An Act To Improve the Quality of Teachers
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0818
Committee Amendment CA_A_S203 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AlvfENDMENT "A " to S.P. 263, L.D. 818, Bill, "An Act To 
Improve the Quality of Teachers" 
Amend the bill in section 1 in subsection 2-A in the 3rd line (page 1, line 6 in L.D.) 
by inserting after the following: "subsection 2-B, has" the following: 'either' 
Amend the bill in section 1 in subsection 2-A in the 6th line (page 1, line 9 in L.D.) 
by inserting after the following: "senior year" the following: 'or successfully completed 
hours of practicum or internship hours that are in addition to the 15 weeks required for 
student teaching in a postbaccalaureate teacher certification program or graduate program' 
Amend the bill in section 2 in subsection 2-C in paragraph A in the 2nd line (page 2, 
line 7 in L.D.) by inserting after the following: "4.0 grade point system" the following: 'or 
at least an average proficiency rating for teacher preparation programs using proficiency-
based grading systems' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment is the majority report of the committee. The amendment: 
1. Requires that postbaccalaureate teacher certification programs and graduate 
programs be included in the State Board of Education's rules governing the qualifications 
for a provisional teacher certificate; and 
2. Allows an educational institution that uses a proficiency-based grading system and 
offers an approved teacher preparation program to maintain at least an average 
proficiency rating for its students rather than a 3.0 average grade point average based on a 
4.0 grade point system for its students. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 05/27 /17 .feac 
LD 818 
LR 156(02) 
An Act To Improve the Quality of Teachers 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'A" ( S .. ~ O 3) 
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/ Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Current biennium cost increase - General Fund 
Current biennium cost increase - School Administrative Units 
FY2017-18 
FY 2018-19 
$250,000 
$250,000 
$250,000 
$250,000 
Projections 
FY2019-20 
$250,000 
$250,000 
Projections 
FY 2020-21 
$250,000 
$250,000 
This bill includes ongoing General Fund appropriations of $250,000 per year beginning in fiscal year 2016-17 to the 
Student Financial Assistance Program within the Finance Authority of Maine for the costs of doubling the amount of 
loans awarded to eligible students in the Educators for Maine Program. This appropriation does not include any 
funding for the other costs of this bill, which are described below. 
This legislation requires local school administrative units to increase the minimum salary for certified teachers to 
$40,000 beginning in the 2018-2019 school year. The Department of Education, utilizing the 2016-17 staff data 
available on its NEO data system, has estimated the cost of this provision to be $14,122,162. This amount does not 
include, and the bill does not address, any additional costs to local school administrative units to adjust salary 
schedules for certified teachers whose salaries will be above the $40,000 minimum in fiscal year 2018-19 when 
teachers whose salaries are below the $40,000 threshold will be increased to $40,000. The Department has indicated 
it will also require one-time funding of $207 ,600 in fiscal year 2018-19 for programming costs. 
Additionally, an increase in salaries will increase the employer contribution for the normal cost component of the 
Maine Public Employers Retirement System (MainePERS). That rate for teachers for fiscal year 2018-19 is 3.97%. 
When this rate is applied to the projected increase in teacher salaries, the additional amount local school 
administrative units will have to pay to MainePERS for the normal cost of teacher retirement is estimated to be 
$560,650 in fiscal year 2018-19. 
This bill requires the Department of Education to determine the amount of state funds necessary to fund the increase 
in the minimum salary for teachers and report that amount to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural 
Affairs no later than December 15, 2017 and provides that the committee shall report out a bill to the Second Regular 
Session of the 128th Legislature to provide the necessary funding. Unless this funding is approved and enacted by the 
128th Legislature during the 2nd Regular session, the full cost of this measure will be borne by local school 
administrative units. For any future fiscal year that the State chooses not to fund the additional cost of this minimum 
salary requirement, local school administrative units will be required to fund 100% of the cost. 
Finally, adding the cost to fund salary supplements to teachers who are involved in the operation of support systems 
required to provide assistance for provisional teachers during each year of their probationary period to the 
miscellaneous cost component of essential programs and services will increase the total cost of education for 
kindergarten to grade 12. The cost can not be estimated at this time. Unless funding is provided by the State for this 
provision, the cost will be borne by local school administrative units.