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An Act To Enable Earlier Introduction of Career and Technical Education in Maine Schools
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §8301-A, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2003, c. 545, §1, is further amended to read:
 
1. Affiliated unit.   "Affiliated unit" means a school administrative unit that is affiliated with another school administrative unit that operates a center. An affiliated school administrative unit may have its secondary students and middle school level students served by a center operated by a school administrative unit with which it is affiliated. An affiliated school administrative unit may also operate career and technical education satellite programs.
Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §8301-A, sub-§2-A, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 545, §1, is amended to read:
 
2-A. Career and technical education.   "Career and technical education" means a course or program of education designed to create or improve job-related skills that is part of a secondary school or middle school level curriculum and approved by the commissioner according to this chapter. A school administrative unit shall make career and technical education available to persons residing in the school administrative unit who are eligible to receive free public secondary and middle school level education.
Sec. 3. 20-A MRSA §8301-A, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2003, c. 545, §1, is further amended to read:
 
3. Center.   "Center" means an administrative entity established pursuant to this chapter that provides career and technical education to secondary students and middle school level students. Unless otherwise specifically provided for by this chapter, a center is governed, operated and administered by a single school administrative unit. A center shall make its programs available to serve secondary students and middle school level students from school administrative units with which it is affiliated. A center may include within its administrative structure career and technical education satellite programs operated by school administrative units with which it is affiliated.
Sec. 4.  20-A MRSA §8301-A, sub-§3-A  is enacted to read:
 
3-A.  Middle school level.     "Middle school level" has the same meaning as in section 15672, subsection 20.
Sec. 5. 20-A MRSA §8301-A, sub-§§6 and 8, as amended by PL 2003, c. 545, §1, are further amended to read:
 
6. Region.   "Region" means a quasi-municipal corporation established by the Legislature to provide career and technical education to secondary students and middle school level students that is comprised of all the school administrative units within the geographical boundaries set forth for each career and technical education region in section 8451. A region is governed by a cooperative board formed and operating in accordance with this chapter.
 
8. Satellite program.   "Satellite program" means a program providing career and technical education to secondary students and middle school level students that is operated, under section 8403-A, by a school administrative unit affiliated with a center.
Sec. 6. 20-A MRSA §8305-A, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2011, c. 679, §7, is further amended to read:
 
1. General right.   A person eligible to receive free public secondary and middle school level education may, consistent with this section and department rules:
 
A. Receive career and technical education from a center, satellite program or region that serves the person's residence; or
 
B. Receive career and technical education from a center, satellite program or region outside of the geographical area that serves the person's residence, subject to the approval of the governing bodies of the sending unit and receiving center, satellite program or region.
Sec. 7. 20-A MRSA §8305-A, sub-§2, as corrected by RR 2003, c. 2, §43, is amended to read:
 
2. Admission standards.   A region, center or satellite program shall determine, in accordance with its published admission standards, whether to admit a person to such a region, center or satellite program. Unless otherwise specifically provided for in this chapter, priority to enroll in any career and technical education course of study offered by a region, center or satellite program must be given first to persons eligible to receive a free public secondary or middle school level education who are residents of municipalities served by that region, center or satellite program.
Sec. 8. 20-A MRSA §8451, sub-§1, as corrected by RR 2003, c. 2, §60, is amended to read:
 
1. Legislative intent.   It is the intent of the Legislature that each career and technical education region shall provide career and technical education in accordance with this chapter and shall function as an extension of the secondary schools and middle schools located within the region's boundaries.
Sec. 9. 20-A MRSA §8451, sub-§2, ¶H, as repealed and replaced by PL 2011, c. 679, §17, is amended to read:
 
H. Region 9. NORTHERN OXFORD COUNTY. Units located in this region include:
 
(1) Albany Township;
 
(2) Gilead;
 
(3) Mason Township;
 
(4) Milton Township;
 
(5) Riley Township;
 
(6) Upton, as long as it sends its secondary students and middle school level students to schools operated by administrative units within the region;
 
(7) The portion of Regional School Unit No. 10 comprising the municipalities in the former units of Hanover, Peru, School Administrative District No. 21 (Canton, Carthage and Dixfield) and School Administrative District No. 43 (Byron, Mexico, Roxbury and Rumford); and
 
(8) Regional School Unit No. 44 doing business as School Administrative District No. 44 (Andover, Bethel, Greenwood, Newry and Woodstock).
Sec. 10. 20-A MRSA §8451, sub-§3, ¶A, as amended by PL 1991, c. 518, §17, is further amended to read:
 
A.  Public secondary schools and middle schools located at: Ashland; Caribou; Easton; Fort Fairfield; Limestone; Mars Hill; Presque Isle; and Washburn are served by centers located in Presque Isle and Caribou.
Sec. 11. 20-A MRSA §8451, sub-§5, ¶A, as amended by PL 2011, c. 679, §18, is further amended to read:
 
A. Public secondary schools and middle schools located in the school administrative units of Madawaska, School Administrative District No. 10 (Allagash), School Administrative District No. 27 (Eagle Lake, Fort Kent, New Canada, St. Francis, St. John Plantation, Wallagrass and Winterville Plantation) and Regional School Unit No. 33 doing business as School Administrative District No. 33 (Frenchville and St. Agatha) are served by a center located in Frenchville (St. John Valley Technology Center), as long as the school boards of former School Administrative District No. 27 (Eagle Lake, Fort Kent, New Canada, St. Francis, St. John Plantation, Wallagrass and Winterville Plantation), former School Administrative District No. 33 (Frenchville and St. Agatha) and Madawaska enter into a cooperative agreement pursuant to section 8401. Career and technical education students from Regional School Unit No. 88 doing business as School Administrative District No. 24 (Cyr Plantation, Hamlin and Van Buren) must be permitted to attend that center on a tuition basis to the extent that there are unused slots available in the career and technical education programs at the center.
Sec. 12. 20-A MRSA §15672, sub-§1-D, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 679, §27, is amended to read:
 
1-D. Career and technical education costs.   "Career and technical education costs" for subsidy purposes means all costs incurred by the career and technical education regions, centers or satellites in providing approved secondary school and middle school level career and technical education programs, excluding transportation, capital costs and debt service.
 
SUMMARY
This bill amends the career and technical education laws to enable career and technical education programs to serve students in grades 6 to 8.