CHAPTER 593
H.P. 989 - L.D. 1425
An Act To Support the Efficient Implementation of Maine's Learning Results
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §6202-A, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 454, §30, is amended to read:
1. Technical assistance. During the 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 school years, the The department shall provide technical assistance to school administrative units in developing local assessment systems and setting standards for local assessment systems using student achievement data to inform teaching and learning. By the end of the 2003-2004 school year, the superintendent of each school administrative unit shall certify to the commissioner that the local assessment system meets these standards. The department shall establish quality standards for the statewide assessment program and the local assessment systems.
Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §6202-A, sub-§2-A is enacted to read:
2-A. Moratorium. Notwithstanding subsection 2, a moratorium is imposed for the 2006-2007 school year for activities associated with assessments designed to certify student achievement. Assessments used for informing teaching and learning are exempt from this moratorium. This subsection is repealed June 30, 2007.
Sec. 3. Moratorium; intent. The moratorium established pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 6202-A, subsection 2-A, is intended to suspend those activities associated with local assessment system activities designed to certify student achievement. This moratorium does not suspend or revise other statutory requirements for implementation of the system of learning results, including the implementation timeline that was established for the awarding of a high school diploma that is aligned with the system of learning results pursuant to Public Law 2005, chapter 446.
Sec. 4. Commissioner of Education to convene committees. During the moratorium established pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 6202-A, subsection 2-A, the Commissioner of Education shall convene:
1. A representative committee to design a growth model using the revised Maine education assessment for grades 3 to 8, thereby redefining the statewide assessment program as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 6202; and
2. A representative committee to:
A. Design a course of study and common state assessments for language arts and mathematics for high school students;
B. Provide recommendations for the remaining content areas; and
C. Design a pilot program to provide models for the determination of student achievement that merits the attainment of a learning results endorsement diploma, evaluated through a facilitated process.
Sec. 5. Professional development funds; technical assistance. For fiscal year 2006-07, the Commissioner of Education may expend and disburse up to $1,000,000 of the $2,000,000 appropriated by the Legislature to carry out the purposes of Public Law 1995, chapter 649, sections 6 and 7 to provide targeted professional development or technical assistance to increase the capacity of school administrative units to:
1. Develop data systems that:
A. Integrate assessments and assessment data into curriculum and instruction;
B. Design, validate, score and interpret assessments; and
C. Develop standards-based reporting systems;
2. Understand and implement Department of Education requirements;
3. Communicate standards-based assessment programs to stakeholders; and
4. Provide models of established, successful and balanced local assessment systems from school administrative units.
The Department of Education may collaborate with other organizations in defining and providing targeted professional development or technical assistance to school administrative units in promoting the efficient and effective implementation of the system of learning results.
Effective August 23, 2006.
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