Title 20-A

A person who defaces, damages or destroys the walls, benches, seats, blackboards or other parts of a schoolhouse or school outbuildings, commits a civil offense and shall pay double the damages.

If a public school student loses, destroys or unnecessarily injures a schoolbook or appliance furnished to the student at the expense of the school administrative unit, the student's parent must be notified. If the loss or damage is not made good to the satisfaction of the school…

If any part of the money raised by a school administrative unit, or paid to them by the State for superintendence, is expended for any other purposes, then each person misappropriating that money shall forfeit double the sum so misapplied. The money may be recovered in a civil ac…

After providing an opportunity for a hearing, the commissioner may adjust the state subsidy to an administrative unit when the expenditures for education in such unit show evidence of manipulation to gain an unfair advantage or are adjudged excessive. Any interested party aggriev…

The penalty for truancy is outlined in section 5053‑A.

Jobs for Maine's Graduates, referred to in this chapter as the "corporation," is established to extend necessary dropout prevention and school-to-work transition services to schools and students throughout the State. The corporation shall carry out its purposes in coordination wi…

Jobs for Maine's Graduates is authorized and directed to provide services to the State and to quasi-public, public and private entities and to assist students in making the transition from school to work. The corporation shall: [PL 1993, c. 348, §1 (NEW).] 1. Graduation. Help kee…

The corporation shall provide services, in accordance with this section and for the purpose of significantly increasing the percentage of eligible students who obtain a postsecondary degree, to postsecondary institutions in the State to assist students in completing a postseconda…

The Board of Directors of Jobs for Maine's Graduates consists of 17 private sector directors representing private businesses and labor organizations in the State; 14 public sector directors, representing public or quasi-public educational entities; and 2 ex officio directors, rep…

Jobs for Maine's Graduates is empowered to: [PL 1993, c. 348, §1 (NEW).] 1. Suit. Sue or be sued in its own name; 2. Application for and receipt of funds. Apply for and receive funds from any private source, foundation or governmental entity, whether by way of grant, donation, lo…

The corporation shall adopt bylaws consistent with this chapter for the governance of its affairs and has the general powers accorded corporations under Title 13‑C, section 302. The corporation shall do all things necessary or convenient to carry out the lawful purposes of the co…

The corporation may not enter into contracts, obligations or commitments of any kind on behalf of the State or any of its agencies, nor may it have the power of eminent domain or any other power not provided to business corporations generally. Bonds, notes and other evidences of …

All officers, directors, employees and other agents of the corporation entrusted with the custody of the securities of the corporation or authorized to disburse the funds of the corporation must be bonded, either by a blanket bond or by individual bonds, with a surety bond or bon…

Officers, directors or employees of the corporation or their spouses or dependent children may not receive any direct personal benefit from the activities of the corporation in assisting any private entity. This provision does not prohibit corporations or other entities with whic…

The State, through the Office of the Governor, may accept donations, bequests, devises, grants or other interests of any nature on behalf of Jobs for Maine's Graduates and transfer those funds, property or other interests to the corporation.

The corporation shall provide an annual report of its activities to the Governor; to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education and labor and skills training matters; to the commissioner; and to the schools participating in the program. Th…

The Jobs for Maine's Graduates shall operate as a nonprofit organization consistent with its composition and broad public purposes. The following conditions apply to the operation or dissolution of the corporation. [PL 1993, c. 348, §1 (NEW).] 1. Net earnings. No part of the net …

This chapter may be construed liberally to effect the interest and purpose of the corporation for an improved and expanded school-to-work and skills training system in the State and may be broadly interpreted to effect the corporation's intent and purpose and not as a limitation …

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 2013, c. 318, §3 (NEW).] 1. Collaborative agreement. "Collaborative agreement" means an agreement between a secondary school, a career and technical education pro…

1. Application. Representatives of the governing bodies of publicly supported educational institutions may file an application with the commissioner for the purpose of entering into a collaborative agreement. A collaborative partnership is governed by a collaborative board formed…

1. Application. An application under section 6972 for a collaborative partnership must be in a form and contain such information as required by the commissioner, including, but not limited to: A. The identification of the publicly supported educational institutions that are apply…

1. Duration of collaborative agreement. A collaborative agreement that has been ratified pursuant to section 6973 is valid for the fiscal year beginning July 1st following the ratification vote and ends June 30th of the calendar year that coincides with the expiration date includ…

A secondary school student is eligible to participate in secondary and postsecondary courses offered by a collaborative partnership formed pursuant to this chapter if the student is a full-time student at a public secondary school and enrolled in a career and technical education …

In this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 2021, c. 248, §3 (NEW).] 1. Military-connected student. "Military-connected student" means a student who is a dependent of: A. A current or former member of: (1) The Unit…

The department shall designate a school administrative unit as a Purple Star School if the school administrative unit applies and qualifies for the designation under this chapter.

To qualify as a Purple Star School, a school administrative unit must: [PL 2021, c. 248, §3 (NEW).] 1. Military liaison. Designate a staff member as a military liaison, whose duties include: A. Identifying military-connected students enrolled at the school administrative unit; [P…

A school administrative unit may partner with another school administrative unit to fulfill any of the requirements of this chapter.

The department shall adopt rules as necessary to administer this chapter. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.

As used in this subpart, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 1981, c. 693, §§5, 8 (NEW).] 1. Agency. "Agency" means a public, quasi-governmental or private agency, school, organization, facility or institution. 1-A. Child D…

1. Rulemaking. The commissioner is authorized to adopt rules necessary for the administration of this chapter and chapters 303 and 305. These rules are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A. The department shall identify in its regulatory agen…

The Department of Education is designated as the state education agency responsible for carrying out the State's obligations under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 United States Code, Section 1400 et seq., as amended. The department and every school adm…

Related services must be provided by qualified individuals employed or contracted by the school administrative unit, intermediate educational unit, public school or other public agency that receives federal or state funds to provide early intervention or free, appropriate public …

The policy of the State for the education of children with disabilities is as follows. [PL 2005, c. 662, Pt. A, §22 (AMD).] 1. Equal educational opportunities. All students must be provided with equal educational opportunities and all school administrative units shall provide equ…

Each school administrative unit shall: [PL 2023, c. 449, §4 (AMD).] 1. Identification. Identify all children within its jurisdiction who require special education; 2. Records. Make and keep current records of children with disabilities within its jurisdiction, as required by rule…

The commissioner: [PL 1981, c. 693, §§5, 8 (NEW).] 1. Related services. Shall provide, or cause to be provided by administrative units operating schools, all related services, as defined in rules the commissioner establishes, required by a child with a disability so that the chil…

It is the intent of the Legislature that a representative of the commissioner visit special education programs for the purpose of review and assistance and as necessary to comply with federal general supervision requirements. Nothing in this section prohibits a school administrat…

The following provisions apply to an investigation of noncompliance with this chapter. [PL 1981, c. 693, §§5, 8 (NEW).] 1. Complaint. An interested party may file with the commissioner a written complaint alleging that a school administrative unit or private school, intermediate …

1. Rules. The commissioner shall adopt rules to determine when a surrogate parent is needed and the criteria for selection of a surrogate parent. 2. Objection to appointments. When a child with a disability is a state ward and the Department of Health and Human Services has notif…

The following provisions apply to due process hearings. [PL 1985, c. 318, §3 (NEW).] 1. Rules. The commissioner shall adopt rules governing the procedures for conducting due process hearings. The rules shall include: A. A maximum period within which a parent, surrogate parent, gu…

The following provisions apply to mediations. [PL 1999, c. 424, Pt. A, §10 (NEW).] 1. Rules. The commissioner shall adopt rules governing the procedures for conducting mediations. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 37…

Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to prevent or impair the administration or enforcement of any other law of the State.

1. Department of Education. The department shall serve as the lead agency for the statewide system pursuant to 20 United States Code, Section 1435, including the identification and coordination of all available resources within the State for services to eligible children from bir…

In order to meet the requirement that, beginning July 1, 2028, all school administrative units are designated as responsible for child find activities and for ensuring a free, appropriate public education for children eligible under Part B, Section 619 pursuant to section 7006, t…

Notwithstanding Title 5, section 18, subsection 1, paragraph B, all members of the state-level advisory committee established under section 7209, subsection 2 and all employees, contractors, agents and other representatives of the state intermediate educational unit are deemed ex…

The Child Development Services System shall establish 9 regional support and service hubs that are aligned with each of the 9 superintendent regions established by the statewide association of superintendents. The regional support and service hubs shall provide supports and resou…

A school administrative unit or public school may establish an appropriate special education program.