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An Act To Enhance Education Services for Blind and Visually Impaired Children
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
 
LABOR, DEPARTMENT OF
 
Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired - Education Services for Blind and Visually Impaired Children
 
Initiative: Provides funds to increase salaries for teachers of blind and visually impaired children to reflect the national market for recruitment and retention of such teachers.

GENERAL FUND	2007-08	2008-09	
All Other	$57,500	$59,225	
 	  	  	
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$57,500	$59,225	

Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired - Education Services for Blind and Visually Impaired Children
 
Initiative: Provides funds for 2 additional teachers of blind and visually impaired children to address the increasing number of students and the established standards for pupil-teacher ratios.

GENERAL FUND	2007-08	2008-09	
All Other	$130,000	$133,900	
 	  	  	
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$130,000	$133,900	

Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired - Education Services for Blind and Visually Impaired Children
 
Initiative: Provides funds to purchase and update assistive technology for teachers of blind and visually impaired children as well as to train those teachers to use the assistive technology, which is provided to their students pursuant to the students' individual education plans.

GENERAL FUND	2007-08	2008-09	
All Other	$19,000	$19,570	
 	  	  	
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$19,000	$19,570	

LABOR, DEPARTMENT OF	 	 	
DEPARTMENT TOTALS	2007-08	2008-09	
GENERAL FUND	$206,500	$212,695	
 	  	  	
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS	$206,500	$212,695	

SUMMARY
The purpose of this bill is to decrease the number of blind and visually impaired students per teacher to more appropriate levels by attracting more teachers. The bill provides funding for an increase in salaries for teachers of blind and visually impaired children. The bill also provides funding for 2 additional teachers of blind and visually impaired children positions in Maine. Finally, the bill provides funding for purchasing and updating assistive technology for teachers of blind and visually impaired children and provides the necessary funding for training them in the use of this technology.