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An Act To Simplify the In-service Days Requirement in Education
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas,  this legislation gives school administrative units greater flexibility in scheduling in-service education for teachers; and
Whereas,  this legislation needs to take effect before the expiration of the 90-day period in order to be in effect for the next school year; and
Whereas,  in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §4801, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2015, c. 60, §1, is further amended to read:
 
1. Number.   A school administrative unit shall make provision for the maintenance of all of its schools for at least 180 days a year. At least 175 days shallmust be used for instruction. In meeting the requirement of a 180-day school year, no more than 5 days or 40 total hours may be used for in-service education of teachers, administrative meetings, parent-teacher conferences, records' days and similar activities.
 
A. The commissioner may reduce or waive the minimum number of days required on application from a school board. The commissioner may authorize an equivalent number of hours to be substituted for days for a limited time period upon application from a school board. The application must be supported in writing with a statement of the reasons for the request.
 
B. Notwithstanding any other section of the statutes, school committees, with the approval of the commissioner, may adopt or amend rules necessary to implement an extended school year at the local level. The commissioner may make appropriate adjustments, not to exceed the allowable subsidy, to insure fair and equitable treatment in the distribution of state aid.
 
C. Notwithstanding this subsection, the commissioner shall promulgateadopt a rule to provide that local school units may allow secondary school students to graduate up to 5 school days prior to the regular end of the school year.
 
D. A school administrative unit, operating under a plan approved by the commissioner, may provide for the use of up to 5 of the 175 instructional days required by this section to be used for screening incoming first year students for the purpose of identifying children with disabilities and students at risk of school failure as required by state or federal law.
 
F. A school administrative unit operating under a plan approved by the commissioner may provide for a one-hour extension of the school day for up to 25 days in a school year. Notwithstanding the required number of school days under this subsection, 5 one-hour extensions may be counted as one additional school day. A school administrative unit may, with the approval of the commissioner pursuant to rules adopted in accordance with this subsection, implement extended days pursuant to this paragraph only for the purpose of making up school days missed due to weather or emergency closures.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.
 
SUMMARY
This bill changes the law regarding school administrative units' scheduling from allowing 5 days to be used for in-service education of teachers, administrative meetings, parent-teacher conference, records' days and similar activities to allowing 5 days or 40 total hours.