128th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 1578		LR 276(02)
	An Act Regarding Educational Standards for Maine Students
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
	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 department so that they are in place for the 2021-2022 school year.
	5) Develop and adopt  assessments for elementary 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.
	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 department.  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 standards 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 Department 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 Department would need to significantly revise its State Plan in order to bring Maine back into compliance.