Resolve, To Convene a Study Group To Study Proficiency in Content Areas for Secondary School Graduation Standards

Sec. 1. Commissioner of Education to convene study group to study proficiency in content areas for purposes of secondary school graduation standards. Resolved: That the Commissioner of Education shall convene a study group to study proficiency in content areas under the parameters for essential instruction and graduation requirements in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 6209, subsection 2. The study group must be composed of members interested in secondary education, and the membership must have approximately equal representation from the Department of Education, the Maine Curriculum Leaders' Association, the Maine Principals' Association and groups focused on relevant content areas such as the Association of Teachers of Mathematics in Maine and the Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. If there is no group focused on a relevant content area available, the Maine Education Association may provide a representative for that relevant content area; and be it further

Sec. 2. Study group purpose. Resolved: That the purpose of the study group in section 1 is, for every content area under the parameters for essential instruction and graduation, to determine a baseline proficiency standard that represents a midpoint between the Department of Education's current 8th grade graduation standards of proficiency and secondary school graduation standards of proficiency; and be it further

Sec. 3. Recommended legislation. Resolved: That, along with any recommended legislation the Commissioner of Education determines appropriate, the commissioner with the assistance of the study group shall develop recommended legislation to require a student graduating in the class of 2024-2025 to obtain full proficiency in 6 of the 8 content areas under the parameters for essential instruction and graduation requirements chosen at the student's discretion and at least baseline proficiency under section 2 in the remaining 2 content areas; and be it further

Sec. 4. Report. Resolved: By December 6, 2017, the Commissioner of Education shall submit a report based upon the study and recommended legislation to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. The joint standing committee may report out a bill based upon the report to the Second Regular Session of the 128th Legislature.

SUMMARY

This resolve directs the Commissioner of Education to convene a study group with various interested parties and stakeholders to determine baseline proficiency standards for the 8 content areas under the parameters for essential instruction and graduation requirements that represent a midpoint between current 8th grade standards of proficiency and secondary school graduation standards of proficiency. Current law requires for the graduating class of 2024-2025 full proficiency in all 8 content areas in order to graduate from secondary school. This resolve directs the Commissioner of Education to draft recommended legislation to require full proficiency in 6 of the content areas chosen at the student's discretion and baseline proficiencies in the remaining 2 content areas as requirements to graduate from secondary school for the 2024-2025 school year.