Title 20-A, Title 20-A

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 2011, c. 414, §5 (NEW).] 1. At-risk pupil. "At-risk pupil" means a pupil who has an economic or academic disadvantage that requires special services and assistanc…

Charter schools may be established as public schools pursuant to this chapter to improve pupil learning by creating more high-quality schools with high standards for pupil performance; to close achievement gaps between high-performing and low-performing groups of public school st…

1. Information and technical assistance. The department shall disseminate information on how to form and operate a public charter school and on how to enroll in a public charter school once the school is created. The department may provide assistance and guidance to authorizers i…

1. Eligibility. Any student residing in the State is eligible to apply to a public charter school. 1-A. Virtual public charter school eligibility. In addition to the provision in subsection 1, a dependent of a member of the United States Armed Forces who has received official mil…

1. Eligible authorizers. The following groups may become authorizers of public charter schools: A. A local school board with regard to creating a public charter school within the boundaries of the school administrative unit governed by that local school board; [PL 2011, c. 414, §…

1. Issuance. To invite, solicit, encourage and guide the development of high-quality public charter school applications, an authorizer shall issue and broadly publicize requests for proposals. The content and dissemination of the requests for proposals must be consistent with the…

1. Application. An applicant for approval as a public charter school must submit an application as set out in this section. An applicant may submit an application only to an authorizer that has issued a request for proposals in accordance with section 2406. An applicant may submi…

1. Charter contracts. When an application is approved, a charter contract must be executed in accordance with this section. A. After approval of an application and no later than 60 days prior to the opening date of the public charter school, the authorizer and the governing board…

1. Performance framework. The performance provisions of a charter contract must be based on a performance framework developed by the authorizer that sets forth the academic and operational performance indicators that will guide the authorizer's evaluations of each public charter …

1. Data collection; monitoring. For each public charter school it oversees, the authorizer is responsible for collecting, analyzing and reporting all data from state assessments in accordance with the performance framework developed under section 2409, subsection 1. An authorizer…

1. Initial charter term. The term for an initial charter may not commence before July 1, 2012. An initial charter must be granted for a term of 5 operating years. The charter term commences on the public charter school's first day of operation. An approved public charter school m…

1. Legal status. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, to the extent that any provision of this chapter is inconsistent with any other state or local law, rule or regulation, the provisions of this chapter govern and are controlling. A. A public charter school is …

1. External audit. A public charter school shall adhere to generally accepted accounting principles and shall annually engage an external auditor to do an independent audit of the public charter school's finances. The public charter school shall submit the audit to its authorizer…

1. Enrollment count. Students enrolled in and attending public charter schools must be reported to the department, for attendance and funding purposes, as provided in department rules. 2. Revenue provisions. State and local operating funds follow each student to the public charte…

Beginning with fiscal year 2015-16, this section applies to public charter schools authorized by the commission. [PL 2015, c. 54, §5 (NEW).] 1. Pupil count. Students enrolled in and attending public charter schools must be reported to the department, for attendance and funding pu…

1. Facilities; property. A public charter school may acquire facilities and property in accordance with this subsection. A. A public charter school has a right of first refusal to purchase or lease at or below fair market value a closed noncharter public school facility or proper…

1. Transfer of credits. If a student who was previously enrolled in a public charter school enrolls in another noncharter public school in this State, the school to which the student transfers must accept credits earned by the student in courses or instructional programs at the p…

1. Fund created. The Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services, referred to in this chapter as "the fund" is created to assist in financing the cost of local and regional initiatives to improve educational opportunity and student achievement through more efficient d…

The legislative body of a school administrative unit other than a school administrative district, which does not maintain any of the grades from kindergarten to grade 12, may authorize its school board to contract with another school for school privileges for all or a part of its…

The legislative body of any nearby school administrative unit or the board of trustees of a nearby private school approved for tuition purposes may agree to accept contract students.

The governing bodies of the sending units and receiving school shall establish a contract. [PL 1981, c. 693, §§5, 8 (NEW).] 1. Specific provisions. The contract: A. Shall specify the duration of the contract from 2 to 10 years; [PL 1985, c. 797, §18 (AMD).] B. May include the est…

A joint committee if established pursuant to section 2703: [PL 1983, c. 806, §27 (AMD).] 1. Membership. Shall have an equal number of school board members and board of trustee members; 2. Powers and duties. Shall have the following powers and duties: A. To select and employ teach…

A private school may operate as an approved private school for meeting the requirement of compulsory school attendance under section 5001-A if it: [RR 2005, c. 2, §12 (COR).] 1. Hygiene, health, safety. Meets the standards for hygiene, health and safety established by applicable …

Private schools approved for attendance purposes by the department shall: [PL 1981, c. 693, §§5, 8 (NEW).] 1. Immunization. Comply with the immunization provisions under chapter 223, subchapter 2; 2. Language of instruction. Use English as the language of instruction except as sp…

Nothing in this subchapter shall restrict the authority of the governing body of a private school to require additional subjects to be taught in their school.

1. Commissioner may remove basic approval. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the commissioner may remove basic approval from any private school for failure to meet applicable approval requirements. 2. Procedural requirements. Whenever a school fails to meet these requir…

The decision of the commissioner on nonrenewal of basic approval of any school applying for renewal shall be in accordance with the Maine Administrative Procedure Act, Title 5, chapter 375 and rules adopted by the State Board of Education under section 405, subsection 3, paragrap…

Any private school which chooses the accreditation method of approval shall make available to the commissioner on a timely basis all accreditation reports on the school and shall notify the commissioner promptly upon a determination that the school is not accredited or is on prob…

1. Requirements. A nonprofit institution, not otherwise approved under this subchapter, may operate as an approved nontraditional limited purpose school if it demonstrates a commitment to the educational process and to the State's youth by possessing the following: A. An incorpor…

A private school may be approved for the receipt of public funds for tuition purposes only if it: [PL 2005, c. 153, §2 (AMD).] 1. Basic approval. Meets the requirements for basic school approval under subchapter I; 2. Nonsectarian. 3. Incorporated. Is incorporated under the laws …

A private school receiving state funds, either directly or indirectly, and a private school approved for tuition and attendance purposes shall annually, in accordance with time schedules established by the commissioner, report to the commissioner the information the commissioner …

1. Annual audit. 2. Special audit. Audits by the State Auditor may be requested by 3 or more duly elected and qualified officers of the private school. This audit must be conducted at the expense of the requesting school except when the audit is determined necessary by the commis…

The commissioner may adopt rules regarding tuition charges, accounting, audits, contracts and other aspects of schooling privileges arranged between a private school and school administrative units.

Private schools approved for tuition purposes that have not complied with this chapter may not receive tuition payments from any school administrative unit.

Private schools that operate programs for children with disabilities shall conform to the applicable provisions of this chapter and chapters 301 and 303.

The commissioner may contract with a private school, which is serving one or more municipalities in lieu of a public secondary school, for the conduct of career and technical education courses that meet the same standards for approval as those conducted in public secondary school…

Schools which enroll only students whose parents are not residents of the State shall meet all health and safety requirements of the State applicable to private schools.

As used in this chapter, unless the context indicates otherwise, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 1981, c. 693, §§ 5, 8 (NEW).] 1. Unorganized territory. "Unorganized territory" means territory not part of a municipality. 2. Unorganized unit. "Unorganized unit…

The commissioner may adopt rules to carry out this chapter.

Education in elementary schools and secondary schools in the unorganized territory must be provided in alignment with the system of learning results as established in section 6209 under the direction of the commissioner and must meet the general standards for elementary and secon…

1. Elementary school privileges provided. The commissioner may provide elementary schooling for resident children by establishing and maintaining such elementary schools as may seem advisable or by sending these children as tuition students to a public or private elementary schoo…

1. Secondary students. Any eligible resident student who may be judged by the commissioner to be qualified may attend as a tuition student any public or private secondary school approved for tuition purposes under section 2951 to which that tuition student may gain entrance. 2. B…

1. Special education programs. The commissioner shall provide special education and related services to all children with disabilities of the unorganized territory in accordance with the provisions of chapter 303, except that the commissioner shall carry out the duties of school …

The commissioner may make special arrangements to provide elementary school privileges in cooperation with the Federal Government for children residing with a parent or legal guardian at a light station, fog warning station, lifesaving station or other place within a United State…

1. Required attendance. Persons residing in the unorganized territory who are at least 6 years of age and under 17 years of age shall attend a public day elementary or secondary school or an approved private school during the time it is in session. 1-A. Attendance of persons 5 ye…