CHAPTER 130
H.P. 1658 - L.D. 2327
Resolve, to Establish a Commission to Study Kindergarten-to-grade-12 Educator Recruitment and Retention
Emergency preamble. Whereas, Acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, it is necessary and vital to the people of the State that the cause of teacher shortages and ways of recruiting and retaining teachers be determined; 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
Sec. 1. Commission established. Resolved: That the Commission to Study Kindergarten-to-grade-12 Educator Recruitment and Retention, referred to in this resolve as the "commission," is established; and be it further
Sec. 2. Commission membership. Resolved: That the commission consists of the following 14 members:
1. The Commissioner of Education or the commissioner's designee;
2. The Commissioner of Labor or the commissioner's designee from the Division of Labor Market Information Services;
3. Three members representing teachers who are public school teachers in the State, appointed by the Maine Education Association;
4. One member representing superintendents in the State, appointed by the Maine School Superintendents Association;
5. One member representing school principals in the State, appointed by the Maine Principals Association;
6. One member representing school boards in the State, appointed by the Maine School Boards Association;
7. One member representing the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future or the Maine Leadership Consortium Steering Committee on the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, appointed by the chair of the Maine Leadership Consortium's National Commission on Teaching and America's Future Steering Committee;
8. One member representing postsecondary education institutions in the State involved in teacher preparation and professional development programs, appointed by the Chancellor of the University of Maine System;
9. One member representing the State Board of Education, appointed by the State Board of Education;
10. One member representing businesses in the State, appointed by Maine State Chamber of Commerce;
11. One member representing the Maine Municipal Association, appointed by Maine Municipal Association; and
12. One member representing parents of public school students in the State, appointed by the Maine Parent Teachers Association; and be it further
Sec. 3. Chair. Resolved: That the commission shall elect a chair from among its members at the first commission meeting; and be it further
Sec. 4. Appointments; meetings. Resolved: That all appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this resolve. The Executive Director of the Legislative Council must be notified by all appointing authorities once the selections have been made. When the appointment of all members has been completed, the Commissioner of Education or the commissioner's designee shall call and convene the first meeting of the commission no later than 15 days after the final member is appointed; and be it further
Sec. 5. Duties. Resolved: That the commission shall study teacher supply and its alignment with hiring needs, hiring practices, teacher salaries and benefits and comparability with competing careers, assignments of new teachers, supervisory and support systems provided new teachers and attractiveness of the profession. The commission shall also study the causes of administrator shortages in the State.
The commission shall also study and report to the Legislature its findings on:
1. The causes of teacher shortages in the State;
2. The persistence of new teachers in positions for which they are hired and the reasons for any attrition;
3. The types and numbers of new teachers Maine schools will need to hire during the next decade;
4. The specific reasons why experienced teachers are leaving the profession or retiring early;
5. The types of financial incentives, including loan forgiveness, that may lead to the recruitment and retention of teachers;
6. The conditions and practices that lead to the recruitment and retention of an adequate supply of highly qualified teachers at the kindergarten-to-grade-12 level;
7. Recommendations of both local-level and state-level actions to achieve those conditions and practices; and
8. The causes of administrator shortages in the State, the types and numbers of new administrators that Maine schools will need to hire during the next decade and recommendations of both local-level and state-level actions to recruit and retain these new administrators; and be it further
Sec. 6. Staff assistance. Resolved: That the Department of Education shall provide staffing assistance and research services to the commission; and be it further
Sec. 7. Reimbursement. Resolved: That the members of the commission shall serve without compensation; and be it further
Sec. 8. Report. Resolved: That the commission shall submit its report, together with any necessary implementing legislation, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education and cultural affairs during the First Regular Session of the 120th Legislature no later than December 1, 2000; and be it further
Sec. 9. Appropriation. Resolved: That the following funds are appropriated from the General Fund to carry out the purposes of this resolve.
2000-01
EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF
General Purpose Aid for Local Schools
All Other ($30,000)
Deappropriates funds to offset appropriations provided to the State Board of Education to complete school funding research.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ____________
TOTAL ($30,000)
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
State Board of Education
All Other $30,000
Provides funds to the State Board of Education to complete funding research pursuant to Public Law 1999, chapter 401, Part GG.
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ____________
TOTAL $30,000
____________
TOTAL APPROPRIATION $0
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this resolve takes effect when approved.
Effective May 10, 2000.
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