COMMITTEE AMENDMENT “A” to H.P. 454, L.D. 617

  PART JJ

 

                Sec. JJ-1.  20-A MRSA §15603, sub-§28-A is enacted to read:

 

                28-A.  Costs of transitional instruction program using bilingual techniques.  “Costs of transitional instruction program using bilingual techniques” means the costs of certified instruction programs that teach English as a 2^nd language as part of plans approved by the commissioner and implemented under section 4701, subsection 2.  These costs are limited to expenditures for supplemental instructional support for students of limited proficiency in English and may not include federal grant funds used for student instruction in English as a 2^nd language or bilingual education.  For subsidy purposes, these costs include:

 

A.     The salary and benefit costs of certified teachers with an endorsement in English as a 2^nd language or bilingual education contracted to provide services as part of an approved transitional instruction program using bilingual techniques; and

 

B.     The salary and benefit costs of education technicians who are under the supervision of a certified teacher with an endorsement in English as a 2^nd language or bilingual education contracted to provide services as part of an approved transitional instruction program using bilingual techniques.

 

Sec. JJ-2.  20-A MRSA §15612, sub-§ 12-A is enacted to read:

 

12-A.  Adjustment for costs of certified instruction programs that teach English as  a 2^nd language instruction as part of transitional instruction program using bilingual techniques; adjustment limitation.  A school administrative unit that places a student in an approved transitional instruction program using English as a 2^nd language or bilingual techniques established consistent with section 4701, subsection 2 must receive an adjustment equal to the amount of the supplemental costs of certified instruction programs that teach English as a 2^nd language for an approved transitional instruction program using bilingual techniques in the year of allocation.  State payments to school administrative units pursuant to this subsection must be made during the year of allocation.  The funds for the adjustment are limited to the amount appropriated by the Legislature for that purpose, and the department is authorized to prorate payments to units if the amount appropriated is insufficient to make full payments to all units.  If additional appropriations are not provided for this adjustment, the department may not redistribute existing appropriations for general purpose aid to local schools.

 

Sec. JJ-3. 20-A MRSA §15612, sub-§13, as enacted by PL 1989, c.875, Pt. E, §32, is amended to read:

 

13.        Adjustment limitations.  The amounts of the adjustments paid to school administrative units or municipalities in subsections 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11 and 12 and 12-A are limited to the amounts appropriated by the Legislature for these adjustments.

 

Section JJ-4.  General Purpose Aid for Local Schools; lapsed balances.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an amount of $1,000,000 from the fiscal year 1999-00 appropriation that remains in the General Purpose Aid for Local Schools account, or any other available balances in the account that sum to $1,000,000, lapses to the General Fund no later than June 30, 2000.

 

Sec. JJ-5.  General Purpose Aid for Local Schools; lapsed balances.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an amount of $1,600,000 from the fiscal year 2000-01 appropriation that remains in the General Purpose Aid for Local Schools account, or any other available balances in the account that sum to $1,600,000, lapses to the General Fund no later than June 30, 2001.

  

 

Sec. JJ-6.  Appropriation.  The following funds are appropriated from the General Fund to carry out the purposes of this Part.

                                                                   1999-00                 2000-01

EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF

 

General Purpose Aid for Local Schools

 

All Other                                                     $1,000,000              $1,600,000

 

Provides funds for the

adjustment for the costs of

certified English as a 2^nd

Language instruction.

               

Sec. JJ-4.  General Purpose Aid for Local Schools; lapsed balances.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any unobligated balances from fiscal year 1998-99 in General Purpose Aid for Local Schools shall carry forward to 1999-2000.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, an amount of $1,000,000 from the fiscal year 1999-00 appropriation that remains in the General Purpose Aid for Local Schools account, or any other available balances in the account that sum to $1,000,000, lapses to the General Fund no later than June 30, 2000.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any unobligated balances in excess of $1,000,000 from fiscal year 1999-00 in General Purpose Aid for Local Schools shall carry forward to 2000-2001.