Resolve, Directing the Maine Community College System, the University of Maine System and the Department of Education To Develop a Plan To Enable High School Students To Achieve a Seamless Transition to Higher Education
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0097
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: BRYANT, FLAHERTY, MAZUREK, PETERSON, STUCKEY, TREAT, WATSON, WEBSTER

FIRST P"EGULAR SESSION~2009 
Legislative Document 
No. 97 
H.P.81 
House of Representatives, January 12, 2009 
Resolve, Directing the Maine Community College System, the 
University of Maine System and the Department of Education To 
Develop a Plan To Enable High School Students To Achieve a 
Seamless Transition to Higher Education 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative BRYANT of Windham. 
Cosponsored by Senator BRYANT of Oxford and 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: FLAHERTY of Scarborough, MAZUREK of Rockland, PETERSON of 
Rumford, STUCKEY of Portland, TREAT of Hallowell, WATSON of Bath, WEBSTER of 
Freepol1. 
Primed lin n.:c;~ deLI r:lpl!1' 
Sec. 1. 
Review and assessment. 
Resolved: 
That the Maine Community 
College System, the University of -Maine System and the Department of Education, 
referred to in this resolve as "the review panel," shall collaboratively conduct a review 
and assessment of the 0ppOliunities available to high school students in the State to enroll 
in college courses at public higher education institutions in the State and other initiatives 
established to support high school students in their transition from high school to higher 
education. . The review panel shall develop a plan to enable high school students, 
including youth between 16 years of age and 20 years of age who are e,nrolled in an adult 
education program to prepare for a Maine high school equivalency diploma, to achieve a 
seamless transition to public higher education institutions in the State. The review panel 
shall gather data on high school student enrollment in college courses at public higher 
education institutions in the State, including the retention rate for students who were 
enrolled in college courses in high school before enrolling at a public higher education 
institution in the State, and shall document state and public higher education institution 
spending on high school student enrollment and other transition initiatives. The review 
panel shall consider options for optimizing the range of high school student enrollment 
and other transition initiatives available to high school students in the State, including, 
but not limited to: 
1. The postsecondary enrollment options available to eligible high school students as 
set forth in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, chapter 208-A; 
2. 
The "Early College for ME" initiative established by the Maine Community 
College System, which provides scholarship and academic support services for eligible 
high school students; 
3. 
The "AdvantageU" guaranteed admission program established by the Maine 
Community College System and the University of Maine System, which provides Maine 
Community College System students graduating with an Associate in Arts degree in 
Liberal Studies guaranteed admission to any institution of the University of Maine 
System; 
4. Dual or concurrent college enrollment models in other states or countries that 
permit high school students to simultaneously complete their high school courses and 
begin their college coursework; 
5. The establishment of an entrance examination or a student placement test, such as 
the SAT Reasoning Test or the ACCUPLACER placement test, for high school students 
who have completed their sophomore year that would be used to determine if the students 
are academically prepared to participate in postsecondary enrollment options or if 
developmental classes and support services would be beneficial before the students 
engage in college-level coursework; 
6. The college transition courses available through adult education programs that are 
eligible .for state subsidy as set fort~ in the MaineReyised S~atutes, Title 20-A, chapter 
and the adult education college transition sites established through the Maine College 
Transition Program by adult education programs, the Maine Community College System, 
Page I - 124LR0271(Ol)-1 
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the University of Maine System, the Maine Compact for Higher Education, the 
MELMAC Education Foundation and the Maine Adult Education Association; and 
7. The financial incentives and benefits available to eligible residents of the State 
through the Job Creation Through Educational 0pp0l1unity Program, as established by 
Public Law 2007, chapter 469, to ensure that high school students who paJ1icipate in 
postsecondary enrollment and transition initiatives are also eligible for the financial 
benefits of this program; and be it further 
Sec. 2. Report. Resolved: That the review panel shall present its findings and 
the plan developed under section 1, including any suggested legislation, in a report to the 
Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs by January 15, 2010. The 
Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs may submit legislation 
based on the review panel report to the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve directs the Maine Community College System, the University of Maine 
System and the Department of Education to collaborate in a review and assessment of the 
opportunities available to high school students to enroll in college courses at public 
higher education institutions in the State and other initiatives established to support high 
school students in their transition from high school to higher education. The resolve 
directs the review panel to develop a plan to enable high school students, including youth 
between 16 years of age and 20 years of age who are enrolled in an adult education 
program to prepare for a Maine high school equivalency diploma, to achieve a seamless 
transition to public higher education institutions in the State. The review panel plan must 
be presented in a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural 
Affairs by January 15,2010. The Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural 
Affairs may submit legislation based on the review panel report to the Second Regular 
Session of the 124th Legislature.