Resolve, To Implement an Online Professional Development Platform for Teachers and Educators
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1207
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: HUBBELL, LANGLEY

Legislative Document 
No. 1207 
H.P. 825 
House of Representatives, April 2, 2015 
Resolve, To Implement an Online Professional Development 
Platform for Teachers and Educators 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative HUBBELL of Bar Harbor. 
Cosponsored by Senator LANGLEY of Hancock. 
Preamble. Whereas, the 125th Legislature in 2012 enacted Public Law 2011, 
chapter 669 directing the Department of Education to submit a technical assistance plan 
to facilitate the transformation of the public education system to one in which standards 
are used to guide curriculum and instruction and in which student advancement and 
graduation are based on student demonstration of proficiency in meeting educational 
standards; and 
Whereas, the technical assistance plan submitted by the Department of Education to 
the Legislature on May 6, 2013 needs to be updated to augment the standards-based 
system tools, resources and initiatives provided to school administrative units that support 
their transformation to a standards-based education system; and 
Whereas, in order to promote the transformation of Maine education into a student-
centered, proficiency-based system of learning, the digital learning strategic plan 
produced by the Department of Education in January 2013, as directed by the Governor's 
Executive Order #2012-001, developed policy recommendations to expand digital 
learning opportunities for students with teachers who are experts in bringing digital 
content into daily instruction; and 
Whereas, the 125th Legislature also enacted legislation to ensure effective teaching 
and school leadership that requires the Department of Education and school 
administrative units to establish professional development and training opportunities that 
support and promote the effectiveness of teachers and principals as part of the 
performance evaluation and professional growth systems that must be implemented 
beginning with the 2015-2016 school year pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 
20-A, chapter 508; and 
Whereas, the Department of Education needs to conduct research and develop a 
plan to implement an online professional development platform for teachers and 
educators beginning with the 2015-2016 school year that supports networking, 
collaboration, educational capacity and efficiency in regional administrative functions; 
now, therefore, be it 
Sec. 1.  Department of Education to develop a plan to implement an 
online professional development platform for teachers and educators.  
Resolved:  That the Department of Education shall conduct research and analysis to 
design and implement an online platform that provides teachers and educators in the State 
with access to comprehensive, high-quality professional development and training 
resources that can advance teacher and educator effectiveness and improve student 
performance.  The Commissioner of Education may invite representatives of key 
education stakeholder organizations to participate in the research and design of the online 
professional development platform. 
The department shall review online professional development platforms launched in 
other states and jurisdictions, including the cost and effectiveness of existing online 
platforms that provide professional development and training resources for teachers and 
educators. 
The research and analysis conducted by the department must include, but is not 
limited to, the examination of online professional development platforms for teachers and 
educators that provide: 
1.  A one-stop shopping portal to online professional development resources; 
2.  Links to open-source educational resources, as well as commercial professional 
development services; 
3.  A searchable arrangement of linked resources organized by recognized 
professional development topics, resource types, formats, user quality ratings and other 
educator-requested criteria; 
4.  Opportunities for submission of and access to user reviews of linked resources; 
5.  A marketplace for commercial providers of professional development services to 
compete transparently; 
6.  Virtual collaborative space for teachers and educators in the State to develop and 
share professional development resources; 
7.  Guides and tools for implementation of online professional development by 
teachers and educators, schools and school administrative units; and 
8.  Central organized access to the Department of Education's online professional 
development resources related to the department's initiatives, programs and oversight and 
regulatory requirements. 
The department shall design a plan to implement a comprehensive online professional 
development platform for teachers and educators that can increase networking, 
collaboration and professional development opportunities for teachers and educators in 
the State.  The comprehensive online professional development platform designed by the 
department must also provide teachers and educators with the means to overcome 
existing barriers that hinder the use of online professional development resources; and be 
it further 
Sec. 2.  Report.  Resolved:  That, no later than December 2, 2015, the 
Commissioner of Education shall report the results of the research and analysis conducted 
under section 1, along with any recommended legislation necessary to execute its 
implementation plan, to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. 
The committee may submit a bill related to the report to the Second Regular Session of 
the 127th Legislature. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve directs the Department of Education to conduct research and design a 
plan to implement an online platform that provides Maine teachers and educators with 
access to comprehensive, high-quality professional development and training resources 
that can advance teacher effectiveness and improve student performance.  The department 
is required to report the results of the research, along with any recommended legislation 
to execute the plan, to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs 
by December 2, 2015.