An Act To
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1492
Committee Amendment CA_A_H579 (House)
Amends: 20-A MRSA §6209

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1015, L.D. 1492, Bill, "An Act To 
Amend the Laws Governing Education Standards in Maine" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Establish a Protocol for Review of State Education Content Standards of 
the System of Learning Results' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 6211 establishes that the 
rules adopted by the Department of Education regarding the academic content standards 
of the system of learning results are major substantive rules; and 
Whereas, amendments to major substantive rules regarding the academic content 
standards of the system ofleaming results must be submitted to the Legislature for review 
and approval during the First Regular Session of the 128th Legislature in order for the 
rules to be implemented in time for school administrative units to be eligible for federal 
Title I grant funding for the 2017-2018 school year; and 
Whereas, the Department of Education needs as much time as possible before the 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §6209, sub-§§5 and 6 are enacted to read: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT''A "to H.P. 1015, L.D. 1492 
5. Annual report; rules. The commissioner shall annually submit a report by 
February 1st to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
education matters on the status of the review of the content standards and performance 
indicators by content area conducted during the prior calendar year pursuant to subsection 
and in accordance with the schedule established pursuant to subsection 6. The annual 
report must include: 
A. A compilation and analysis of data on student progress towards achievement of 
proficiency in the content areas under review: and 
B. A listing of public comments received by the commissioner related to the content 
areas under review. 
The comrruss10ner shall adopt rules to implement this subsection. 
Rules adopted 
pursuant to this subsection are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, 
subchapter 2-A. 
6. 
Schedule; principles and protocol for review of content standards. 
In 
accordance with the provisions of subsections 4 and 5, the department shall establish a 
schedule and principles and protocol whereby the content standards and performance 
indicators by content area of the system of learning results are reviewed. 
A. The following principles guide the review of the content standards conducted by 
the department: 
(1) The review process must focus on the content standards of the system of 
learning results established pursuant to this section: 
(2) The review process must make recommendations to improve the system of 
learning results based on expert review and revisions of the content standards: 
(3) The review process must include opportunities for public comment on each 
of the content standards; and 
(4) The review of content standards must be consistent with the methodology 
used by the department for the establishment of the system of learning results. 
B. The department shall establish a content standards review committee and subject 
area content standards review subcommittees to review and approve annually the 
statewide content standards developed by the department pursuant to subsections 4 
and 5. 
Each subcommittee shall review the content standards for its respective 
subject area to ensure that the standards are clear, concise and appropriate for each 
grade level and that the standards promote improved student performance, learning, 
subject matter comprehension and achievement. 
The committees shall use the 
protocols in this paragraph as a guide when reviewing content standards. 
(1) The department shall provide opportunities for public comment on content 
standards. 
(a) The department shall post the content standards of the system ofleaming 
results established pursuant to this section on the department's publicly 
accessible website, and the website must allow for public comment on the 
content standards during and outside of the annual review cycle. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITIEE AMENDMENT"A-" to H.P. 1015, L.D. 1492 
(b) Prior to an annual review cycle, the department shall solicit parents, 
students, educators, community members and content standards review 
committee members to share their feedback on each individual content 
standard under review. 
(c) 
The department shall review the public comments and submit the 
information collected in a report to the content standards review committee 
and the appropriate content standards review subcommittees for their 
consideration. 
(2) The content standards review committee shall conduct an initial review of the 
public comment report submitted by the department regarding the content 
standards pursuant to subparagraph (1), division (c). 
(a) 
The content standards review committee shall provide procedural 
recommendations to each content standards review subcommittee based on 
the report under subparagraph (I). 
(b) The department shall summarize the recommendations from each content 
standards review committee based on the committee's review of the public 
comment report under subparagraph (I) and shall prepare materials for 
consideration by the content standards review subcommittees under 
subparagraph (3). 
(3) 
The content standards review subcommittees shall review the public 
comments pursuant to subparagraph (2) and the procedural recommendations 
regarding the current content standards sent from the content standards review 
committee pursuant to subparagraph (2). 
(a) The content standards review subcommittees shall work in grade span 
groups to review the current content standards. 
(b) 
Each content standards review 
subcommittee shall provide 
recommendations on proposed updates for the content standards under its 
review. 
(c) The department shall summarize the recommendations proposed by the 
content standards review subcommittees for the content standards review 
committee. 
(4) The content standards review committee shall conduct a final review of the 
proposed updates pursuant to subparagraph (3), division (b) and may direct the 
content standards review subcommittees to review revisions to the proposed 
updates. 
The department may adopt rules based on the recommendations from the content 
standards review committee and the content standards review subcommittees. Rules 
adopted pursuant to this subsection are major substantive rules pursuant to Title 5, 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. The department shall hold a public hearing and public 
comment period before provisionally adopting the rules. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1015, L.D. 1492 
Sec. 2. Department rules regarding review protocols; Legislature review. 
The Department of Education shall submit any rules adopted pursuant to the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 6209, subsection 6 to the Executive Director of the 
Legislative Council by January 6, 2017. The joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over education matters shall hold a public hearing on the rules before 
submitting the rules to the Legislature for adoption. 
Sec. 3. Rulemaking regarding content standards review reporting. The 
Commissioner of Education shall adopt rules on content standards review reporting to 
implement the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 6209, subsection 5 by June 30, 
2017. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are major substantive rules pursuant to Title 
5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved.' 
SUMMARY 
· This amendment replaces the bill and does the following. 
1. It requires the Commissioner of Education to submit an annual report to the joint 
standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters on the 
status of the review of the content standards and performance indicators by content area 
of the system of learning results established pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 
20-A, section 6209, subsection 4. 
2. It requires the annual report on the status of the review of the content standards to 
include a compilation and analysis of data on student progress towards achievement of 
the content areas under review and a listing of public comments received related to the 
content areas under review. It requires the Commissioner of Education, by June 30, 2017, 
to adopt or amend rules regarding the annual reporting requirement. 
3. It requires the Department of Education to establish a content standards review 
committee and content standards review subcommittees to review and approve the 
statewide content standards developed by the department pursuant to the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 20-A, section 6209, subsections 4 and 5. It authorizes the Commissioner 
of Education to adopt rules based on recommendations from the review committee and 
review subcommittees. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 03/04/16 feac 
LO 1492 
LR 2352(02) 
An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Education Standards in Maine 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ''/f [H -5 7qj 
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Additional costs to the Department of Education to implement the requirements of this legislation can be absorbed 
within existing budgeted resources. 
LR2352(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1