Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §5801, as enacted by PL 1981, c. 693, §§5 and 8, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

§5801.__Enrollment options

A student may enroll in a school offering appropriate grade- level programs in any school administrative unit in the State, and the school administrative unit in which the student resides shall pay tuition for that student as determined under this chapter to the school administrative unit in which the student is enrolled.__A student is eligible for all programs and activities offered by the school in which that student is enrolled, even if that student is enrolled in a school that is not within the school administrative unit in which that student resides.__Under this chapter, the cost of a student's transportation from place of residence to school is the responsibility of the student and the student's family.__In order to qualify for payment of tuition under this chapter, a school administrative unit in which a student is enrolled must notify the school administrative unit in which the student resides of that student's enrollment by October 1st of each year or within 30 days of enrollment if the student enrolls after that date.

Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §5803, as amended by PL 1985, c. 797, §35, is repealed.

SUMMARY

This bill provides statewide public school choice by authorizing students to enroll in a grade-level appropriate school in any school administrative unit in the State regardless of where the student lives. The bill replaces current law that permits a school administrative unit to decide whether to enroll tuition students residing in other school administrative units. Under the bill, the sending school administrative unit would be responsible for payment of tuition to the school administrative unit on behalf of that student enrolled. In order to qualify to receive tuition payments, the receiving school would be required to notify the sending school of a student's enrollment in a school in the receiving unit by October 1st each year or within 30 days of enrollment. The student or the student's family would be responsible for providing transportation from home to a school in another school administrative unit. Students would be eligible for the full range of programs and activities offered by the school in which enrolled.