An Act To Reduce Remedial Course Requirements at Maine Community Colleges
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0338
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: STEARNS, DILL, FARNSWORTH, HIGGINS, MAKER, EDGECOMB
Amends: 20-A MRSA §6202, 20-A MRSA §12709

Legislative Document 
No. 338 
H.P. 232 
House of Representatives, February 10, 2015 
An Act To Reduce Remedial Course Requirements at Maine 
Community Colleges 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative STEARNS of Guilford. 
Cosponsored by Senator DILL of Penobscot and 
Representatives: FARNSWORTH of Portland, HIGGINS of Dover-Foxcroft, MAKER of 
Calais, McCLELLAN of Raymond, Senator: EDGECOMB of Aroostook. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §6202, sub-§3 is enacted to read: 
3.  Preparatory education testing.  The department in consultation with the state 
board shall establish a statewide assessment program to measure and evaluate the 
academic achievements of students in grade 10 for purposes of determining preparedness 
for postsecondary education.  This assessment applies to all students attending public 
secondary schools, public charter schools, as defined in section 2401, subsection 9, and 
private schools approved for tuition that enroll at least 60% publicly funded students, as 
determined by the previous school year's October and April average enrollment.  Costs 
relating to the assessment program established under this subsection must be paid by the 
department; however, the department shall ensure that the assessment is available to a 
student to retake, at the student's own expense, prior to June 1st of every year. 
A.  The assessment program must be designed to provide data in the areas of reading 
comprehension, writing and mathematics, at a minimum, and must be sufficient to 
allow the Maine Community College System to determine whether a student would 
be required to enroll in remedial coursework in those areas in the Maine Community 
College System. 
B.  If a student does not achieve at least the score in a specific subject area tested, as 
determined under section 12709, subsection 10-A, and is accepted at and enrolls in a 
college within the Maine Community College System, the college shall pay the costs 
of all remedial coursework the student may be required to complete in that specific 
subject area in pursuit of the student's course of study declared at matriculation. 
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §12709, sub-§10-A is enacted to read: 
10-A.  Admissions.  To determine admissions criteria for each of the colleges within 
the system, including annually determining the scores a student who has completed the 
assessment program established under section 6202, subsection 3 must achieve in each of 
the specific subject areas tested under section 6202, subsection 3, to conclusively indicate 
that the student is qualified for college-level work in the system and will not need to 
enroll in remedial coursework while attending a college within the system; 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires that all students in grade 10 in a public school, public charter school 
or private school approved for tuition that enrolls at least 60% publicly funded students 
complete an academic achievement assessment established by the Department of 
Education and the State Board of Education.  The President of the Maine Community 
College System must determine the scores on the assessment that conclusively indicate 
that a student will not need to enroll in remedial coursework while attending a college 
within the system.  If a student whose score indicates that remedial coursework is 
required is accepted at and enrolls in a college within the system, the college must pay the 
costs of any remedial coursework the student may need to complete in the course of study 
declared at matriculation.