We have become aware that there is an issue with Item # 3 in the school administrative unit (SAU) section of the EF-I-291 Basic School Approval Form.
That item asks you to respond to the statement that “the school administrative unit has a Comprehensive Education Plan that includes transitioning to proficiency based graduation” and that “the superintendent shall annually submit a copy of the minutes at which the school board reviewed and approved the plan.”
The requirement for assurances regarding transition to proficiency-based graduation were part of the provisions of PL 2011, Chapter 669, Title 20-A, §4502, sub-§1, which does not become effective until August 30, 2012.
Two issues present themselves:
- The new law does not take effect until after the August 10, 2012 deadline for filing the EF-I-291.
- It is unlikely that SAUs will have a school board-approved Comprehensive Education Plan that incorporates the transition provisions at this time.
Therefore, we are advising all SAUs to answer Item # 3 “Yes” if you have a school board-approved Comprehensive Education Plan in place. We will be asking for assurance of compliance with the requirement to submit a school board-approved Comprehensive Education Plan that incorporates the transition provisions in August 2013 when we begin to ask for assurances annually of any new statutory requirement passed in the prior year that is also a requirement for basic school approval.
If you have questions regarding this matter, please contact Edwin N. Kastuck, Ph.D., School Approval Services at edwin.kastuck@maine.gov, or call 624-6776.
Please remember that the deadline for submission of the EF-I-291 form is Friday, August 10.