An Act To Improve Science and Engineering Education for Maine's Students
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0049
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: DEVIN, POULIOT, MILLETT, LANGLEY, DAUGHTRY, HIGGINS, HUBBELL, PIERCE, STEARNS, STEWART, DILL, MAKER
Amends: 20-A MRSA §6209, 20-A MRSA §13704

Legislative Document
No. 49
H.P. 35
House of Representatives, January 10, 2017
An Act To Improve Science and Engineering Education for Maine's 
Students
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative DEVIN of Newcastle.
Cosponsored by Representative POULIOT of Augusta, Senator MILLETT of Cumberland, 
Senator LANGLEY of Hancock and Representatives: DAUGHTRY of Brunswick, HIGGINS 
of Dover-Foxcroft, HUBBELL of Bar Harbor, PIERCE of Falmouth, STEARNS of Guilford, 
STEWART of Presque Isle, Senators: DILL of Penobscot, MAKER of Washington.
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. 489, §3, 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 must include a core of 
standards in English language arts and, mathematics and science for kindergarten to grade 
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 shall establish accountability standards at all grade levels in the areas of 
mathematics;, reading; and science and technology. The department shall establish 
parameters for essential instruction 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 a public school, a 
public charter school as defined in section 2401, subsection 9 or a private school 
approved for tuition purposes that enrolls at least 60% publicly funded students, as 
determined by the previous school year's October and April average enrollment, is 
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.  20-A MRSA §6209, sub-§1-A, ¶C, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 259, §5, is 
amended to read: 
C.  Science, in those content areas concerning cells and continuity and change. 
Sec. 3.  20-A MRSA §13704, sub-§3, ¶A, as amended by PL 2015, c. 3, §1, is 
further amended to read: 
A.  The rating must be based on standards of professional practice and measures of 
educator effectiveness.  The proportionate weight of the standards and the measures 
is a local decision, but measurements of student learning and growth must be a 
significant factor in the determination of the rating of an educator.  School 
administrative units shall use state assessment growth data for English language arts, 
literacy, science and mathematics as at least one measure of the performance of 
English language arts, science and mathematics teachers in tested grades and as a 
measure for the performance of principals. 
An educator whose summative effectiveness rating indicates ineffectiveness must 
receive an annual summative effectiveness evaluation and rating until the rating 
improves. 
An individualized education plan may not be used to measure student growth for the 
purposes of teacher and principal evaluation, but an individualized education plan 
may be a source of evidence from which learning objectives and learning targets may 
be developed. 
Sec. 4.  Rulemaking.  The Commissioner of Education shall amend the 
Department of Education’s Rules Chapter 131, the Maine Federal, State, and Local 
Accountability Standards, and Rules Chapter 132, Learning Results:  Parameters for 
Essential Instruction, to include in the statewide system of learning results and 
assessment a core of science standards for kindergarten to grade 12 aligned to the "Next 
Generation Science Standards" that was developed by a collaborative, state-led process 
involving the National Research Council of the National Academies of Sciences, 
Engineering, and Medicine, the National Science Teachers Association, the American 
Association for the Advancement of Science and others and released in April 2013.  The 
science standards included in these rules must include science and engineering aspects of 
the Next Generation Science Standards that clarify for students the relevance of science, 
technology, engineering and mathematics to everyday life and help students become 
successful analytical thinkers, prepared for college and careers. 
The 2 rules chapters to be amended by the Commissioner of Education in accordance 
with this section are major substantive rules pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 
20-A, section 253, subsection 9 and section 6211.  In order to implement the science 
standards as part of the State's system of learning results and assessment beginning with 
the 2019-2020 school year, the Department of Education shall provisionally adopt these 
amended rules on or before December 31, 2017 and shall submit the provisionally 
adopted rules to the Executive Director of the Legislative Council by the deadline 
established for the legislative acceptance period in 2018 in accordance with Title 5, 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires the Department of Education to include the so-called Next 
Generation Science Standards for kindergarten to grade 12 in the State's system of 
learning results and assessment and directs the Commissioner of Education to amend 
Department of Education rules on or before December 31, 2017 in order to include the 
science standards as part of the State's system of learning results and assessment 
beginning with the 2019-2020 school year.