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Amend the bill by striking out all of section 7 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 7. 20-A MRSA §4703, as enacted by PL 1983, c. 859, Pt. C, §§5 and 7, is amended to read:
§ 4703.Instruction for individual students
Elementary and secondary schools may provide special instruction for gifted and talentedshall provide students.with opportunities for learning in multiple pathways that may include the following:
 
1.  Career and technical education.   Career and technical education;
 
2.  Alternative education programs.   Alternative education programs;
 
3.  Apprenticeships.   Apprenticeships;
 
4.  Career academies.   Career academies;
 
5.  Advanced placements.   Advanced placements;
 
6.  Online courses.   Online courses;
 
7.  Adult education.   Adult education;
 
8.  Dual enrollment.   Dual enrollment; or
 
9.  Gifted and talented programs.  Gifted and talented programs.’
Amend the bill in section 10 in §4710 in the first paragraph in the 4th line (page 3, line 28 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "of" and inserting the following: 'for'
Amend the bill in section 10 in §4710 in the first paragraph in the 4th line (page 3, line 28 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "or" and inserting the following: 'with'
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 12 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 12.  20-A MRSA §4712  is enacted to read:
§ 4712. Junior high school or middle school course of study
The basic course of study for the junior high schools or middle schools must provide for the instruction of all students in career and education development, English language arts, health education and physical education, mathematics, science and technology, social studies, visual and performing arts and world languages, as described in the parameters for essential instruction and graduation requirements subject to the schedule specified in section 6209.’
Amend the bill in section 13 in §4721 in subsection 1 in the 3rd line (page 4, line 28 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "parameters of" and inserting the following: 'parameters for'
Amend the bill in section 13 in §4721 by striking out all of subsection 3 (page 4, lines 37 and 38 in L.D.)
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 16 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 16.  20-A MRSA §4722, sub-§2-A  is enacted to read:
 
2-A.  Implementation of multiple pathways and opportunities.  Students may demonstrate achievement of the standards through multiple pathways as set out under section 4703 and multiple opportunities. Achievement may be demonstrated by evidence documented by course and learning experiences using multiple measures, such as, but not limited to, examinations, quizzes, portfolios, performances, exhibitions and projects.’
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 17 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 17. 20-A MRSA §4722, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2007, c. 451, §2, is further amended to read:
 
3. Satisfactory completion. A diploma may be awarded to secondary school students who have satisfactorily completed all diploma requirements in accordance with the academic standards of the school administrative unit and this chapter. All secondary school students must work toward achievement ofachieve the content standards of the system of learning resultsparameters for essential instruction and graduation requirements established pursuant to section 6209. Children with disabilities, as defined in section 7001, subsection 1-A1-B, who successfully meet the content standards of the system of learning resultsparameters for essential instruction and graduation requirements in addition to any other diploma requirements applicable to all secondary school students, as specified by the goals and objectives of their individualized education plans, may be awarded a high school diploma. Career and technical students may, with the approval of the commissioner, satisfy the 2nd-year math and science, the 2nd-year social studies and the fine arts requirements of subsection 2 through separate or integrated study within the career and technical school curriculum.
 
Students who experience education disruption, as defined in section 5001-A, subsection 4, paragraph F, who successfully demonstrate achievement of the content standards of the system of learning resultsparameters for essential instruction and graduation requirements in addition to any other diploma requirements applicable to secondary school students as set forth in their school work recognition plans as defined in section 5161, subsection 6 must, with the approval of the commissioner, be awarded a Department of Education diploma as defined in section 5161, subsection 2.’
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 19 (page 6, lines 28 to 33 in L.D.)
Amend the bill in section 20 in §6201 in the first paragraph in the 5th and 6th lines (page 6, lines 41 and 42 in L.D.) by striking out the following: 'to ensure that each student in the State has an equal opportunity to meet this outcome'
Amend the bill in section 20 in §6201 in the 2nd paragraph in the 2nd line (page 7, line 2 in L.D.) by striking out the following: 'and comparability'
Amend the bill in section 20 in §6201 by striking out all of subsection 2 and inserting the following:
 
‘2. State goals. To establish a process for a continuing evaluation of the system of learning results established in section 6209 and to aid in the development of educational policies, standards and programs;’
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 22 and 23 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 22. Requirements for awarding high school diplomas. The Commissioner of Education shall convene a working group of interested parties to work together, in good faith, as educational partners to develop requirements for awarding high school diplomas that permit school administrative units to award high school diplomas based on standards, credits or a combination of standards and credits. The commissioner shall invite the participation of the Maine School Boards Association, the Maine School Superintendents Association, the Maine Principals' Association, the Maine Education Association, the Maine Administrators of Services for Children with Disabilities and other interested entities. The commissioner shall submit a report on the requirements for awarding high school diplomas to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs no later than January 29, 2010. After receipt and review of the report, the joint standing committee may report out legislation regarding the requirements for awarding high school diplomas to the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature.’
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.
 
SUMMARY
This amendment accomplishes the following.
1. It amends the provision that elementary and secondary schools provide students with opportunities for learning in multiple pathways by removing the requirement that schools may include opportunities to accelerate learning to meet the needs of individual students and by reinstating the provision that instruction for individual students may include instruction for gifted and talented students.
2. It removes the requirements that secondary schools and junior high schools or middle schools must develop and maintain a personal learning plan for each student.
3. It amends the provision that secondary school students may demonstrate achievement of the parameters for essential instruction and graduation requirements based on evidence documented by course and learning experiences using multiple measures by removing the requirements that student achievement must be based on state-level supported assessments established by the Department of Education or by state-developed rubrics or locally developed rubrics approved by the department.
4. It removes the requirements for transition to a standards-based diploma, including the provisions that a diploma may only be awarded for credit earned in the 4 content areas of English language arts, mathematics, science and technology and social studies and for selecting one other area of the 3 content areas of health education and physical education, visual and performing arts or world languages. It also removes the application provision that stated that only a standards-based diploma may be awarded for high school students graduating in 2016 and thereafter.
5. It reinstates the provision in current law that career and technical students may satisfy the 2nd-year math and science, the 2nd-year social studies and the fine arts requirements through separate or integrated study within the career and technical school curriculum, but it removes the provision that all students are deemed to meet the standards in career and education development through integrated learning experiences and activities conducted in other content areas.
6. It removes the transition provision that directed the Department of Education to convene a representative group of stakeholders to further examine the types of assessments and rubrics that can be developed to measure student achievement in all 8 content areas included in the parameters for essential instruction.
7. It directs the Commissioner of Education to convene a work group to develop requirements for awarding high school diplomas that permit school administrative units to award a high school diploma based on standards, credits or a combination of standards and credits. The Commissioner of Education shall present a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs no later than January 29, 2010. The Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs may report out legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)