An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Education Standards in Maine
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1492
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: TUELL, WOODSOME, ESPLING, FOLEY, HANLEY, HOBART, STETKIS, WHITE
Amends: 20-A MRSA §6209

Legislative Document 
No. 1492 
H.P. 1015 
House of Representatives, December 23, 2015 
An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Education Standards in 
Maine 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Received by the Clerk of the House on December 21, 2015.  Referred to the Committee on 
Education and Cultural Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to 
Joint Rule 401. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative TUELL of East Machias. 
Cosponsored by Senator WOODSOME of York and 
Representatives: ESPLING of New Gloucester, FOLEY of Wells, HANLEY of Pittston, 
HOBART of Bowdoinham, McCABE of Skowhegan, McCLELLAN of Raymond, STETKIS 
of Canaan, WHITE of Washburn. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §6209, first ¶, as amended by PL 2015, c. 40, §5, is further 
amended to read: 
The department in consultation with the state board shall establish and implement a 
comprehensive, statewide system of learning results, which may include a core of 
standards in English language arts and mathematics for kindergarten to grade 12 
established in common with the other states, as set forth in this section and in department 
rules implementing this section and other curricular requirements. The department must 
establish accountability standards at all grade levels in the areas of mathematics; reading; 
social studies; and science and technology. The department shall establish parameters for 
essential instruction and graduation requirements in English language arts; mathematics; 
science and technology; social studies; career and education development; visual and 
performing arts; health, physical education and wellness; and world languages.  Only 
students in a public school, a public charter school as defined in section 2401, subsection 
or a private school approved for tuition that enrolls at least 60% publicly funded 
students, as determined by the previous school year's October and April average 
enrollment, are required to participate in the system of learning results set forth in this 
section and in department rules implementing this section and other curricular 
requirements.  The commissioner shall develop accommodation provisions for instances 
where course content conflicts with sincerely held religious beliefs and practices of a 
student's parent or guardian.  The system must be adapted to accommodate children with 
disabilities as defined in section 7001, subsection 1-B. 
Sec. 2.  Revocation of the Common Core State Standards Initiative 
standards.  The content standards of the system of learning results for English language 
arts and mathematics that were formulated to align with the Common Core State 
Standards Initiative standards pursuant to Public Law 2009, chapter 647 are void at the 
end of the 2016-2017 school year. 
Sec. 3.  Local option during transition from Common Core State 
Standards Initiative standards.  Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 
20-A, section 6209, for the 2016-2017 school year, as an alternative to the core of 
standards in English language arts and mathematics for kindergarten to grade 12 
established in common with the other states pursuant to Title 20-A, section 6209, a school 
administrative unit may elect to administer the statewide system of learning results 
standards that were in effect prior to April 12, 2010. 
Sec. 4.  New content standards; development; rulemaking.  By November 1, 
2016, the Department of Education, with input from a stakeholder group established in 
accordance with this section, shall develop new statewide content standards for 
kindergarten to grade 12 in English language arts and mathematics for use beginning with 
the 2017-2018 school year that are distinct and independent from the standards previously 
adopted by the department pursuant to Public Law 2009, chapter 647. 
1.  Stakeholder group.  The Commissioner of Education shall establish a 
stakeholder group pursuant to this section consisting of the following members: 
A.  The Commissioner of Education or the commissioner's designee; 
B.  Five members who are teachers, including one elementary school teacher, one 
secondary school teacher, one special education teacher, one English language arts 
teacher and one mathematics teacher, chosen by the Commissioner of Education from 
a list submitted by the Maine Education Association; 
C.  Two members who are school board members chosen by the Commissioner of 
Education from a list submitted by the Maine School Boards Association; 
D.  Two members who are school administrative unit superintendents chosen by the 
Commissioner of Education from a list submitted by the Maine School 
Superintendents Association; 
E.  Two members who are school principals, including one who is an elementary 
school principal and one who is a secondary school principal, chosen by the 
Commissioner of Education from a list submitted by the Maine Principals' 
Association; 
F.  Two members of the State Board of Education chosen by the Commissioner of 
Education from a list submitted by the State Board of Education; 
G.  One member who is a faculty member of the University of Maine System chosen 
by the Commissioner of Education from a list submitted by the Chancellor of the 
University of Maine System; 
H.  One member who is a faculty member of the Maine Community College System 
chosen by the Commissioner of Education from a list submitted by the President of 
the Maine Community College System; and 
I.  Two parents of children in kindergarten to grade 12 chosen by the Commissioner 
of Education through a public process. 
At least 25% of the members of the stakeholder group must come from counties with 
a population less than 100,000 people. 
Sec. 5.  New content standards rulemaking.  By January 2, 2017, the 
Commissioner of Education shall provisionally adopt and submit to the Legislature for 
review major substantive rules as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 
375, subchapter 2-A establishing new statewide content standards for kindergarten to 
grade 12 in English language arts and mathematics for use beginning with the 2017-2018 
school year, that are distinct and independent from the standards previously adopted by 
the department pursuant to Public Law 2009, chapter 647. 
Sec. 6.  Assessments.  By July 31, 2017, the Commissioner of Education shall 
develop and adopt by rule assessments for elementary and secondary schools in English 
language arts and mathematics that are aligned with the new statewide content standards 
for use beginning with the 2017-2018 school year.  Notwithstanding the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 20-A, section 6211, rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine 
technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
Sec. 7.  Effective date.  That section of this Act that amends the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 20-A, section 6209, first paragraph takes effect June 30, 2017. 
SUMMARY 
This bill removes the Common Core State Standards Initiative standards from the 
system of learning results at the end of the 2016-2017 school year.  For the 2016-2017 
school year, as an alternative to the core of standards in English language arts and 
mathematics for kindergarten to grade 12 established in common with the other states, the 
bill allows a school administrative unit to administer the statewide system of learning 
results standards that were in effect prior to April 12, 2010.  It requires the Department of 
Education, with input from a stakeholder group, to develop new statewide content 
standards for use beginning with the 2017-2018 school year and to submit provisionally 
adopted major substantive rules to the Legislature by January 2, 2017.  It requires the 
Department of Education to develop and adopt assessments for elementary and secondary 
schools in English language arts and mathematics that are aligned with the new content 
standards for use beginning with the 2017-2018 school year.  The bill also requires the 
Department of Education to establish accountability standards at all grade levels in the 
area of social studies.