An Act To Establish Multidistrict Online Classes in Maine
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §19154, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 330, §4, is amended to read:
Sec. 2. Stakeholder group to be established. The Department of Education shall create a group of stakeholders to study the opportunities in and challenges of creating one online school for the State for students in kindergarten to grade 12. For purposes of this section, "stakeholders" includes teachers, administrators, parents, information technology specialists and any other person, group or entity that has an interest in online learning. No later than January 4, 2012, the Department of Education shall report the findings of its study along with any suggested legislation to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. The Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs may submit a bill regarding the study required under this section to the Second Regular Session of the 125th Legislature.
summary
This bill allows nonresident students to enroll in a school administrative unit's online learning program, with the school administrative unit of residence for that student to pay the enrolling school administrative unit the student's tuition for the program. The bill also directs the Department of Education to create a stakeholder group to study the opportunities in and challenges of creating one online learning program for the State and to report to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs by January 4, 2012.