An Act Regarding Educational Standards for Maine Students
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1578
Committee Amendment CA_A_H457 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT «/},, to H.P. 1085, L.D. 1578, Bill, "An Act 
Regarding Educational Standards for Maine Students" 
Amend the bill by incorporating the attached fiscal note. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment, which is the minority report, incorporates a fiscal note. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/01/17 .:t?aG 
LD 1578 
LR276(02) 
An Act Regarding Educational Standards for Maine Students 
~ 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment'~ {_ H., lJ-51 
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Undetermined current biennium cost increase - General Fund 
Undetermined current biennium cost increase - local school administrative units 
Potential current biennium revenue decrease - Federal Expenditures Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
The cost to the Department of Education to implement the requirements of this legislation can not be determined at 
this time but is expected to be significant. 
This bill requires the Department of Education to: 
1) Stop the adoption and implementation of the common core standards as the State's content standards for English 
language arts and mathematics and void any prior actions taken to adopt or implement the common core state 
standards. 
2) Furnish SAU's with assessments for elementary and secondary schools that were implemented during the 2013-
2014 school year in time to be used during the 2017-2018 school year. 
3) Replace current standards in English language arts and mathematics with new standards that are consistent with the 
standards in effect in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 2009 and adopt or develop assessments that are aligned 
with the content standards to be used in the 2018-2019, 2019-20 and 2020-2021 school years. 
4) Adopt new statewide content standards in English language arts and mathematics that are distinct and independent 
from standards previously adopted by the depa1tment so that they are in place for the 2021-2022 school year. 
5) Develop and adopt assessments for elementa1y and secondary schools in English language arts and mathematics 
that are aligned with the new content standards for use beginning in the 2021-2022 school year. 
6) Provide administrative support to 2 committees established to review and approve the new content standards and 
assessments adopted or developed by the department in English language arts and mathematics. 
LR0276(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of2 
C A-CH-Lf 51J 
The requirements and fiscal impact of this legislation on local school administrative units is less clear. This 
legislation does not require SAU's to use all or any part of the content standards developed or adopted by the 
depattment. However, this bill voids the State's content standards for English language arts and mathematics that 
were formulated to align with the common core state standards. Therefore, the SAU's will need to make some 
adjustments to their current content standat'ds and assessments, whether they choose to adopt the content standards 
and assessments that will be developed by the department or to adopt their own set of standards and assessments. 
The Department of Education has indicated that sections of this legislation that revoke the science standards and 
science assessment may result in the State being out of compliance with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act 
(ESSA) statute and the Depattment of Education's Consolidated State Plan which has been recently submitted to the 
United States Department of Education reflecting the policies and procedures that Maine has in effect to meet 
multiple components of ESSA. Being out of compliance with ESSA statutes may result in the loss of federal funds 
received by the State. If this legislation is approved, the Depattment would need to significantly revise its State Plan 
in order to bring Maine back into compliance. 
LR0276(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 2 of2