Title 20-A, Title 20-A

1. Building committee. The legislative body of a school administrative unit may establish a special building committee at a regular or specially called meeting held prior to a school construction project receiving the concept approval provided in section 15901. If the legislative…

1. Application. A school construction project, permanent space lease-purchase project or the minor capital costs of a project with an estimated cost of more than $50,000 must meet the requirements of this section. 2. Requirements. The plans and specifications shall contain suitab…

Prior to design and funding approval by the state board, a school construction project, except a small scale school construction project as defined in section 15901, subsection 4‑A, must receive a favorable vote conducted in accordance with the following. [PL 2013, c. 167, Pt. B,…

1. Approval authority. The state board must approve each school construction project, unless it is a small scale school construction project as defined in section 15901, subsection 4‑A, a nonstate funded project as defined in section 15905‑A or a permanent space lease-purchase pr…

1. Approval authority. The commissioner must approve each nonstate funded project. 2. Rules. The commissioner may adopt or amend rules relating to the approval of nonstate funded projects. 3. Local vote. Prior to approval by the commissioner, each nonstate funded project, except …

In any action challenging the validity of the issuance of bonds for a school construction project authorized and approved under this chapter, or seeking to enjoin the commencement, construction or completion of any such school construction project, the following shall apply. [PL …

1. Payment of State's share. The state allocation for debt service costs must be paid by the commissioner to each unit according to that unit's debt retirement schedule and rules adopted pursuant to this chapter. A. For all current and future debt service costs payable by a schoo…

1. Technical assistance. In order to provide the technical assistance required by the state board in assessing proposed school construction projects, the department may contract for the services of a professional engineer whenever the department is not employing qualified personn…

1. Definition. For purposes of this section, "substantially renovated" means any renovation for which the cost exceeds 50% of the building's current value prior to renovation. 2. Rules. The state board, in consultation with the Department of Administrative and Financial Services …

In approving school construction projects, the state board shall ensure that school administrative units have considered heating systems that use renewable, locally sourced wood-based fuels and that benefit the State's economy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions in all planning a…

1. Rate of construction aid. 2. Bonds. A school administrative unit shall sell bonds in its name for the total cost of a school construction project minus the amounts listed in paragraph A. Bond sales must be consistent with rules adopted or amended by the state board. A. The amo…

The following requirements shall apply to a school construction project. [PL 1981, c. 693, §§5, 8 (NEW).] 1. Applications. An application for approval of a project shall include the information required by the state board. 2. Reports. A school administrative unit shall file: A. A…

The state board may approve construction of school buildings without obligating the State to pay a share of the costs of those buildings, if those portions are to be constructed to fulfill a community service need. [PL 1981, c. 693, §§ 5, 8 (NEW).] 1. Community service. "Communit…

If it appears that a school administrative unit has failed to maintain a school facility which protects the health, welfare and safety of the persons utilizing the facility, the commissioner may cause an inspection to be made. The commissioner shall notify the school administrati…

[PL 1981, c. 693, §§ 5, 8 (NEW).] 1. Placement. School bus shelters for school children, when approved by the school board of the unit in which they are located, may be placed or maintained outside the right-of-way and at least 33 feet from the center line of a highway. 2. Requir…

1. Initial agreement for energy conservation improvements. A school administrative unit may enter into an agreement of up to 20 years with an energy services company. For the purposes of this section, "energy services company" means a company or 3rd-party financing company that p…

1. Service agreements. The governing bodies of school administrative units and career and technical education regions are authorized to enter into agreements for not more than 10 years with private entities such as telecommunications service providers to purchase telecommunicatio…

The state board shall be the designated agency to administer any federal funds made available to assist in the construction of facilities for schools, educational programs or institutions of higher education.

1. Inventory. 2. Data base established. The department shall establish and maintain a school facilities data base. The data base must be available for inclusion in the education information system maintained by the Education Research Institute and established in section 10. 3. In…

The department, within existing resources, shall support facility maintenance and capital planning training for school administrative units.

1. Conditions. A school administrative unit may condemn land for the construction or enlargement of school buildings and playgrounds when: A. The owner of the property refuses to sell; [PL 1981, c. 693, §§5, 8 (NEW).] B. The parties are unable to agree on a price within 60 days o…

1. Authority to condemn. When the location of a school lot has been legally determined by a school administrative unit, the land may be condemned: A. In a municipality by the municipal officer; [PL 1981, c. 693, §§5, 8 (NEW).] B. In a school administrative district or a regional …

If the owner is aggrieved at the damages awarded that owner under this chapter, the owner may appeal to the Superior Court of the county in which the land or any part of it lies. [RR 2019, c. 2, Pt. B, §25 (COR).] 1. Procedure. The owner shall file a complaint in the court and se…

1. Reappraisal. If a school administrative unit has designated, located and described a lot upon which to construct or enlarge a school and by mistake or omission has failed to comply with the law whereby the location has been rendered invalid, 3 legal voters and taxpayers of tha…

The Maine Learning Technology Fund, referred to in this chapter as the "fund," is established. The fund consists of certain funds dedicated by the Legislature and by other private and public sources for the advancement of learning technology for kindergarten to grade 12 in Maine.

1. Purpose. The fund must be used to enable the full integration of appropriate learning technologies into teaching and learning for the State's elementary and secondary students. The fund must be managed and governed in a manner that provides for the financially sustainable supp…

1. Fund assets. The fund includes all assets, funds and holdings held in the name of, on behalf of or for the benefit of the fund. This is a nonlapsing fund the sources of which include all appropriations and allocations by the Legislature to the fund; cash, stocks, cash equivale…

The Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services, referred to in this section as the "commissioner," shall act as fiduciary and fiscal agent with respect to the management and administration of the fund. The commissioner may accept donations to the fund consistent with t…

1. Annual plan recommendation. Prior to December 15th of each year, the commissioner, after consultation with the Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services and after receiving the approval of the state board, shall recommend to the Governor and the Department of Admin…

The Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of the Budget shall annually certify to the Legislature the funding level that the Governor recommends for the annual learning technology plan. The Governor's recommendations must be transmitted to the Legislature wi…

The Legislature annually, prior to March 15th, shall enact legislation to allocate the funding level necessary to implement the annual learning technology plan. The Legislature may allocate for expenditure by the commissioner for eligible kindergarten to grade 12 schools and elig…

Within the annual allocation, the department shall follow the procedures established under this section. [PL 2001, c. 358, Pt. II, §6 (NEW).] 1. Cash flow. For the purpose of cash flow, the commissioner may pay the full payment amounts due on leases under which the learning techn…

1. Fund established. The Digital Literacy Fund, referred to in this section as "the fund," is established as an interest-bearing account administered by the department. 2. Revenue. Any private or public funds appropriated, allocated or dedicated to the fund must be deposited into…

1. Digital content library established. The commissioner shall establish a digital content library to house a collection of high-quality digital educational content and learning resources aligned with the State's educational initiatives, delivered electronically by school adminis…

This chapter may be known and cited as "the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children," which is referred to in this chapter as "the compact."

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 2009, c. 409, §1 (NEW).] 1. Active duty. "Active duty" means full-time duty status in the active uniformed service of the United States, including members of the …

1. Application to children. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, this chapter applies to the children of: A. Active duty members of the uniformed services; [PL 2009, c. 409, §1 (NEW).] B. Members or veterans of the uniformed services who are severely injured and medicall…

This section applies to the transition of students subject to this chapter pursuant to section 20103. [PL 2009, c. 409, §1 (NEW).] 1. Unofficial educational records. If official educational records cannot be released to the parent or parents of the transitioning student, the cust…

1. Course placement. When a student transfers before or during the school year, the school in the receiving state shall initially honor placement of the student in educational courses based on the student’s enrollment in the school in the sending state and any educational assessm…

1. Eligibility for enrollment. Eligibility for enrollment is governed by this subsection. A. Special power of attorney, relative to the guardianship of a child of a military family and executed under applicable law, is sufficient for the purposes of enrollment and all other actio…

In order to facilitate the on-time graduation of a child of a military family, states and local education agencies shall incorporate the procedures set forth in this section. [PL 2009, c. 409, §1 (NEW).] 1. Waiver requirements. Local education agency administrative officials shal…

1. Establishment or designation of board; state council. Each member state shall, through the creation of a state council or use of an existing body or board, provide for the coordination among its agencies of government, local education agencies and military installations concer…

The member states hereby create the Interstate Commission on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. The activities of the interstate commission are the formation of public policy and are a discretionary state function. The interstate commission: [PL 2009, c. 409, §1 (NEW)…

The interstate commission may: [PL 2009, c. 409, §1 (NEW).] 1. Dispute resolution. Provide for dispute resolution among member states; 2. Rules. Promulgate rules and take all necessary actions to effect the goals, purposes and obligations as enumerated in this compact. The rules …

1. Bylaws. The interstate commission shall, by a majority of the members present and voting, within 12 months after the first interstate commission meeting, adopt bylaws to govern its conduct as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of the compact, including, …

1. Authority. The interstate commission shall promulgate reasonable rules in order to effectively and efficiently achieve the purposes of the compact; however, if the interstate commission exercises its rule-making authority in a manner that is beyond the scope of the purposes of…