‘An Act To Increase High School Graduation Rates for Students Experiencing Education Disruption’
SP0663 LD 1916 |
Session - 129th Maine Legislature C "A", Filing Number S-482, Sponsored by
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LR 2862 Item 2 |
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Bill Tracking, Additional Documents | Chamber Status |
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
‘An Act To Increase High School Graduation Rates for Students Experiencing Education Disruption’
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §257-A, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 439, §2, is amended to read:
§ 257-A. Department of Education diploma
The commissioner shall issue a Department of Education diploma to a student who qualifies for the diploma pursuant to this section. A Department of Education diploma has the same legal status as a diploma awarded by a school administrative unit.
Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §5161, sub-§1-B is enacted to read:
Sec. 3. 20-A MRSA §5161, sub-§2-A, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 439, §8, is amended to read:
"Education disruption" does not include an absence for 10 or more consecutive school days as a result of a planned absence for a reason such as a family event or a medical absence for a planned hospitalization or recovery or pursuant to a superintendent's determination developed in accordance with section 5205, subsection 2.
Sec. 4. 20-A MRSA §5161, sub-§2-B is enacted to read:
Sec. 5. 20-A MRSA §5161, sub-§2-C is enacted to read:
Sec. 6. 20-A MRSA §5161, sub-§4-A is enacted to read:
Sec. 7. 20-A MRSA §5161, sub-§6, as repealed and replaced by PL 2013, c. 439, §11, is amended to read:
Sec. 8. 20-A MRSA §5161, sub-§11 is enacted to read:
Sec. 9. 20-A MRSA §5163, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 439, §15, is amended to read:
Sec. 10. 20-A MRSA §5163, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 439, §15, is repealed.
Sec. 11. 20-A MRSA §5163, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 439, §15, is amended to read:
Sec. 12. 20-A MRSA §5163, sub-§5-A is enacted to read:
Sec. 13. 20-A MRSA §5164, last ¶, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 439, §15, is amended to read:
If it is determined by the responsible school and the student that the student cannot meet the school's requirements for graduation by the end of the student's 4th year of secondary school, the responsible school shall provide the student information about applying for a Department of Education diploma and shall assist the student in making the application. In accordance with section 257-A, subsection 3, the responsible school shall provide support for and assist in the completion and submission of the application on the request of the student's parent or guardian or on the request of the student if the student is at least 18 years of age or is an unaccompanied student experiencing homelessness. Community providers may also assist in the application process.
Sec. 14. 20-A MRSA §5165 is enacted to read:
§ 5165. Graduation of a student experiencing education disruption who is enrolled in more than one school after the student's 2nd year in high school
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.
summary
This amendment, which strikes and replaces the bill and is the majority report of the committee, does the following.
1. It amends the definition of "education disruption" to include migrant students who have been identified as such by the federal Department of Education Migrant Education Program and immigrant students who have not been attending one or more schools in any one or more states or territories for more than 3 full academic years in the aggregate.
2. It amends the process for applying for a Department of Education diploma by requiring that the responsible school provide support for the completion and submission of an application for a Department of Education diploma for students who have experienced education disruption, provides that community providers may assist in the application process and specifies that a diploma may be issued to a student who completes the minimum requirements for a high school diploma and that, while the Commissioner of Education's review team may seek clarification on evidence submitted, the commissioner may not require additional information.
3. It amends the definition of "school work recognition plan" for students experiencing education disruption to specify that a school work recognition plan is developed and updated in collaboration among the responsible school, the student, the parent or guardian, previous schools, interim programs and other agencies. It also specifies that a school work recognition plan includes but is not limited to a summary of the student's achievement related to the appropriate learning results, a compilation of full and partial credits and other achievement recognitions earned, an identification of any gaps between the student's achievement and the achievement typical of the student's peers and a plan for maximizing the student's progress and closing identified gaps.
4. It amends the law regarding continuing educational progress during and after education disruption to provide uniform expectations for schools to support the academic progress of all students experiencing education disruption regardless of the type of education disruption, including developing or updating a school work recognition plan within 10 school days and making available instructional materials for students within 5 school days of a school becoming aware of a period of education disruption. It also specifies that for every student who experiences education disruption that leads to enrollment in a new responsible school, the new responsible school shall provide the student with an adult staff or mentor to facilitate the student's transition.
5. It requires a responsible school to assist a student experiencing education disruption in completing an application for the Department of Education diploma if the student will not be able to graduate by the end of the student's 4th year of secondary school.
6. It creates credit accrual options for a student experiencing education disruption who changes schools after the student's 2nd year of high school, requiring schools to either award credit for a similar course taken elsewhere, waive a specific graduation requirement or provide an alternative means by which the student can earn the needed credit in time to graduate. It allows a student to receive a diploma from a previously attended school if the student can meet the requirements of that school but cannot complete the new school's graduation requirements.