125th MAINE LEGISLATURE
LD 1422 LR 1901(12)
An Act To Prepare Maine People for the Future Economy
Fiscal Note for House Amendment "   " to Committee Amendment "A"
Sponsor: Rep. Berry of Bowdoinham
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
             
Fiscal Note
Contingent State Mandate - Funded
Fiscal Detail and Notes
Delaying the date that local school administrative units (SAU's) must implement a new standards-based system for awarding high school diplomas based on student demonstration of proficiency by one year for each year that transition grants are not provided or funds appropriated by the State for General Purpose Aid for Local Schools falls below the funding levels provided for the 2011-2012 school year delays the State Mandate. 
This amendment removes the Mandate Preamble for the Committee Amendment which had exempted the State from the requirement to fund 90% of the required activities.  Instead it requires the Department of Education to provide annual grants to SAU's equal to 1/10 of 1% of a SAU's total cost of education to fund the cost of transitioning by January 1, 2017 to a standards-based system of education if funds are available and delays the implementation of this requirement by one year for each year that the transition grants are not provided.  The total cost of this provision is estimated to be approximately $1.89 million in fiscal year 2012-13.