AgricuItUl'al studies. Agricultural concepts as described in Title 7. section 242, 
subsection 2 must be taught and included in the review of content standards and 
performance indicators of the system of learning results conducted in accordance with 
section 6209. subsection 4. 
Sec. 3. Recommendations for the inclusion of agricultural studies to the 
system of learning results. The Maine Agriculture in the Classroom COllncil, as 
established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 7, section 242, and the Department of 
Education shall develop recommendations for instruction of agriclrltural studies to be 
included in the system of learning results established in Title 20-A, section 6209. 
Sec. 4. 
Report. 
The Maine Agriculture in the Classroom Council and the 
Department of Education shall report their recommendations developed pursuant to 
section 3 to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs and the Joint 
Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry no later than January 15, 
2010. 
Sec. 5. Report must include plan to assist school administrative units. 
The recommendations under section 4 must include provisions for assistance to the 
Department of Education in helping school administrative units implement instruction in 
agricultural studies. The recommendations must also include criteria to identify school 
administrative units having difficulty meeting the instructional requirements of 
agricultural studies and the provision for assistance to these school administrative units. 
The recommendations for assistance must be established by July 30, 2012 and 
implemented during the 2012-2013 school year. 
Sec. 6. Implementation of agricultural studies subject to availability of 
funds. 
Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 4706, 
subsection 3, a school administrative unit is not required to take any action that 
necessitates additional expenditures from local revenues unless the Department of 
Education pays for 90% of the additional costs. 
Implementation of instruction in 
agricultural studies is at the discretion of the school administrative unit if additional local 
expenditures are required for implementation and the department has not paid its share of 
the additional local costs. 
A school administrative unit that determines that it is unable to implement instruction 
in agricultural studies within existing state and local resources shall present its findings 
and suppOlting evidence to the Department of Education. The department shall review 
the school administrative unit's findings and evidence and, if necessary, assist the school 
administrative unit in planning for implementation. 
Sec. 7. Effective date. Those sections of this Act that amend the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title. 7, section 242, subsection 2 and Title 20-A, section 4706 take effect 
September I, 2012. 
SUMMARY 
This bill is the report of the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation 
and Forestry pursuant to Public Law 2007, chapter 660, section 18 and requires that 
agricultural studies be included in the system of learning results. The bill also provides 
that the Maine Agriculture in the Classroom Council and the Depmiment of Education 
develop a plan for instruction of agricultural studies to be included in the system of 
learning results and present the plan to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and 
I I 
Cultural Affairs and the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and 
Forestry· no later than January 15, 20 I O. 
The bill requires that the plan must include 
assistance to the Department of Education in helping school administrative units to 
implement instruction in agricultural concepts. 
The plan for assistance must be 
established by July 30, 2012 and implemented during the 2012-2013 school year. 
The bill also allows a school administrative unit not to implement instruction of 
agricultural studies if implementation cannot be achieved within existing local resources. 
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