| | | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: |
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| | | Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA c. 318 is enacted to read: |
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| | | §8901.__After-school programs; standards; approval |
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| | | The after-school program is established to encourage the | | facilitation of high-quality after-school programs in school | | administrative units throughout the State.__The commissioner | | shall administer the program within the department.__Standards | | and approval for after-school programs are as follows. |
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| | | 1.__Standards.__The state board and the commissioner shall | | jointly adopt rules to establish standards consistent with basic | | school approval requirements for after-school programs offered at | | elementary or secondary schools in the State. |
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| | | 2.__Approval.__An after-school program may be offered by any | | school administrative unit with the approval of the commissioner.__ | | The commissioner may inspect any after-school program, after | | which the commissioner may approve and grant a certificate to a | | school that maintains approval standards.__The expense of | | inspection must be paid by the department. |
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| | | §8902.__Authority to raise, appropriate, receive and expend money |
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| | | A school administrative unit may: |
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| | | 1.__Fund after-school programs.__Raise, appropriate, receive | | and expend money for after-school programs.__After-school | | programs are provided under the direction and supervision of the | | school board; and |
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| | | 2.__Fund tuition costs.__Raise, appropriate, receive and | | expend money to pay tuition charged to any resident of a | | municipality served by the school administrative unit who attends | | an after-school program offered by another school administrative | | unit if the after-school program is not offered by the school | | administrative unit that serves the person's residence. |
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| | | §8903.__Authority to operate programs not receiving state subsidy |
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| | | A school administrative unit may make available facilities for | | children enrolled in after-school programs not reimbursable by | | the State.__These after-school programs may be financed by | | tuition fees, by funds made available by the school | | administrative unit, by funds from other sources or by a | | combination of these. |
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