LD 700 requires the University of Maine System to provide tuition and fee waivers to eligible full-time in-state students beginning in 2026-2027. To qualify, students must be Pell Grant-eligible, have lived in Maine for 12 months, maintain a 2.0 GPA, and not be transferring or returning to complete a degree. The waiver covers the gap between tuition/fees and the combined amount of Pell Grants plus other non-merit-based aid received. Funding for these waivers is limited to available state resources and does not apply to merit-based scholarships from the university.
Maine LD 2226 amends the state's school funding formula to change how financial support is calculated for public schools and charter schools. The bill introduces a new method for predicting student transportation costs, capping them at 105% of recent actual expenditures adjusted for inflation, and updates the regional cost-of-living adjustment to align with teacher salary matrices. It also modifies funding weights for economically disadvantaged students and raises the special education prevalence threshold from 15% to 17%, while altering how high-cost special education placements are reimbursed. Additionally, the legislation caps certain maintenance of effort adjustments and prohibits midyear funding increases for unexpected out-of-district special education tuition costs.
This bill clarifies that private schools located outside Maine which were already approved to receive public tuition funds before the law takes effect can continue to do so for currently enrolled students. The provision allows these out-of-state schools to maintain the state's tuition rate for existing students until they finish secondary education, provided the schools continue to meet all other approval requirements. This change protects the tuition benefits for students already attending these schools while ensuring ongoing compliance with state standards. The legislation does not affect new applications for tuition approval or schools that were not previously approved.
This bill amends eligibility requirements for Maine secondary students who receive state subsidies to attend postsecondary courses. It lowers the required grade point average from 3.0 to 2.0 on a 4.0 scale, allows recommendations from school officials with knowledge of academic performance instead of just school administration, and removes lifetime credit caps for certain students. The Department of Education must submit a report by February 2028 on how these changes affect student eligibility and credit caps. These provisions are set to expire on July 31, 2028.
This bill updates Maine's higher education laws to allow the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor to confer a Bachelor of Arts in Human Ecology degree. The key provision adds a new section to the college's existing Private and Special Law, explicitly authorizing it to grant this specific degree. The change directly affects the College of the Atlantic by expanding its degree-granting authority to include this new program. This update aligns the college's legal status with similar institutions that offer comparable degrees.
This bill requires Maine school administrative units to develop cardiac emergency response plans by the 2026-2027 school year. The plans must include AED placement within 3 minutes of emergencies, staff training in CPR and AED use, and annual reviews based on American Heart Association guidelines. School athletic events must also have venue-specific emergency action plans addressing sudden cardiac arrest. These requirements apply to all public schools and school-sponsored athletic events across Maine.
LD 957 requires Maine's public and private K-12 schools to integrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) history into existing history and social studies curriculum. It mandates that AANHPI history be included in curriculum reviews alongside American history, Wabanaki studies, and Maine studies, focusing on regional/US history and contributions to civil rights, government, arts, and economic development. The Maine Department of Education must develop teaching resources, form an advisory group with AANHPI community representatives, and create guidance for equitable curriculum integration. Schools will conduct internal curriculum audits to ensure accurate representation, with a progress report due by April 2030. The law takes effect July 1, 2029.
LD 470 requires Maine school districts to implement approved mentoring programs for new teachers. Specifically, school units must have a pre-approved mentoring program before hiring conditionally certified teachers (new teachers without full certification) or teachers with emergency certificates. The law mandates that these programs provide sustained, intensive, classroom-focused support for at least the first year (or two years for certain certifications) to improve teaching skills and classroom management. This directly affects school districts, new teachers, and emergency-certified educators across Maine.
LD 396 requires all Maine public high schools to start the school day no earlier than 8:30 a.m. beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. This applies to every school administrative unit in the state, meaning all public high schools must adjust their schedules to meet this standard. The key provision sets a mandatory minimum start time, prohibiting secondary schools from beginning classes before 8:30 a.m. The requirement takes effect for the 2026-2027 school year, giving districts time to implement the change.
This bill establishes Maine's Student Homelessness Prevention Program within the Department of Education to help elementary and secondary students avoid homelessness. It provides up to $750 per academic year in direct financial assistance to families of students at risk of homelessness for housing needs like rent, utilities, or critical repairs. The program is funded through an annual $1.5 million appropriation from the General Fund, with assistance not counted as income for tax or public assistance eligibility. The program builds on federal McKinney-Vento requirements by proactively identifying at-risk students and offering immediate financial support to maintain stable housing.
