An Act To Improve the Quality of Teachers
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0818
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: MILLETT, COLLINGS, McCREA, BREEN, CARPENTER, DIAMOND, HILL, VITELLI, FARNSWORTH, FULLER, KORNFIELD
Amends: 20-A MRSA §13012, 20-A MRSA §13015, 20-A MRSA §13406, 20-A MRSA §13407, 20-A MRSA §15689, 20-A MRSA §15689-A

Legislative Document
No. 818
S.P. 263
In Senate, March 2, 2017
An Act To Improve the Quality of Teachers
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator MILLETT of Cumberland.
Cosponsored by Representative COLLINGS of Portland, Representative McCREA of Fort 
Fairfield and
Senators: BREEN of Cumberland, CARPENTER of Aroostook, DIAMOND of Cumberland, 
HILL of York, VITELLI of Sagadahoc, Representatives: FARNSWORTH of Portland, 
FULLER of Lewiston, KORNFIELD of Bangor.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §13012, sub-§2-A, as amended by PL 2011, c. 635, Pt. B, 
§4, is further amended to read: 
2-A.  Qualifications.  State board rules governing the qualifications for a provisional 
teacher certificate must require that a certificate may only be issued to an applicant who 
meets the requirements of subsection 2-B, has successfully completed 90 hours of 
practicum and a student teaching experience of at least 15 weeks, which must commence 
no later than the applicant's junior year and continue only after the applicant’s satisfactory 
disposition assessment during the applicant's senior year, and: 
A.  For elementary school, has met academic and preprofessional requirements 
established by the state board for teaching at the elementary school level and has 
graduated with a grade point average of at least 3.0 based on a 4.0 grade point system 
in the applicant's teacher preparation course work from an accredited, degree-granting 
educational institution upon completion of: 
(1)  A bachelor's degree from a 4-year accredited college or university; 
(2)  A 4-year program in liberal arts and sciences; or 
(3)  An approved 4-year teacher preparation program and has majored in the 
subject area to be taught or an interdisciplinary program in liberal arts; 
B.  For secondary school, has met academic and preprofessional requirements 
established by the state board for teaching at the secondary school level and has 
graduated with a grade point average of at least 3.0 based on a 4.0 grade point system 
in the applicant's teacher preparation course work from an accredited, degree-granting 
educational institution upon completion of: 
(1)  A bachelor's degree from a 4-year accredited college or university; 
(2)  A 4-year program in liberal arts and sciences; or 
(3)  An approved 4-year teacher preparation program and has majored in the 
subject area to be taught; 
C.  Is otherwise qualified by having met separate educational criteria for specialized 
teaching areas, including, but not limited to, special education, home economics, 
agriculture, career and technical education, art, music, business education, physical 
education and industrial arts, as established by the state board for teaching in these 
specialized areas; or 
D.  Has completed 6 credit hours of approved study within 5 years prior to 
application, has met entry-level standards and has held either a professional teacher 
certificate that expired more than 5 years prior to the application date or a provisional 
teacher certificate issued prior to July 1, 1988 that expired more than 5 years prior to 
the application date. 
For the purposes of this subsection, "practicum" means direct student engagement, 
including but not limited to tutoring, planning and implementing lesson plans and 
otherwise directly interacting with students on an individual basis or in a group setting. 
"Practicum" does not include activities that are composed solely of observing classrooms 
or students. 
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §13012, sub-§2-C is enacted to read: 
2-C.  Teacher preparation programs.  Except as provided in this subsection, by 
July 1, 2018: 
A.  An educational institution offering an approved teacher preparation program must 
maintain a 3.0 average grade point average based on a 4.0 grade point system for all 
students completing the program and receiving a recommendation from the 
educational institution for certification in the preceding academic year; 
B.  An educational institution offering an approved teacher preparation program shall 
develop a disposition assessment instrument that clearly describes the operational 
definition of each disposition component for candidates; and 
C.  An educational institution offering an approved teacher preparation program shall 
report to the department average grade point averages and shall report them 
separately for undergraduate and postbaccalaureate students completing the program 
who receive recommendations for certification. 
Prior to July 1, 2018, the dean or director of an approved teacher preparation program in 
compliance with the requirements of paragraphs A, B and C may request that the 
commissioner waive the grade point average requirement established under subsection 
2-A, paragraphs A and B for an applicant for a provisional teacher certificate under 
extenuating circumstances. 
If an educational institution through its teacher preparation program is unable to meet the 
grade point average requirements by July 1, 2018, the educational institution may request 
up to 2 one-year extensions from the commissioner.  The commissioner may not provide 
an extension that commences on or after July 1, 2020. 
Sec. 3.  20-A MRSA §13015, sub-§3, ¶¶C and D, as enacted by PL 1983, c. 
845, §4, are amended to read: 
C.  A description of the duties of the master teacher responsible for the design and 
coordination of a teacher action plan; and 
D.  A description of any current or planned linkages the support system has or will 
have with institutions of higher education, department personnel and members of the 
public in the operation of its support system.; and 
Sec. 4.  20-A MRSA §13015, sub-§3, ¶E is enacted to read: 
E.  For provisional teachers during each year of their probationary period: 
(1)  Observations of classroom instruction of a minimum of 4 classes; and 
(2)  Formative feedback and improvement conversations throughout the school 
year. 
Sec. 5.  20-A MRSA §13406, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 635, §6, is repealed. 
Sec. 6.  20-A MRSA §13407 is enacted to read: 
§13407.  Minimum salaries beginning in 2018-2019 school year 
A school administrative unit shall establish a minimum salary of $40,000 for certified 
teachers for the school year starting after June 30, 2018 and in each subsequent school 
year. A school administrative unit shall provide to the department on or before October 
1st the number of teachers eligible for incremental salary increases as defined in section 
15689, subsection 7-A, paragraph A. 
Sec. 7.  20-A MRSA §15689, sub-§7-A is enacted to read: 
7-A.  Adjustment for minimum teacher salary. Beginning in fiscal year 2018-19 
and in each subsequent fiscal year, the commissioner shall, in accordance with this 
subsection, increase the state share of the total allocation to a qualifying school 
administrative unit by an amount necessary to achieve the minimum salary for certified 
teachers established in section 13407. 
A.  As used in this subsection, unless the context otherwise indicates, "qualifying 
school administrative unit" means a school administrative unit that the commissioner 
determines to have a locally established salary schedule with a minimum teacher 
salary of less than $40,000 in school year 2017-2018. As used in this subsection, 
unless the context otherwise indicates, "incremental salary increases" means the 
incremental increases in the salaries of teachers employed by a qualifying school 
administrative unit in school year 2017-2018 necessary to meet the minimum salary 
requirements of section 13407 in fiscal year 2018-19 and thereafter. 
B.  The commissioner shall allocate the funds appropriated by the Legislature in 
fiscal year 2018-19 and each subsequent fiscal year in accordance with the following. 
(1)  The amount of increased funds provided to qualifying school administrative 
units under this subsection must be the amount necessary to fund the incremental 
salary increases. 
(2)  The number of teachers eligible for incremental salary increases in a 
qualifying school administrative unit for a fiscal year must be based on the local 
staff information supplied to the department pursuant to section 13407 in that 
fiscal year. 
(3)  The increased funds provided under this subsection must be issued to the 
qualifying school administrative units as an adjustment to the state school 
subsidy for distribution to the teachers. Qualifying school administrative units 
must use the payments provided under this subsection to provide salary 
adjustments to those teachers eligible for incremental salary increases. The 
department shall collect the necessary data to allow the funds to be included in 
the qualifying school administrative unit's monthly subsidy payments beginning 
no later than February 1st of each fiscal year. 
Sec. 8.  20-A MRSA §15689-A, sub-§27 is enacted to read: 
27.  Salary supplements for approved support systems for teacher certification.  
The commissioner shall pay the costs attributable to the involvement of teachers in the 
operation of a school administrative unit's support system approved in accordance with 
the provisions of section 13015. The amount of the payments must be equal to the 
teacher's per diem salary rate multiplied by the number of days the teacher is involved in 
the operation of an approved support system. 
Sec. 9.  State Board of Education; rulemaking.  The State Board of Education 
shall amend the standards and procedures for the review and approval of preparation 
programs for education personnel established in its rule Chapter 114: Purpose, Standards 
and Procedures for the Review and Approval of Preparation Programs for Education 
Personnel to articulate and outline clear standards for a memorandum of understanding 
between student teachers, teacher preparation programs and participating school 
administrative units.  The State Board of Education shall solicit comments from teacher 
preparation programs, teachers and school administrative unit leaders as to the 
appropriate standards that should be part of the memorandum of understanding.  The 
proposed amendments to the rules must include: 
1. A memorandum of understanding template, which must be developed with teacher 
preparation programs and cooperating teachers, that clearly outlines the requirements for 
both participants.  Student teachers, teacher preparation programs and school 
administrative units hosting cooperating teachers must be required to sign a memorandum 
of understanding outlining the expectations of all parties involved in the student teaching 
experience and practicum as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 
13012, subsection 2-A; 
2. Ways to increase the number of cooperating teachers, including but not limited to 
financial compensation, a positive effect on the performance evaluation of a cooperating 
teacher, recertification credit and college credit; and 
3. Rules to implement the grade point average requirement provisions for teacher 
preparation programs established under Title 20-A, section 13012, subsection 2-C related 
to the issuance of provisional teacher certificates. 
Rules adopted or amended pursuant to this section are major substantive rules as 
defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.  The State Board of Education shall 
submit the provisionally adopted amendments to its rule Chapter 114: Purpose, Standards 
and Procedures for the Review and Approval of Preparation Programs for Education 
Personnel to the Executive Director of the Legislative Council by January 12, 2018. 
Sec. 10.  Professional Standards Board.  The Governor shall appoint members 
for all vacant positions on the Professional Standards Board established under the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, chapter 502-B no later than November 1, 2017, and the 
Professional Standards Board shall convene a meeting no later than December 1, 2017. 
Sec. 11.  Costs.  The Department of Education shall determine the amount of state 
funds necessary to meet the requirements of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, 
section 15689, subsection 7-A and shall report that amount to the Joint Standing 
Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs no later than December 15, 2017. The 
committee shall report out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 128th Legislature 
to provide the necessary funding. 
Sec. 12.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
FINANCE AUTHORITY OF MAINE 
Student Financial Assistance Programs 0653 
Initiative: Provides funding to pay the costs of doubling the funds available for loans 
awarded to eligible students from the Educators for Maine Program. 
SUMMARY 
This bill proposes to improve teacher quality in the State by amending the current 
statutes related to programs involving teacher preparation, support systems for 
provisional teachers, teacher certification and teacher salaries and funding college loans 
for students enrolled in a program of study leading to certification as a teacher. 
The bill expands the student teaching experience and academic achievement 
requirements for a provisional teacher certificate. It specifies the number of hours of 
practicum an applicant must complete, clarifies the time frame during which the student 
teaching experience must occur and specifies that the grade point average requirement 
applies only to an applicant's teacher preparation course work. The bill enacts a grade 
point average requirement with respect to applicants recommended by educational 
institutions offering teacher preparation programs. 
The bill strengthens the support systems required to provide assistance for provisional 
teachers during each year of their probationary period and requires the Commissioner of 
Education to pay salary supplements to teachers who are involved in the operation of 
such systems. 
The bill increases the minimum salary for certified teachers to $40,000 beginning 
with the 2018-2019 school year and includes in the school funding formula state funding 
for the incremental costs of meeting this minimum beginning in fiscal year 2018-19. 
The bill requires the State Board of Education to amend its rule Chapter 114: 
Purpose, Standards and Procedures for the Review and Approval of Preparation Programs 
for Education Personnel to articulate and outline clear standards for a memorandum of 
understanding between student teachers, teacher preparation programs and participating 
school administrative units. 
GENERAL FUND 
2017-18
2018-19
All Other 
$250,000
$250,000
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
$250,000
$250,000
The bill directs the Governor to appoint members to vacant positions on the 
Professional Standards Board by November 1, 2017 and directs the board to convene a 
meeting by December 1, 2017. 
The bill provides additional appropriations for the Educators for Maine Program 
within the Finance Authority of Maine in order to double the annual investment of state 
loan funds awarded to eligible students.