Resolve, To Ensure the Continued Accessibility and Affordability of a High School Equivalency Exam for Maine Residents
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0442
Committee Amendment CA_A_S172 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 174, L.D. 442, "Resolve, To Ensure the 
Continued Accessibility and Affordability of a High School Equivalency Exam for Maine 
Residents" 
Amend the resolve by striking out everything after the title and before the summary 
and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. Review of options for administering a high school equivalency 
examination. Resolved: That the Department of Education, referred to in this resolve 
as "the department," shall undertake a thorough study of all options for the administration 
of a high school equivalency examination, including those offered by competing vendors 
and an analysis of the implementation costs that would be required to transition to a 
computer-based high school equivalency examination; and be it further 
Sec. 2. Report. Resolved: That the department shall prepare and submit a report 
based on its study under section 1 to the ] oint Standing Committee on Education and 
Cultural Affairs comparing the various high school equivalency examination options 
based on their cost, accessibility and educational efficacy. The department's report must 
include a plan for ensuring the continued availability of a high school equivalency 
examination at no cost to test takers, continued accessibility at all local adult education 
programs currently offering this service with minimal financial impact on these programs 
and continued state funding support and technical assistance necessary to transition to a 
computer-based high school equivalency examination. The department shall submit its 
report and plan to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs by 
October 1,2013.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment strikes the emergency preamble and the emergency clause from the 
resolve and amends the resolve to provide that the review conducted by the Department 
of Education on the options for the administration of a high school equivalency 
examination must include an analysis of the implementation costs that would be required 
3-6 
to transition to a computer-based high school equivalency examination. The amendment 
COMMIT'TEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 174, L.D. 442 
I 
also requires that the department's plan for the continued availability of a high school 
equivalency examination must also address the continued state funding support and 
technical assistance necessary to transition to a computer-based high school equivalency 
examination. The amendment changes the reporting date to October 1,2013. 
FISCAL ~OTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 05/31/13 ;tvac:. 
LD442 
LR 1619(02) 
Resolve, To Ensure the Continued Accessi.bility and Affordability of a High School Equivalency Exam 
flOr Maine Residents 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment '/\' 6 -J1-2.. "\ 
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs 
) 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Additional costs to the Department of Education associated with conducting the required review and submitting the 
required report can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
TU1t::1c\/""\ 
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