The Activist

Pre-K Certification

The Education Committee had a public hearing on LD 2121 “Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 115: Certification, Authorization, and Approval of Education Personnel” in late January and worked the bill last Friday.  The State Board of Education presented the major substantive rule to the Committee for consideration.

The rule made several changes to Chapter 115 but the most controversial were the new requirements for Pre-K certification for current teachers.  MEA members, staff and President Chris Galgay convinced the Education Committee to “grandfather” existing Pre-K teachers from the new certification requirements.  Representatives Edgecomb (R-Caribou) and Sutherland (D-Chapman) should receive special credit for leading the Committee to this common sense solution.

The Committee vote was 9 to 1 to support the “grandfathering” amendment.  LD 2121 will now go to the Senate and House floor for further action.

Update on School Regionalization

LD 1932 “An Act to Amend the Laws Regarding School Funding” was voted out of the Education Committee in mid-January but hasn’t been seen since.  The original intent was to enact the bill in January in order to get local reorganization planning committees back on track by creating flexibility in the development of school districts’ cost-sharing formulas.

The bill has stalled in the process awaiting amendments to be developed for Senate action.  Several Senators are looking to preserve school unions as a means of preserving greater local control.  Senator Damon (D-Hancock) will offer an amendment to LD 1932 to preserve the school union option.

The Education Committee will be holding public hearings on three school consolidation draft bills on Wednesday, February 13^th at 1:00 p.m.  The Committee has been working for several weeks to provide further changes to the school consolidation law.  The follow-up bills to LD 1932 will include additional technical and procedural changes that need to be enacted to make this law more workable.

Public Hearing Schedule

Tuesday, February 5
Appropriations Committee, Room 228, State Capital
3:00 p.m.  Supplemental Budget (Funding Level of GPA)

Wednesday, February 6
Labor Committee, Room 220, Cross State Office Building
1:00 p.m.  LD 1931 “An Act To Protect Employee Choices of Collective Bargaining Agents in the Educational Unit Consolidation Process”

Friday, February 8
Appropriations Committee
1:00 p.m.  Supplemental Budget (Joint Purchasing of Prescription Drugs)

Lobby Day Reminder                 

Registrations for MEA Lobby Days are coming in for both February 12 ^th and February 28 ^th .  Please don’t miss the deadlines for registration:

February 12^th Lobby Day Deadline:
5:00 p.m. Friday, February 8^th
February 28^th Lobby Day Deadline:
5:00 p.m. Monday, February 25^th

We hope to see you there!