An Act To Repeal Certain Requirements for Graduation from Secondary School
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0356
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: SAMPSON, BRAKEY, DILLINGHAM, GERRISH, HEAD, HIGGINS, MASON, O'CONNOR, TUELL, TURNER
Amends: 20-A MRSA §4511, 20-A MRSA §4722-A, 20-A MRSA §6209, 20-A MRSA §6211, 20-A MRSA §6214

Legislative Document
No. 356
H.P. 262
House of Representatives, February 2, 2017
An Act To Repeal Certain Requirements for Graduation from 
Secondary School
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative SAMPSON of Alfred.
Cosponsored by Senator BRAKEY of Androscoggin and
Representatives: DILLINGHAM of Oxford, GERRISH of Lebanon, HEAD of Bethel, 
HIGGINS of Dover-Foxcroft, MASON of Lisbon, O'CONNOR of Berwick, TUELL of East 
Machias, TURNER of Burlington.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §4511, sub-§3, ¶J, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 489, §1, is 
amended to read: 
J.  The school demonstrates evidence of sufficient capacity through multiple 
pathways as set out in section 4703 for students to reach proficiency in each of the 
content areas of the system of learning results established under section 6209 and in 
each of the guiding principles set forth in department rules governing implementation 
of the system of learning results established pursuant to section 6209. 
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §4722-A, sub-§1, ¶B-1, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 489, §2, 
is amended to read: 
B-1.  Phase in the following diploma requirements from the 2020-2021 school year to 
the 2024-2025 school year: 
(1)  For a student graduating in the graduating class of 2020-2021, certify that the 
student has demonstrated proficiency in meeting the state standards in the content 
areas of English language arts, mathematics, science and technology and social 
studies; 
(2)  For a student graduating in the graduating class of 2021-2022, certify that the 
student has demonstrated proficiency in meeting the state standards in the content 
areas of English language arts, mathematics, science and technology, social 
studies and at least one additional content area of the student’s choice; 
(3)  For a student graduating in the graduating class of 2022-2023, certify that the 
student has demonstrated proficiency in meeting the state standards in the content 
areas of English language arts, mathematics, science and technology, social 
studies and at least 2 additional content areas of the student’s choice; 
(4)  For a student graduating in the graduating class of 2023-2024, certify that the 
student has demonstrated proficiency in meeting the state standards in the content 
areas of English language arts, mathematics, science and technology, social 
studies and at least 3 additional content areas of the student’s choice; and 
(5)  For a student graduating in the graduating class of 2024-2025 and for each 
subsequent graduating class, certify that the student has demonstrated proficiency 
in meeting the state standards in all content areas. 
For the purposes of this paragraph, "content areas" refers to the content areas of the 
system of learning results established under section 6209.; and 
Sec. 3.  20-A MRSA §4722-A, sub-§1, ¶C, as amended by PL 2015, c. 489, §2, 
is repealed. 
Sec. 4.  20-A MRSA §4722-A, sub-§3, ¶B-2, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 489, §2, 
is amended to read: 
B-2.  For the graduating class of 2020-2021 and each subsequent graduating class, a 
student who has satisfactorily completed a state-approved career and technical 
education program of study and either met 3rd-party-verified national or state 
industry standards set forth in department rules established pursuant to section 
8306-B or earned 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 who has successfully demonstrated proficiency in meeting state 
standards in the content areas and the guiding principles set forth in department rules 
governing implementation of the system of learning results established pursuant to 
section 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 
secondary school the student last attended in accordance with the phase-in of the 
following diploma requirements for the graduating class of 2020-2021 to the 
graduating class of 2023-2024: 
(1)  For a student graduating in the graduating class of 2020-2021, 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, 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, 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 2023-2024 and in each 
subsequent graduating class, the student has demonstrated proficiency in meeting 
the state standards 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 learning results established under section 6209. 
Sec. 5.  20-A MRSA §4722-A, sub-§6, as amended by PL 2015, c. 489, §2, is 
further amended to read: 
6.  Implementation of proficiency-based diplomas and transcripts.  Beginning in 
the 2016-2017 school year, the department shall annually collect and report data on the 
progress of public schools and public charter schools towards the implementation of 
proficiency-based diplomas and transcripts in relation to the ongoing transition plan 
required pursuant to section 4502, subsection 1, including the number of students 
graduating with proficiency-based diplomas, the number of students concluding their 
high school careers proficient in each of the content areas of the system of learning 
results established under section 6209 and in each of the guiding principles set forth in 
department rules governing implementation of the system of learning results established 
pursuant to section 6209 and the number of students certified as ready for college and 
careers.  By January 15, 2017, and annually thereafter, the department shall provide an 
annual report of the data collected for the prior school year to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters, and the 
department shall post the annual report on its publicly accessible website. 
Sec. 6.  20-A MRSA §6209, sub-§3-A, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 489, §5, is 
amended to read: 
A.  Maintain student transcripts containing certification of proficiency for each 
content area and guiding principle in the system of learning results pursuant to this 
section in which the student has demonstrated proficiency; 
Sec. 7.  20-A MRSA §6211, as amended by PL 2015, c. 489, §7, is further 
amended to read: 
§6211.  Rulemaking 
The commissioner shall develop rules to accomplish the purposes of this chapter.  
Rules adopted by the commissioner under this chapter must include guidelines and 
protocols to strengthen the capacity of school administrative units to ensure sufficient 
opportunity through multiple pathways for all students to achieve proficiency in meeting 
the state standards and guiding principles under the system of learning results established 
pursuant to section 6209.  Rules adopted pursuant to this chapter are major substantive 
rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
Sec. 8.  20-A MRSA §6214, sub-§1, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 500, §1, is 
amended to read: 
B.  Use measures of student proficiency in all content areas of the learning results and 
the guiding principles using data gathered under section 4722-A, subsection 5; 
SUMMARY 
Under current law, in order to award to a student a diploma indicating graduation 
from secondary school, a school must certify that the student has demonstrated 
proficiency in each of the guiding principles set forth in rules adopted by the Department 
of Education.  In accordance with rules adopted by the department, the guiding principles 
are measured using rubrics that assess and grade a student's proficiencies in being a clear 
and effective communicator, a self-directed and lifelong learner, a creative and practical 
problem solver, a responsible and involved citizen and an integrative and informed 
thinker.  This bill repeals this requirement.