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Amend the amendment by inserting after section 2 the following:
‘Sec. 3 Determine opportunities for additional child care resources. Resolved: That the working group shall:
1. Analyze the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, which identifies child care as a specific example of a special circumstance for the use of what federal law and regulations refer to as "professional judgment," to determine the extent to which the use of professional judgment provides additional opportunity to increase access to child care for students in need;
2. Consult with the Maine Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators to review the current practice of financial aid officers in administering the professional judgment provisions on a case-by-case basis when determining an applicant’s eligibility for federal financial aid, including the extent to which financial aid officers exercised the professional judgment provisions in 2008 as a percentage of the total number of financial aid applications for which they provided assistance; and to review the strategies recommended to financial aid officers for implementing the nonregulatory guidance provided in the United States Department of Education letters dated April 2, 2009 and May 8, 2009 regarding the use of professional judgment; and
3. Examine the extent to which existing child care resources are available for increasing educational opportunities in this State; and be it further’
Amend the amendment by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.
 
SUMMARY
This amendment amends the committee amendment to direct the working group to review the use of what federal law and regulations refer to as "professional judgment" in determining the extent to which the use of professional judgment provides additional opportunity to increase access to child care for students in need. The amendment also directs the working group to consult with the Maine Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators to review the current practice of financial aid officers in administering the professional judgment provisions.