| | | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: |
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| | | Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §4706, as amended by PL 1991, c. 655, §4, is | | further amended to read: |
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| | | §4706. Instruction in American history, Maine studies and Maine |
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| | | The following subjects shall be |
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| | | 1. American history. American history and civil government, | | including the Constitution of the United States, the Declaration | | of Independence, the importance of voting and the privileges and | responsibilities of citizenship, shall | | required for graduation from all elementary and secondary | | schools, both public and private. |
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| | | 2. Maine studies. A course in Maine history, including the | | Constitution of Maine, Maine geography and environment and the | | natural, industrial and economic resources of Maine and Maine's | | cultural and ethnic heritage, must be taught in at least one | | grade from grade 6 to grade 8, in all schools, both public and | | private. These concepts must be integrated into the curriculum | | in grades 9 to 12. |
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| | | 3.__Maine Native American history.__Maine Native American | | history and culture must be taught in all elementary and | | secondary schools, both public and private. |
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| | | 4.__Rulemaking.__The commissioner shall adopt or amend rules | | to implement this section.__Rules adopted pursuant to this | | section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, | | chapter 375, subchapter II-A. |
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| | | Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §6209, first ¶, as amended by PL 1999, c. 75, §5, is | | further amended to read: |
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| | | The department in consultation with the state board shall | | establish and implement a comprehensive, statewide system of | | learning results, referred to in this section as the "system," no | | later than the 2002-03 school year. The system, based broadly | | upon guiding principles set forth in this section, must establish | | high academic standards at all grade levels in the areas of math; | | English; science and technology; social studies, including | | history, economics and civics; career preparation; visual and | | performing arts; health and physical education; and foreign | | languages. Maine Native American history and culture must be | | included in, but is not limited to, the areas of social studies | | and modern and classical languages. Only students in a public | | school or a private school approved by the State pursuant to |
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