An Act To Allow Students Choice in High School Enrollment
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1283
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: MALONEY, MASON, BOLAND, MAKER, VOLK, WAGNER, KATZ
Amends: 20-A MRSA §5801, 20-A MRSA §5815

Legislative Document 
No. 1283 
H.P. 942 
House of Representatives, March 23, 2011 
An Act To Allow Students Choice in High School Enrollment 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative MALONEY of Augusta. 
Cosponsored by Senator MASON of Androscoggin and 
Representatives: BOLAND of Sanford, MAKER of Calais, VOLK of Scarborough, WAGNER 
of Lewiston, Senator: KATZ of Kennebec. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §5801, as enacted by PL 1981, c. 693, §§5 and 8, is amended 
to read: 
§5801.  Acceptance of tuition students 
A school board may decide whether schools in its school administrative unit shall 
accept tuition students whose parents reside in another school administrative unit, except 
that a school administrative unit shall accept tuition students who have exercised school 
choice pursuant to section 5815. 
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §5815 is enacted to read: 
§5815.  High school choice 
1.  Collaboration. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Title, school 
administrative units shall provide school choice as provided under subsection 2.  Tuition 
charges are governed by section 5805.  A school administrative unit is not responsible for 
any transportation costs for a student attending a high school chosen by a student 
pursuant to subsection 2. 
2.  Choice.  Students must be afforded choice of high school enrollment in 
accordance with this subsection. 
A.  By September 30th of each year, a student in the 8th grade may apply to the 
school board of the student's school administrative unit for approval to enroll in a 
public high school in this State of the student's choice. 
B.  By October 30th of each year, a school board that receives applications under 
paragraph A shall approve up to 20 students to enroll in the public high schools of 
their choice.  If more than 20 students apply under paragraph A, the school board 
shall give preference to students wishing to pursue a course of study not offered by 
the high school the student would otherwise be eligible to attend but for the choice 
made under this subsection.  If after giving such preference there are still more than 
students remaining, the school board shall hold a lottery to determine which 20 
students may enroll in the public high schools of their choice. 
C.  A student whose enrollment is approved under paragraph B may remain enrolled 
in that high school until graduation.  The student may choose to unenroll at any time 
and attend the high school the student would otherwise be eligible to attend but for 
the choice made under this subsection, but the student may not again apply for 
approval under this subsection to enroll in a high school of the student's choice. 
3.  Limitation.  This section does not apply to a private school under chapter 117. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires school administrative units to allow school choice.  Each school 
administrative unit must allow up to 20 8th-grade students choice in public high school 
enrollment.  Receiving schools are required to take the students as tuition students.