An Act Regarding Curriculum Requirements and Standards for Awarding a High School Diploma
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1325
Committee Amendment CA_A_H512 (House)
Amends: 20-A MRSA §4703, 20-A MRSA §4712, 20-A MRSA §4722

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A " to H.P. 929, L.D. 1325, Bill, "An Act 
Regarding Curriculum Requirements and Standards for Awarding a High School 
Diploma" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 7 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 7. 20-A MRSA §4703, as enacted by PL 1983, c. 859, Pt. C, §§5 and 7, is 
amended to read: 
§4703. Instruction for individual students 
Elementary and secondary schools may provide special instruction for gifted and 
talented shall provide students. with opportunities for learning in mUltiple pathways that 
may include the following: 
1. Career and technical education. Career and technical education; 
2. Alternative education programs. Alternative education programs; 
3. Apprenticeships. Apprenticeships; 
4. Career academies. Career academies; 
5. Advanced placements. Advanced placements; 
6. Online courses. Online courses; 
7. Adult education. Adult education; 
8. Dual enrollment. Dual enrollment; or 
9. Gifted and talented programs. Gifted and talented programs.' 
Amend the bill in section lOin §4710 in the first paragraph in the 4th line (page 3, 
line 28 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "of' and inserting the following: 'for' 
Amend the bill in section 10 in §4710 in the first paragraph in the 4th line (page 3, 
line 28 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "or" and inserting the following: 'with' 
Page I - 124LR0336(02)-1 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A "to H.P. 92~, LD. 1325 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 12 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 12. 20-A MRSA §4712 is enacted to read: 
§4712. Junior high school or middle school course of study 
The basic course of study for the junior high schools or middle schools must provide 
for the instruction of all students in career and education development, English . language 
arts, health education and physical education, mathematics, science and technology~ 
social studies, visual and performing arts and world languages, as described in the 
parameters for essential instruction and graduation requirements subject to the schedule 
specified in section 6209.' 
Amend the bill in section 13 in §4721 in subsection 1 in the 3rd line (page 4, line 28 
in L.D.) by striking out the following: "parameters of' and inserting the following: 
'parameters for' 
Amend the bill in section 13 in §4721 by striking out all of subsection 3 (page 4, lines 
and 38 in L.D.) 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 16 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 16. 20-A MRSA §4722, sub-§2-A is enacted to read: 
2-A. Implementation of multiple pathways and opportunities. Students may 
demonstrate achievement of the standards through mUltiple pathways as set out under, 
section 4703 and multiple opportunities. Achievement may be demonstrated by evidence 
documented by course and learning experiences using multiple measures, such as, but not 
limited to, examinations, quizzes, portfolios, perfonnances, exhibitions and projects.' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 17 and inserting the follOWIng: 
'Sec. 17. 20-A MRSA §4722, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2007, c. 451, §2, is 
further amended to read: 
3. 
Satisfactory completion. 
A diploma may be awarded to secondary school 
students who have satisfactorily completed all diploma requirements in accordance with 
the academic standards of the school administrative unit and this chapter. All secondary 
school students must worle toward achievement of achieve the content standards of the 
system "of learning results parameters for essential instruction and graduation 
requirements established pursuant to section 6209. Children with disabilities, as defined 
in section 7001, subsection -l--A I-B, who successfully meet the content standards of the 
system of learning results parameters for essential instruction and graduation 
requirements in addition to any other diploma requirements applicable to all secondary 
school students, as specified by the goals and objectives of their individualized education 
plans, may be awarded a high school diploma. Career and technical students may, with 
the approval of the commissioner, satisfy the 2nd-year math and science, the 2nd-year 
social studies and the fine arts requirements of subsection 2 through separate or integrated 
study within the career and technical school curriculum. 
Students who experience education disruption, as defined in section 5001'-A, subsection 
4, paragraph F, who successfully demonstrate achievement of the content standards of the 
system of learning results parameters for essential instruction and graduation 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 929, L.D. 1325 
requirements in addition to any other diploma requirements applicable to secondary 
school students as set forth in their school work recognition plans as defined in section 
5161, subsection 6 must, with the approval of the commissioner, be awarded a 
Department of Education diploma as defined in section 5161, subsection 2.' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 19 (page 6, lines 28 to 33 in L.D.) 
Amend the bill in section 20 in §620 1 in the first paragraph in the 5th and 6th lines 
(page 6, lines 41 and 42 in L.D.) by striking out the following: 'to ensure that each student 
in the State has an equal opportunity to meet this outcome' 
Amend the bill in section 20 in §6201 in the 2nd paragraph in the 2nd line (page 7, 
line 2 in L.D.) by striking out the following: 'and comparability' 
Amend the bill in section 20 in §620 1 by striking out all of subsection 2 and inserting 
the following: 
'2. State goals. To establish a process for a continuing evaluation of the system of 
learning results established insection 6209 and to aid in the development of educational 
policies, standards and programs;' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 22 and 23 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 22. 
Requirements for awarding high school diplomas. 
The 
Commissioner of Education shall convene a working group of interested parties to work 
together, in good faith, as educational partners to develop requirements for awarding high 
school diplomas that permit school administrative units to award high school diplomas 
based on standards, credits or a combination of standards and credits. The commissioner 
shall invite the participation of the Maine School Boards Association, the Maine School 
Superintendents Association, the Maine Principals' Association, the Maine Education 
Association, the Maine Administrators of Services for Children with Disabilities and 
other interested entities. The commissioner shall submit a report on the requirements for 
awarding high school diplomas to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and 
Cultural Affairs no later than January 29, 2010. After receipt and review of the report, 
the joint standing committee may report out legislation regarding the requirements for 
awarding high school diplomas to the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
secti<;>n number to read consecutively. 
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SUMMARY 
This amendment accomplishes the following. 
1. It amends the provision that elementary and secondary schools provide students 
with opportunities for learning in multiple pathways by removing the requirement that 
schools may include opportunities to accelerate learning to meet the needs of individual 
students and by reinstating the provision that instruction for individual students may 
include instruction for gifted and talented students. 
2. It removes the requirements that secondary schools and junior high schools or 
middle schools must develop and maintain a personal learning plan for each student. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITIEE AMENDMENT" A " 
to H.P. 929, L.D. 1325 
3. 
It amends the provision that secondary school students may demonstrate 
achievement of the parameters for essential instruction and graduation requirements 
based on evidence documented by course and learning experiences using multiple 
measures by removing the requirements that student achievement must be based on state-
level supported assessments established by the Department of Education or by state-
developed rubrics or locally developed rubrics approved by the department. 
4. It removes the requirements for transition to a standards-based diploma, including 
the provisions that a diploma may only be awarded for credit earned in the 4 content areas 
of English language arts, mathematics, science and technology and social studies and for 
selecting one other area of the 3 content areas of health education and physical education, 
visual and performing arts or world languages. It also removes the application provision 
that stated that only a standards-based diploma may be awarded for high school students 
. graduating in 2016 and thereafter. 
5. It reinstates the provision in current law that career and technical students may' 
satisfy the 2nd-year math and science, the 2nd-year social studies and the fine arts 
requirements through separate or integrated study within the career and technical school 
curriculum, but it removes the provision that all students are deemed to meet the 
standards in career and education development through integrated learning experiences 
and activities conducted in other content areas. 
6. It removes the transition provision that directed the Department of Education to 
convene a representative group of stakeholders to further examine the types of 
assessments and rubrics that can be developed to measure student achievement in all 8 
content areas included in the parameters for essential instruction. 
7. It directs the Commissioner of Education to convene a work group to develop 
requirements for awarding high school diplomas that permit school admi.nistrative units 
to award a high school diploma based on standards, credits or a combination of standards 
and credits. The Commissioner of Education shall present a' report to the Joint Standing. 
Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs no later than January 29,2010. The Joint· 
Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs may report out legislation to the 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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Revised: 06/01/09 
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LD 1325 
LR 336(02) 
An Act Regarding Curriculum Requirements and Standards for Awarding a High School Diploma 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment '~" 
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
No State fiscal impact 
This fiscal note assumes that the intent of this legislation is to provide clarification in areas regarding curriculum 
requirements and standards for awarding a high school diploma including: 1) the options that local school 
administrative units have to provide students with opportunities for learning in multiple pathways; 2) the multiple 
measures that local school adminstrative units may utilize to demonstrate a secondary school student's achievement of 
certain standards such as, but not limited to, examinations, quizzes, portfolios, performances, exhibitions and projects; 
and 3) how a system of interventions for kindergarten to grade 12 students may be developed and implemented. Based 
on this assumption, this legislation should have no fiscal impact on the State or local school administrative units. 
LR0336(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1