Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §15905, sub-§4-A is enacted to read:

4-A.__School size; standard design plans; funding.__The state board shall adopt rules to define what constitutes a small, medium or large school.__The state board shall adopt rules to establish standard school construction plans for small, medium and large elementary schools, middle schools and high schools.__ The state board must annually review the standard school construction plans and update them if necessary.__A school administrative unit that proposes to build a school using the standard plans must be awarded 100% state funding for the school construction project.__This section does not apply to additions to existing schools.__Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.

SUMMARY

This bill requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules to define what constitutes small, medium and large schools. The state board is required to develop standard school construction plans for small, medium and large elementary schools, middle schools and high schools. A school administrative unit that applies for state support for new school construction must select the standard design for the construction of the new school in order to have the project fully funded.