An Act To SuppOli the Center of Excellence for At-risk Students
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1443
Committee Amendment CA_A_S211 (Senate)
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs on a recommended plan for funding the center and a recomme

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A " to S.P. 528, L.D. 1443, Bill, "An Act To 
SuppOli the Center of Excellence for At-risk Students" 
Amend the bill in section 1 in chapter 227 by striking out all of §6953 (page 2, lines 
to 28 in L.D.) 
Amend the bill in section· 1 in chapter 227 in §6955 in the 2nd line (page 2, line 35 in 
L.D.) by striking out the following: 
"routine technical" and inseliing the following: 
'major substantive' 
Amend the bill in section 1 in chapter 227 by renumbering the sections to read 
consecutively. 
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 2 and 3 and inseliing the following: 
'Sec.2. Nonprofit corporation; timeline. The Department of Education shall 
arrange with the Good Will-Hinckley school to serve as the nonprofit charitable 
corporation with a public purpose to implement the Center of Excellence for At-risk 
Students, established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 6951, referred to 
in this Act as "the center." The Commissioner of Education and the Chief Executive 
Officer of the Good Will-Hinckley school shall jointly develop a plan for funding and 
. delivering an approved program pursuant to Title 20-A, section 6951, subsection 3 and 
section 6952, including a timeline for commencing operation of the center. 
The 
Commissioner of Education may convene an advisory group to include representatives of 
school boards, superintendents, alternative educators and students to participate in 
developing the plan. The goal of the plan is to begin providing services by September 1, 
2010. The Commissioner of Education may modify the plan in consultation with the 
Chief Executive Officer of the Good Will-Hinckley school. 
Sec. 3. Funding proposal. Taking into consideration the plan developed pursuant 
to section 2 for implementing the center, the Commissioner of Education shall develop a 
proposal for funding the center. The funding proposal must take into account the unique 
needs of at-risk students and the resources required to meet those needs, as well as the 
availability, restrictions and limitations of private and other sources of funds. 
On or 
Page I - 124LR1473(02)-1 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 528, L.D. 1443 
before November 1, 2009, the Commissioner of Education shall rep0\1 to the Joint 
Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs on a recommended plan for 
funding the center and a recommended timeiine for commencing the center's operations, 
providing access to the center for students from school administrative units throughout 
the State and the number of students that the center is able to serve. Following receipt 
and consideration of the Commissioner of Education's report, the Joint Standing 
Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs may submit to the Second Regular Session 
of the 124th Legislature any legislation that may be necessary to accomplish the funding 
plan and the implementation timeline for the center.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment strikes the language in the bill regarding funding and the timeline 
for implementing the establishment of the Center of Excellence for At-risk Students and 
inserts provisions directing the· Commissioner of Education and the Chief Executive 
Officer of the Good Will-Hinckley school to jointly develop a plan for funding and a 
timeline for establishing an approved program for the center. The funding plan and 
proposed timeline for establishing the center must be transmitted to the Joint Standing 
Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs, which may introduce any necessary 
legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature to accomplish these 
plans. 
The amendment also provides that rules established for the center are major 
substantive rules. 
FISCAL ;\OTE HEQCIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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Approved: OS/22/09 frac:.. 
LD 1443 
LR 1473(02) 
An Act To Support the Center of Excellence for At-risk Students 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'rA " 
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Additional costs to the DepaJ1ment of Education associated with developing the required timeline for delivering the 
approved program and plan for funding the Center of Excellence for At-risk Students and submitting the required 
report can be absorbed within existing budgeted resOlirces. 
LRI473(02) - Fiscal Note - Page I of I