An Act To Require the Department of Education To Provide Information to Students Allowing Them To Make Informed Choices Regarding Their Education and Professional Futures
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1412
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: POULIOT, STEARNS, STEWART

Legislative Document
No. 1412
S.P. 462
In Senate, April 12, 2021
An Act To Require the Department of Education To Provide 
Information to Students Allowing Them To Make Informed Choices 
Regarding Their Education and Professional Futures
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on April 8, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on 
Education and Cultural Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator POULIOT of Kennebec.
Cosponsored by Representative STEARNS of Guilford and
Senator: STEWART of Aroostook.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA c. 231 is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 231
STUDENTS RIGHT TO KNOW
§6981.  Short title
This Act may be known and cited as "the Students Right To Know Act of 2021." 
§6982.  Definitions
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms 
have the following meanings.
1.  Major colleges.  "Major colleges" means the 4 largest public 4-year universities in 
the State based on average annual student enrollment. 
2.  Vocational school.  "Vocational school" means any type of vocational, technical or 
trade school in the State that prepares individuals to engage in the workforce as a technician 
or participate in a trade or craft. 
§6983.  Career landscape information collection
The Department of Education shall collect and compile information sufficient to create 
the student horizon database as set out in section 6984 which must include, on an annual 
basis: 
1.  In-demand jobs.  The most in-demand jobs in the State, including starting salary 
and education level required for those jobs; 
2.  Cost.  The average total annual attendance cost for each major college and 
vocational school in the State; 
3.  Student loan payment.  The average monthly student loan payment for individuals 
who have attended major colleges and vocational schools in the State; 
4.  Student loan default rate.  The average 3-year student loan default rate for each 
major college and vocational school in the State; 
5.  Total student loan debt.  The average total student loan debt for graduated in-state 
students of the major colleges for 4-year degrees and graduate programs; 
6.  Graduation rate.  The average graduation rate for each major college and 
vocational school in the State; 
7.  Completion rates.  The statewide completion rates for apprenticeship programs, 
high school credential programs, career and technical education programs and military 
first-term enlistments. 
8.  Share of graduates working in occupation that does not require degree.  The 
share of college graduates working in an occupation that does not require a college degree 
for each major course of study;
9.  Starting salary for individuals graduating from major college.  The average 
starting salary for individuals who have graduated from each major college;
10.  Starting salary for individuals who have completed apprenticeship, credential 
or career and technical program.  The average starting salary for individuals who have 
completed an apprenticeship program, high school credential program or career and 
technical education program;
11.  Base pay for newly enlisted service members.  The base pay for newly enlisted 
service members; and 
12.  Starting salary for individuals graduating from vocational school.  The average 
starting salary for individuals who have graduated from a vocational school in the State.
§6984.  Student horizon database
The Department of Education shall develop a database, referred to in this section as 
"the student horizon database" as described in this section.  The database must be made 
publicly available as an online tool. 
1.  Most popular college, vocational school and career and technical education 
programs.  The student horizon database must list the 50 most popular college, vocational 
school and career and technical education programs in the State based on information 
collected under section 6983.
2.  Searchable database.  The student horizon database must be a searchable database 
that compares the following based on the user's selections:
A.  Average annual cost;
B.  Graduation rate;
C.  Salary after attending;
D.  Highest paying salaries for the top 5 major courses of study;
E.  Full-time enrollment;
F.  Socioeconomic diversity;
G.  Race and ethnicity information;
H.  Family income brackets;
I.  Percentage of students paying down their debt;
J.  Typical total debt after graduation;
K.  Students receiving federal loans;
L.  Typical monthly loan payment;
M.  Students who return after their first year; and
N.  Graduation, withdrawal and transfer status for students 8 years after attending.
The database must be designed so that a user has the option of selecting a specific major 
course of study at a specific university, college, career and technical education program or 
certificate program and receiving the following overview, to be filled in with information 
collected under section 6983:  "For every 100 students starting in (insert major course of 
study) at this (insert university, college, career and technical education program or 
certificate program), (insert number) will graduate in 6 years, of those, (insert number) will 
get a job with an average starting salary of (insert salary) within 6 months of graduation. 
The average debt for the graduates will be (insert debt). The total cost on average for this 
degree or program is (insert total amount paid). For the (insert number) who don't graduate, 
the average debt is (insert debt)."
§6985.  Reporting
The Department of Education shall publish and distribute to high school students on 
an annual basis a comparison, using the information collected under section 6983, a 
scorecard based on the student horizon database created pursuant to section 6984 that lists: 
1.  Top major courses of study.  The top 50 major courses of study for 4-year degrees 
at the major colleges in the State by salaries earned by graduates;
2.  Top programs.  The top 20 career and technical education and certificate programs 
in the State by salaries earned by graduates or recipients of a certificate of completion;
3.  Top in-demand jobs.  The top 25 most in-demand jobs in the State and their 
corresponding starting salaries and education requirements; and 
4.  Base pay and benefits for enlistment in the military.  The base pay and benefits 
for enlistment in the military, along with the necessary vocational aptitude test score by 
military branch and the average signing bonus. 
§6986.  Rulemaking
The Department of Education shall adopt rules necessary to implement this chapter.  
Rules adopted under this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 
375, subchapter 2-A.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Department of Education to provide information to students that 
allows them to make informed decisions about their education and professional future.  This 
includes: the most in-demand jobs in the State and the average starting salary and education 
requirements of those jobs, the average tuition for the 4 largest public universities and 
vocational and technical schools in the State, the average monthly student loan payment 
for obtaining a 4-year degree at public universities and vocational and technical schools 
and the average starting salary for individuals with 4-year degrees and for those who 
graduate from vocational and technical schools.