An Act To Enable Earlier Introduction of Career and Technical Education in Maine Schools
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1576
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: LANGLEY, SAMPSON, DAVIS, SAVIELLO, WHITTEMORE, WOODSOME, GINZLER, KORNFIELD, TURNER
Amends: 20-A MRSA §8301-A, 20-A MRSA §8305-A, 20-A MRSA §8451, 20-A MRSA §15672

Legislative Document
No. 1576
S.P. 554
In Senate, May 4, 2017
An Act To Enable Earlier Introduction of Career and Technical 
Education in Maine Schools
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator LANGLEY of Hancock.  (GOVERNOR'S BILL)
Cosponsored by Representative SAMPSON of Alfred and
Senators: DAVIS of Piscataquis, SAVIELLO of Franklin, WHITTEMORE of Somerset, 
WOODSOME of York, Representatives: GINZLER of Bridgton, KORNFIELD of Bangor, 
McCREA of Fort Fairfield, TURNER of Burlington.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §8301-A, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2003, c. 545, §1, is 
further amended to read: 
1.  Affiliated unit.  "Affiliated unit" means a school administrative unit that is 
affiliated with another school administrative unit that operates a center.  An affiliated 
school administrative unit may have its secondary students and middle school level 
students served by a center operated by a school administrative unit with which it is 
affiliated.  An affiliated school administrative unit may also operate career and technical 
education satellite programs. 
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §8301-A, sub-§2-A, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 545, §1, is 
amended to read: 
2-A.  Career and technical education.  "Career and technical education" means a 
course or program of education designed to create or improve job-related skills that is 
part of a secondary school or middle school level curriculum and approved by the 
commissioner according to this chapter.  A school administrative unit shall make career 
and technical education available to persons residing in the school administrative unit 
who are eligible to receive free public secondary and middle school level education. 
Sec. 3.  20-A MRSA §8301-A, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2003, c. 545, §1, is 
further amended to read: 
3.  Center.  "Center" means an administrative entity established pursuant to this 
chapter that provides career and technical education to secondary students and middle 
school level students.  Unless otherwise specifically provided for by this chapter, a center 
is governed, operated and administered by a single school administrative unit.  A center 
shall make its programs available to serve secondary students and middle school level 
students from school administrative units with which it is affiliated.  A center may 
include within its administrative structure career and technical education satellite 
programs operated by school administrative units with which it is affiliated. 
Sec. 4.  20-A MRSA §8301-A, sub-§3-A is enacted to read: 
3-A.  Middle school level.  "Middle school level" has the same meaning as in section 
15672, subsection 20. 
Sec. 5.  20-A MRSA §8301-A, sub-§§6 and 8, as amended by PL 2003, c. 545, 
§1, are further amended to read: 
6.  Region.  "Region" means a quasi-municipal corporation established by the 
Legislature to provide career and technical education to secondary students and middle 
school level students that is comprised of all the school administrative units within the 
geographical boundaries set forth for each career and technical education region in 
section 8451.  A region is governed by a cooperative board formed and operating in 
accordance with this chapter. 
8.  Satellite program.  "Satellite program" means a program providing career and 
technical education to secondary students and middle school level students that is 
operated, under section 8403-A, by a school administrative unit affiliated with a center. 
Sec. 6.  20-A MRSA §8305-A, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2011, c. 679, §7, is 
further amended to read: 
1.  General right.  A person eligible to receive free public secondary and middle 
school level education may, consistent with this section and department rules: 
A.  Receive career and technical education from a center, satellite program or region 
that serves the person's residence; or 
B.  Receive career and technical education from a center, satellite program or region 
outside of the geographical area that serves the person's residence, subject to the 
approval of the governing bodies of the sending unit and receiving center, satellite 
program or region. 
Sec. 7.  20-A MRSA §8305-A, sub-§2, as corrected by RR 2003, c. 2, §43, is 
amended to read: 
2.  Admission standards.  A region, center or satellite program shall determine, in 
accordance with its published admission standards, whether to admit a person to such a 
region, center or satellite program.  Unless otherwise specifically provided for in this 
chapter, priority to enroll in any career and technical education course of study offered by 
a region, center or satellite program must be given first to persons eligible to receive a 
free public secondary or middle school level education who are residents of 
municipalities served by that region, center or satellite program. 
Sec. 8.  20-A MRSA §8451, sub-§1, as corrected by RR 2003, c. 2, §60, is 
amended to read: 
1.  Legislative intent.  It is the intent of the Legislature that each career and technical 
education region shall provide career and technical education in accordance with this 
chapter and shall function as an extension of the secondary schools and middle schools 
located within the region's boundaries. 
Sec. 9.  20-A MRSA §8451, sub-§2, ¶H, as repealed and replaced by PL 2011, c. 
679, §17, is amended to read: 
H.  Region 9.  NORTHERN OXFORD COUNTY.  Units located in this region 
include: 
(1)  Albany Township; 
(2)  Gilead; 
(3)  Mason Township; 
(4)  Milton Township; 
(5)  Riley Township; 
(6)  Upton, as long as it sends its secondary students and middle school level 
students to schools operated by administrative units within the region; 
(7)  The portion of Regional School Unit No. 10 comprising the municipalities in 
the former units of Hanover, Peru, School Administrative District No. 21 
(Canton, Carthage and Dixfield) and School Administrative District No. 43 
(Byron, Mexico, Roxbury and Rumford); and 
(8)  Regional School Unit No. 44 doing business as School Administrative 
District No. 44 (Andover, Bethel, Greenwood, Newry and Woodstock). 
Sec. 10.  20-A MRSA §8451, sub-§3, ¶A, as amended by PL 1991, c. 518, §17, 
is further amended to read: 
A.    Public secondary schools and middle schools located at:  Ashland; Caribou; 
Easton; Fort Fairfield; Limestone; Mars Hill; Presque Isle; and Washburn are served 
by centers located in Presque Isle and Caribou. 
Sec. 11.  20-A MRSA §8451, sub-§5, ¶A, as amended by PL 2011, c. 679, §18, 
is further amended to read: 
A.  Public secondary schools and middle schools located in the school administrative 
units of Madawaska, School Administrative District No. 10 (Allagash), School 
Administrative District No. 27 (Eagle Lake, Fort Kent, New Canada, St. Francis, St. 
John Plantation, Wallagrass and Winterville Plantation) and Regional School Unit 
No. 33 doing business as School Administrative District No. 33 (Frenchville and St. 
Agatha) are served by a center located in Frenchville (St. John Valley Technology 
Center), as long as the school boards of former School Administrative District No. 27 
(Eagle Lake, Fort Kent, New Canada, St. Francis, St. John Plantation, Wallagrass and 
Winterville Plantation), former School Administrative District No. 33 (Frenchville 
and St. Agatha) and Madawaska enter into a cooperative agreement pursuant to 
section 8401.  Career and technical education students from Regional School Unit 
No. 88 doing business as School Administrative District No. 24 (Cyr Plantation, 
Hamlin and Van Buren) must be permitted to attend that center on a tuition basis to 
the extent that there are unused slots available in the career and technical education 
programs at the center. 
Sec. 12.  20-A MRSA §15672, sub-§1-D, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 679, §27, is 
amended to read: 
1-D.  Career and technical education costs.  "Career and technical education costs" 
for subsidy purposes means all costs incurred by the career and technical education 
regions, centers or satellites in providing approved secondary school and middle school 
level career and technical education programs, excluding transportation, capital costs and 
debt service. 
SUMMARY 
This bill amends the career and technical education laws to enable career and 
technical education programs to serve students in grades 6 to 8.