AUGUSTA - Rep. Maggie O'Neil, D-Saco, presented LD 1880, An Act To Provide Textbook Cost Assistance for High School Students Enrolled in Early College Courses, before the Legislature's Education and Cultural Affairs Committee on Tuesday.
The bill would establish the Textbook Cost Assistance Fund in the Maine Department of Education to provide support for students enrolled in the early college program, which allows Maine high school students to earn credits through Maine's community colleges and public universities. Through the program, students begin college with credits already on their record and save hundreds of dollars in tuition fees.
"Students in Saco brought to my attention that textbook costs can be a barrier to accessing the early college program," said O'Neil. "Unlike for regular high school classes, students enrolled in early college courses must purchase their textbooks. This bill would create a fund for textbook costs so that students who are not able to purchase textbooks will still be able to take advantage of the program. I have talked to many young people who have benefited from taking free early college classes. They would not have been able to take early college credits if the program had not been available to them. Now, we can take a step further to make the program more accessible."
"As a state, we have an obligation to expand access to educational opportunities regardless of financial status," said Saco student Cole Cochrane, who testified in support of the measure. "This will help more students access the program."
Sen. Joe Rafferty, D-Kennebunk, the Senate chair of the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, and Rep. David McCrea, D-Fort Fairfield, an experienced educator, both expressed support for the bill.
"As a longtime educator and high school coach, I've seen firsthand how hard kids work in school to set themselves on a path for success," said Rafferty. "For many of them, that includes the impressive decision to take college classes early, while they're still in high school. Helping these kids afford textbooks, which can cost hundreds of dollars per book, is the least we can do to help them. I'm proud to support this bill."
"As a teacher in Fort Fairfield for over four decades, I witnessed many students take advantage of the early college program," said McCrea. "However, without the same financial support offered to actual college students, many struggled to afford these college-level textbooks. This bill gives those kids the support they need to make the most of early college programs."
The committee will hold a work session on the bill in the coming weeks.
O'Neil is serving her third term in the Maine House. She is House chair of the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee and a member of the Government Oversight Committee. She represents District 15, part of Saco.
Contact:
Jackie Merrill [ONeil, McCrea], c. 812-1111
Lisa Haberzettl [Rafferty], c. 251-3548