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An Act To Improve School Administrative Efficiency and Expand Capacity for Professional Growth for Educators with Regional Collaborative Programs and Services
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §2601, sub-§2, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. XXXX, §22, is amended to read:
 
B. Agreements for shared staff or staff training, including collaborative programs and support services;
Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §2602, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. XXXX, §22, is amended to read:
§ 2602.Development of collaborative agreements
A school administrative unit may enter into collaborative agreements with other school administrative units and, whenever possible, with local and county governments and State Government or with any public institution of higher education or nonprofit corporation, to achieve efficiencies and reduce costs in the delivery of administrative, instructional and noninstructional functions.
Sec. 3. 20-A MRSA §2651, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 446, §1, is amended to read:
 
1. Fund created.   The Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services, referred to in this chapter as "the fund" is created to assist in financing the cost of local and regional initiatives to improve educational opportunity and student achievement through more efficient delivery of educational programs and services. The fund is a dedicated, nonlapsing account within the department.
Sec. 4. 20-A MRSA §2651, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2013, c. 303, §1, is further amended to read:
 
2. Use of fund.   The department shall award grants from the fund to school administrative units, municipalities, counties and groups of 2 or more such entities, including such groups that have entered into a collaborative agreement pursuant to chapter 114, to fund the costs of implementing changes in governance, administrative structures or policies that result in the creation of consolidated school administrative units; purchasing alliances; innovative, autonomous public schools, teacher-led schools, innovative public school districts or innovative public school zones; regional delivery of collaborative programs and educational services; or collaborations of municipal-school service delivery or support systems, with the purpose of improving educational opportunity and student achievement. Grants must be used to implement changes that will be sustained by the school administrative unit, municipality or county without the need for additional grants from the fund or other sources.
Sec. 5.  20-A MRSA §2651, sub-§3, ¶B-1  is enacted to read:
 
B-1.  Facilitate the transformation of the public education system to one in which standards are used to guide curriculum and instruction and in which student advancement and graduation are based on student demonstration of proficiency in meeting educational standards;
Sec. 6. 20-A MRSA §2651, sub-§3, ¶C, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 446, §1, is amended to read:
 
C. Expand access to high-quality professional development, training and support for teachers and school administratorsinitiatives aligned with evidence-based best practices that can be linked to improvements in student learning and expansion of opportunities for professional growth for teachers and principals pursuant to chapter 508; more fully integrate educational technology and expand access to online and digital learning opportunities; improve management and use of data to enhance instruction and increase student achievement; broaden access to opportunities for career and technical education; expand access to early college opportunities for high school students; or increase student choice; or
Sec. 7. 20-A MRSA §2651, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 446, §1, is amended to read:
 
5. Rules.   Rules adopted or amended by the department to implement this section are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
 
Effective 90 days following adjournment of the 127th Legislature, First Regular Session, unless otherwise indicated.