An Act To Ensure Statewide School Accountability and Improvement
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1510
Committee Amendment CA_A_H558 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1085, L.D. 1510, Bill, "An Act To 
Ensure Statewide School Accountability and Improvement" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 4 and 5. 
Amend the bill in section 6 in §621 0 in the indented paragraph in the first line (page 
1, line 31 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "The" and inserting the following: '+fie 
In accordance with rules established pursuant to section 6211, the' 
Amend the bill in section 7 in §6210-A by inserting after subsection 4 a new 
subsection to read: 
'5. Appeal of withdrawal of basic school approval. Within 30 days after the date 
of the decision by the department to withdraw basic school approval as set forth in 
subsection 4, a school administrative unit may appeal the decision to the state board. The 
state board shall review the decision made under subsection 4 in accordance with the 
implementation and comprehensive review process set forth in section 4504, subsections 
and 2. The state board decision is final and binding on the school administrative unit.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consec'ltively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment, which is the minority report of the Joint Standing Committee on 
Education and Cultural Affain:, amends the bill to make the following changes. 
1. It removes the provisions that provide school choice for students whose school 
loses basic school approval. 
2. It inserts a reference in the school assistance provisions amended by the bill to the 
provision that authorizes the Commissioner of Education to develop major substantive 
rules to implement the purposes of the laws regarding standards and assessment of 
student performance in the Ma.ine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, chapter 222. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 'A" to H.P. J085, L.D. 1510 
3. It provides that a school administrative unit may file an appeal to the State Board 
of Education of a decision by the Department of Education to withdraw basic school 
approval due to the failure of the school administrative unit to participate in the 
development or implementation of a school improvement plan. 
FISCAL :\OTE REQURED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/04/l3 
~ac.. 
LD 1510 
LR 2010(02) 
An Act To Ensure Statewide School Accountability and Improvement 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee AmendmentA" / H -55~) 
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs 
l 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
State Mandate - Unfunded 
State Mandates 
Required Activity 
Unit Affected 
Requires local school administrative units identified by the Department of Education 
School 
as needing assistance to improve student achievement to develop and implement a 
school improvement plan. 
Local Cost 
Significant 
statewide 
The required local activities in this bill may represent a State mandate pursuant to the Constitution of Maine. Unless 
General Fund appropriations are provided to fund at least 90% of the additional costs or a Mandate Preamble is 
amended to the bill and two-thirds of the members of each House vote to exempt this mandate from the funding 
requirement, municipalities may not be required to implement these changes. 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
The Governor's proposed budget for the 2014-:<.015 biennium, LD 1509, includes language that would authorize the 
Commissioner of Education to expend and discurse funds to support school improvement activities. Information 
provided by the Department of Education indicates that $1.5 million in fiscal year 2013-14 and fiscal year 2014-15 
will be allocated for this initiative if approved by the Legislature. This funding would be used both to expand school 
improvement support capacity within the department and to provide grants to local school administrative units to 
implement school improvement plans. 
Additional costs to the Department of Education and the State Board of Education associated with the rulemaking and 
appeals process can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LRlOlll(02). - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1