HP1101, LD 1564, item 1, An Act To Update the Laws Concerning the Maine School of Science and Mathematics

An Act To Update the Laws Concerning the Maine School of Science and Mathematics

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §8202, sub-§2, ¶B, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 368, Pt. LL, §2, is amended to read:

B. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, effective July 1, 1996, the student or the student's parent or guardian shall pay to the school the cost of room and board for the school year. In the case of financial need, the State shall pay to the school the difference between the cost of room and board and the student's or the student's family's ability to pay that cost. The board of trustees shall adopt rules governing the determination of financial need and the cost and schedule of payment of room and board under this paragraph. The determination of financial need must be based on a nationally recognized public or private school financial needs assessment system. A student may use scholarship funds in place of payment for all or part of the cost of room and board and any other fees or expenses incurred as a result of that student's enrollment at the school.

Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §8202, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 706, Pt. A, §4, is amended to read:

3. Out-of-state tuition. Students from other states and countries and students pursuing a postgraduate high school year of education may attend the school on a space-available basis by paying the cost of tuition, fees and room and board as established by the board of trustees.

Sec. 3. 20-A MRSA §8202, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 665, Pt. FF, §2, is amended to read:

4. Scholarship fund. The school must demonstrate its ability to raise private funds to support a scholarship fund. Based on this ability, the Legislature may provide General Fund appropriations to the scholarship fund. Funds available in the scholarship fund may not be used to offset, reduce or eliminate the appropriation of state funds described in subsection 2. The existence of the scholarship fund may not reduce or eliminate the State's funding obligations described in subsection 2.

Sec. 4. 20-A MRSA §8202, sub-§5 is enacted to read:

5. Educational enhancement fund. The school may raise private funds to support an educational enhancement fund to enrich the educational experience of students enrolled at the school. The Legislature may provide General Fund appropriations to the educational enhancement fund. Funds available in the educational enhancement fund may not be used to offset, reduce or eliminate the appropriation of state funds described in subsection 2. The existence of the educational enhancement fund may not reduce or eliminate the State's funding obligations described in subsection 2.

Sec. 5. 20-A MRSA §8204, sub-§1, ¶C, as amended by PL 2003, c. 4, §1, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

C. A member of the regional school unit board of the regional school unit in which the school is located, who must be from the community in which the school is located, or the member's designee;

Sec. 6. 20-A MRSA §8204, sub-§1, ¶F, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 706, Pt. A, §4, is amended to read:

F. Three members who are teachers, one of whom is a full-time teacher at the school who is a nonvoting member and is annually elected by members of the school's faculty and 2 of whom are teachers in the State representing different geographic regions of the State, appointed by the Governor . Both full-time and part-time teachers at the school may vote in the election of a faculty member to serve on the board of trustees, and the election must be by secret ballot;

Sec. 7. 20-A MRSA §8204, sub-§1, ¶I, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 706, Pt. A, §4, is amended to read:

I. One student member who is a nonvoting member and has been elected as the presiding officer of the student body; and

Sec. 8. 20-A MRSA §8204, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 706, Pt. A, §4, is amended to read:

4. Quorum. A quorum for the transaction of business is constituted by the members in attendance of 1/3 of all voting members and all official actions of the board of trustees require a majority vote of those members present and voting.

Sec. 9. 20-A MRSA §8204, sub-§7 is enacted to read:

7. Conflict of interest. A board of trustees member shall attempt to avoid conflicts of interest by disclosure or by abstention.

Sec. 10. 20-A MRSA §8205, sub-§7, as amended by PL 1997, c. 772, §1, is further amended to read:

7. Property management. To lease and to acquire by purchase any property, lands, buildings, structures, facilities or equipment and make improvements to facilities necessary to fulfill the purposes of this chapter. Any lease or lease-purchase agreement must have a term not to exceed 10 years and must be subject to annual appropriation of funds. The community of Limestone Eastern Aroostook Regional School Unit retains ownership of the Limestone Elementary School and the Limestone Junior Senior High School and shares those facilities with the school;

Sec. 11. 20-A MRSA §8206, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 706, Pt. A, §4, is amended to read:

3. School admission. Admittance of high school juniors and seniors; early admittance of students whose abilities or special circumstances are so exceptional as to warrant early entry; and consideration by the board of trustees for admittance of sophomore students after the junior and senior year programs are fully implemented students based on the enrollment criteria established by the board of trustees as provided in section 8205, subsection 11. Students who apply and are accepted by the school are allowed to attend as provided in section 5205, subsection 6;

Sec. 12. 20-A MRSA §8206, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 706, Pt. A, §4, is amended to read:

5. Telecommunications. Integration of the University of Maine System interactive television system Utilization of distance learning technologies to allow transmission of certain specialty courses conducted at the school for the benefit of high-achieving students attending school units throughout the State.

summary

This bill updates the laws concerning the Maine School of Science and Mathematics. It provides that students may use scholarship funds in place of payment for all or part of the cost of room and board and any other fees or expenses incurred as a result of their enrollment at the school. It allows postgraduate high school students to attend at full cost. It clarifies that private scholarship funds may not be used to offset state funds and creates a general purpose educational enhancement fund with the same provision. This bill makes necessary changes to reflect the newly created regional school unit. It provides that one of the 3 teacher members of the board of trustees is a full-time teacher and clarifies that both full-time and part-time faculty members may participate in the election of a faculty representative to the board of trustees. It also provides that the student member of the board of trustees is a nonvoting member. It strengthens the quorum requirement from members in attendance to 1/3 of all voting members. Finally, it removes references to high school sophomores, juniors and seniors in the laws governing admission to the school and provides that admittance of high school students must be based on criteria established by the board of trustees.

HP1101 LD 1564	Second Regular Session - 124th Maine Legislature Text: MS-Word, RTF or PDF		LR 2405 Item 1
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