AUGUSTA - Rep. Mark Worth, D-Ellsworth, introduced bipartisan legislation last Wednesday before the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee that would expand hands-on learning opportunities for Maine students.
LD 2131 would help increase Extended Learning Opportunities (ELOs), which are programs for high school students that include paid meaningful work experiences and skills development that could be applied towards an academic credit or professional certification upon graduation.
"This bill would open doors for students to engage in enriching, credit-eligible experiences beyond the classroom," said Worth. "By fostering collaboration between teachers and students to create personalized learning plans, it encourages hands-on learning, culminating in valuable learning opportunities and meaningful experiences outside the traditional classroom."
The bill would require a learning plan to be created collaboratively between a teacher and student with an emphasis on community-based career exploration. It would include a research reflection or presentation by the student upon completion.
The bill received support from the Maine Department of Education, the Maine Education Association and the Maine School Management Association.
The committee will hold a work session on the bill in the coming weeks.
Worth is serving his first term in the Maine House of Representatives and represents House District 13, which includes Fletcher's Landing Township, Waltham, Ellsworth and Central Hancock. He serves on the Legislature's Education and Cultural Affairs Committee.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Worth], c. 305-965-2744