An Act To Ensure the Successful Implementation of Proficiency-based Diplomas by Extending the Timeline for Phasing in Their Implementation
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1666
Committee Amendment CA_B_H778 (House)
Amends: 20-A MRSA §4722-A

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "6" to H.P. 1152, L.D. 1666, Bill, "An Act To 
Ensure the Successful Implementation of Proficiency-based Diplomas by Extending the 
Timeline for Phasing in Their Implementation" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Ensure the Successful Implementation of Proficiency-based Diplomas' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 2 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §4722-A, sub-§3, ,rA, as amended by PL 2015, c. 489, §2, 
is further amended to read: 
A. A student who is a child with a disability, as defined in section 7001, subsection 
1-B, may meet the requirements of subsection 1 and beoome eligible for a diploma by 
demonstrating profioioooy in state standards established in the system of learning 
results through performanoe tasks and aooommodations that maintain the integrity of 
the standards---as-~-ed-in the student's individualized education program by the 
student's indi~tion program team pursuant to the requirements of 
chapter 301 be awarded a diploma indicating graduation from a secondary school by 
demonstrating proficiency in state standards established in the system of learning 
results in accordance with the student's individualized education program pursuant to 
the requirements of chapter 301. The individualized education program developed in 
the 2nd year of high school must specify how the student's disability affects 
achievement of proficiency in each content area and specify how the student will 
demonstrate P.ro:ficiency in each area. 
Sec. 3. 20-A MRSA §4722-A, sub-§3, 1B-2, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 489, §2, 
is amended to read: 
B-2. 
For the grnduating class of 2020 2021 2021-2022 and each subsequent 
graduating class, a student who has satisfactorily completed a state approved oareer 
and teohnioal eduoation-program of study and either separate or integrated study 
within the career and technical school cmTiculum, including through career and 
technical education programs and courses as defined in department iules established 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEEAMENDMENTc8"toH.P.1152,L.D.1666 
pursuant to section 8306-B, or who has met 3rd-party-verified national or state 
industty standards set forth in department tules established pursuant to section 
8306-B or ea.med 6 credits in a dual enrollment career and technical education 
program formed pursuant to chapter 229 from a regionally accredited institution of 
higher education and 1.vho haa--s-aeeeS&Ea1ly--demonstrated profioiene:y in meeting state 
standards in the oontenhtfeas and the guiding prinoiples set forth in department rules 
governing implementation of the system-ef-loorning results established pursuant to 
seotion 6209, is eligible to receive a high school diploma from the secondary school 
the student last attended. A student may be awarded a high school diploma from the 
secondaiy school the student last attended in accordance with the phase-in of the 
following diploma requirements for the graduating class of 2020 2021 2021-2022 to 
the graduating class of2023 2024 2024-2025: 
(1) For a student graduating in the graduating class of 2020 20212021-2022, the 
student has demonstrated proficiency in meeting the state standards in the content 
areas of English language arts, mathematics and social studies; 
(2) For a student graduating in the graduating class of 2021 2022 2022-2023, the 
student has demonstrated proficiency in meeting the state standards in the content 
areas of English language arts, mathematics, social studies and at least one 
additional content area of the student's choosing; 
(3) For a student graduating in the graduating class of 2022 2023 2023-2024, the 
student has demonstrated proficiency in meeting the state standards in the content 
areas of English language arts, mathematics, social studies and at least 2 
additional content areas of the student's choosing; and 
( 4) For a student graduating in the graduating class of ~024 2024-2025 and 
in each subsequent graduating class, the student has demonstrated proficiency in 
meeting the state standai·ds in the content areas of English language arts, 
mathematics, social studies and at least 3 additional content areas of the student's 
choosing. 
For the purposes of this paragraph, "content areas" refers to the content areas of the 
system of lea.ming results established under section 6209. 
Sec. 4. 20-A MRSA §4722-A, sub-§6-A is enacted to read: 
6-A. Development and implementation of_Jnoficiencv-based system. A school 
administrative unit shall implement and review proficiency-based diploma requirements 
and transcripts in collaboration with teach~rincipals, administrators, school board 
members, parents and other members of the public in accordance with this subsection. 
A. Each school administrative unit shall convene a stakeholder group to determine 
the status of that school administrative unit's implementation of a proficiency-based 
system and identify measures necessaty to meet the deadlines established in this 
section. The stakeholder group shall develop appropriate training for all educators in 
the proficiency-based system. 
The stakeholder group shall report on the school 
administrative unit's implementation of the proficiency-based system in accordance 
with a schedule established by the department. 
Prior to implementing a 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
C01vllvHTIEEAMENDMENT6'toH.P. 1152,L.D.1666 
proficiency-based system, each school administrative unit shall provide training 
developed by the stakeholder group to all educators in the unit. 
(1) Except as provided in subparagraph (2), the majority of the members of the 
stakeholder group must be teachers, 2/3 of whom must have the endorsement of 
the maj01:ity_of the teachers in the school administrative unit and 2/3 of whom 
must have the endorsement of the majority of the school administrative unit's 
governing bo~ 
(2) If, prior to the effective date of this paragraph, a school administrative unit 
establishes a stakeholder group for the pmpose of implementing a 
proficiency-based system, then that existing group of stakeholders may continue 
as constituted and is not required to meet the requirements of subparagraph (1) as 
long as a majority of the teachers in the school administrative unit consent to the 
continuation of the stakeholder group as constituted. 
B. Each school administrative unit shall form a steering committee composed of 
teachers, administrators and other school administrative unit staff to regularly review 
and refine the proficiency-based system in the unit to ensure that it meets the 
requirements of this section and is aligned with school administrative unit goals and 
priorities. 
C. fu accordance with rules adopted by the department under subsection 7, a school 
administrative unit may request and the department may grant an extension or waiver 
of the timelines established in this section. 
Sec. 5. 
Technical assistance. 
The Department of Education shall provide 
technical assistance to school administrative units in implementing proficiency-based 
systems, including, but not limited to: providing definitions of proficiency; establishing 
criteria for ensuring the intents and purposes of a proficiency-based system are achieved; 
developing model course descriptions; developing training resources for use in training 
educators; and developing a school implementation report template. Appropriate model 
training modules for teachers must be developed by the department.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment is the minority report of the Joint Standing Committee on Education 
and Cultural Affairs. The amendment retains the bill's provisions to delay by one year the 
timeline for the implementation of proficiency-based diplomas. The amendment makes 
several changes to the implementation of the proficiency-based system, including: 
1. Refining the provisions regarding the exceptions for students with disabilities to 
· 35 
be awarded a proficiency-based diploma; and 
2. Strengthening the provisions for career and technical education students to meet 
the proficiency-based diploma requirements within the context of the career and technical 
education curriculum, including career and technical education programs and courses as 
defined in the Department of Education's rules. 
The amendment also requires that the Department of Education provide technical 
assistance to school administrative units in implementing proficiency-based systems, 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEEAMENDMENTx3"toH.P.1152,L.D.1666 
including providing definitions of proficiency, establishing criteria for ensuring that the 
intents and purposes of a proficiency-based system are achieved, developing model 
course descriptions and developing training resources for use in training educators. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 04/17/18 ;:Wac 
128th lVlAINE LEGISLATURE 
LD 1666 
LR2591(03) 
An Act To Ensure the Successful Implementation of Proficiency-based Diplomas by Extending the 
Timeline for Phasing in Their Implementation 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment/J(/f,'?!JB) 
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs 
Fiscal Note Rcq uircd: Yes 
F'iscal Note 
Potential State Mandate - Unfunded 
State Mandates 
Required Activity 
Unit Affected 
Requires each school administrative unit (SAU) to convene a stakeholder group to: 
School 
1) determine status of implementing a proficiency-based system; 2) provide an 
assessment of work needed to be done in order to meet established deadlines; and 3) 
develop and provide appropriate training for all educators in proficiency-based 
system. Also requires each SAU to form a steering committee to regularly review 
and refine the SAU's proficiency-based system to ensure that it meets requirements 
and is aligned with SAU's goals and priorities. 
Local Cost 
Significant 
statewide 
The required local activities in this bill may represent a state mandate pursuant to the Constitution of Maine. If the bill 
does require a local unit of government to expand or modify its activities so as to necessitate additional expenditures 
from local revenue, the state mandate provisions of the Constitution of Maine require either: (1) General Fund 
appropriations be provided to fund at least 90% of any additional necessitated local costs of the mandate; or (2) a 
Mandate Preamble be added to the bill and two-thirds of the members of each House vote to exempt the mandate from 
the funding requirement. If the bill does represent a state mandate and neither one of these actions occurs, the local 
units of government will not be required to implement the mandated activities. 
l?iscal Detail and Notes 
Additional costs to the Department of Education to provide the required technical assistance to SAU's in 
implementing proficiency-based systems can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR2591(03)- Fiscal Note - Page 1 of I