An Act To Promote School Attendance and Increase School Achievement
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1503
Committee Amendment CA_B-HA_C_H807 (House)
Amends: 20-A MRSA §1001, 20-A MRSA §5001-A, 20-A MRSA §5052-A

HOUSE AMENDMENT "~,, to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "B" to S.P. 473, 
L.D. 1503, Bill, "An Act To Promote School Attendance and Increase School 
Achievement" 
Amend the amendment by striking out all of section 3. 
Amend the amendment in section 4 in subsection 9 in the last paragraph in the next to 
the last line (page 2, line 35 in amendment) by striking out the following: "or subsection 
9-C" 
Amend the amendment in section 4 in subsection 9 by adding after the last paragraph 
the following: 
'The superintendent shall annually report data on the number of students who are expelled 
from school and the number of students who are readmitted to school after expulsion to 
the commissioner's consultant on truancy, dropouts and alternative education under 
section 5151.' 
Amend the amendment by striking out all of sections 5 to 7 and inserting the 
following: 
'Sec. 5. 20-A MRSA §1001, sub-§15-A is enacted to read: 
IS-A. School disciplinary policies. When revising the prescribed consequences for 
violation of the student code of conduct pursuant to subsection 15, paragraph C, a school 
board shall consider districtwide disciplinary policies that: 
A. Allow administrators to use their discretion to fashion appropriate discipline that 
examines the circumstances pertinent to the case at hand; and 
B. Provide written notice to the parents of a student when a student is suspended 
from school, regardless of whether the suspension is an in-school or out-of-school 
suspension. ' 
Amend the amendment by striking out all of sections 12 to 14 and inserting the 
following: 
'Sec. 12. 20-A MRSA §5001-A, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2009, c. 330, §§1 to 
3, is further amended to read: 
HOUSE AMENDMENT 
". 
~s. 
HOUSE AMENDMENT ,,6' to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "B" to S.P. 473, L.D. 1503 
2. Exceptions. Attendance at school shall may not be required of the following: 
A. A person who graduates from high school before that person's 17th birthday; 
B. A person who has met each of the following requirements: 
(1) Reached the age of 15 16 years or oompleted the 9th grade of age; 
(2) PSmHssion Obtained permission to leave school from that person's parent; 
(3) Been approved by the principal for a suitable program of work and study or 
training; 
(4) Permission Obtained permission to leave school from the school board or its 
designee; and 
(5) Agreed in writing with that person's parent and the school board or its 
designee to meet annually until that person's 17th birthday to review that person's 
educational needs. When the request to be excused from school has been denied 
pursuant to this paragraph, the student's parent may appeal to the commissioner; 
D. A person who has matriculated and is attending an accredited, post seoondary 
postsecondary, degree-granting institution as a full-time student. An exception to 
attendance in public school under this paragraph must be approved by' the 
commissioner; or 
E. A person enrolled in an online learning program or course.' 
Amend the amendment in section 16 in §5051-A in subsection 1 in paragraph C in 
the first line (page 7, line 6 in amendment) by striking out the following: "':J. §." and 
inserting the following: '7' 
Amend the amendment in section 16 in §5051-A in subsection 2 in paragraph D in 
the 2nd line (page 9, line 31 in amendment) by striking out the following: "ar 
superintendent's designee" and inserting the following: 'or superintendent's designee' 
Amend the amendment in section 16 in §5051-A in subsection 2 in paragraph E in the 
3rd line (page 9, line 35 in amendment) by striking out the following: "or Sl:lflerintendent's 
designee" and inserting the following: 'or superintendent's designee' 
Amend the amendment in section 16 in § 5051-A in subsection 2 in paragraph F in the 
4th line (page 10, line 4 in amendment) by striking out the following: "or !ffi]"lerintendent's 
designee" and inserting the following: 'or superintendent's designee' 
Amend the amendment by striking out all of section 17 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 17. 20-A MRSA §5052-A, sub-§3, ~A, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 415, 
\ §21, is amended to read: 
A. When notified 13;, a flrinoipal that a studeftt's attendanoe is irregular, interviewing 
the studefl:t and the flarent or flarents or guardian. or guardians Interviewing a student 
whose attendance is irregular and meeting with the student and the parents to 
detennine the cause of the irregular attendance and me filing a written report with the 
principal; 
HOUSE AMENDMENT 
do ~. 
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HOUSEAMENDMENT ,,(;;, to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "B" to S.P. 473, L.D. 1503 
Sec. 18. 20-A MRSA §5052-A, sub-§3, ~, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 143, §1, 
is amended to read: 
D. Serving as the liaison between the school and the local law enforcement agency in 
matters pertaining to student absenteeism under sections section 5001-A and 5051 A. 
Sec. 19. 20-A MRSA §5052-A, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 415, §21, is 
amended to read: 
4. Department assistance. The department shall provide technical assistance to 
school attendance coordinators for carrying out these duties, through the Office of 
Truancy, Dropout Prevention and Alternative Education.' 
Amend the amendment by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter 
or section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment makes the following changes to Committee Amendment "B". 
1. 
It removes the provisions regarding due process standards for expulsion 
proceedings. 
2. It removes the provisions regarding reentry for students after expulsion except that 
it retains the provision that requires a superintendent to report data annually on the 
number of students who are expelled and the number of students who are readmitted. 
3. It removes the provisions regarding professional services after expulsion for a 
child with a disability. 
4. It removes the provisions regarding school disciplinary policies except that it 
retains certain provisions for a school board to consider when revising prescribed 
consequences for violation of the student code of conduct. 
5. It removes the provisions that change the ages for compulsory school attendance 
and it changes the provisions for exceptions to compulsory school attendance. 
6. It retains the authority for a person designated by a superintendent to perform 
certain tasks. 
7. It retains the current law regarding the election of attendance coordinators. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
SPONSOREDBy:Q~ ;h..C/:J ~. 
(Representative DOW) 
TOWN: Waldoboro 
HOUSE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 03/20/12 ;tvac.. 
LD 1503 
LR 1629(08) 
An Act To Promote School Attendance and Increase School Achievement 
Fiscal Note for House Amendment "e" to Committee Amendment "B" 
Sponsor: Rep. Dow of Waldoboro 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
No State fiscal impact 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
This amendment reduces the impact of the committee amendment to those local school administrative units that 
choose to expel students. No additional fiscal impact to the State is anticipated. 
LR1629(08) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1