LD 1764

132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
  FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2025
Legislative Document  No. 1764
H.P. 1183  House of Representatives, April 23, 2025
  An Act to Ensure Equitable Staffing Ratios Across the State for
  Career and Technical Education Programs in Areas with Smaller
  Student Populations
    Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered
printed.
  ROBERT B. HUNT
  Clerk
Presented by Speaker FECTEAU of Biddeford.
Cosponsored by Senator RAFFERTY of York and
Representatives: ALBERT of Madawaska, CLUCHEY of Bowdoinham, FARRIN of Jefferson,
MCCABE of Lewiston, STROUT of Harrington, WEBB of Durham, WOODSOME of
Waterboro.
  Printed on recycled paper
1 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2     Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §8309 is enacted to read:
3 §8309. Staffing ratios; funding distribution
4     1. Staffing ratios. A center or region shall maintain a minimum staffing ratio as
5 follows:
6     A. At least one full-time employee for every 8 students enrolled for a center or region
7     with fewer than 1,000 students; and
8     B. At least one full-time employee for every 13 students enrolled for a center or region
9     with 1,000 or more students.
10 Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraphs A and B, a center or region may adopt a
11 staffing ratio appropriate to the industry standard applicable to the program offered by the
12 center or region, subject to the approval of the commissioner.
13     2. Funding distribution. Beginning in 2025, a center or region shall submit to the
14 department annually by September 30th a calculation of the difference between the funding
15 needed for the center or region to meet the staffing ratio requirements under subsection 1
16 and the funding received by the center or region for the previous fiscal year.
17 Beginning in 2025, the department shall distribute additional available funds to a center or
18 region by November 30th annually to meet the staffing requirements under subsection 1
19 based on the annual calculation submitted by that center or region, giving preference for
20 funding distribution to a center or region with fewer than 1,000 students.
21SUMMARY
22      This bill requires a career and technical education center or region to maintain a certain
23 staffing ratio based on the number of students enrolled at the center or region. The bill
24 allows a center or region to adopt a staffing ratio appropriate to the industry standard
25 applicable to the program offered by the center or region, subject to the approval of the
26 Commissioner of Education. The bill also requires a center or region to submit to the
27 Department of Education an annual calculation of the difference between the funding
28 needed to meet the staffing ratio requirements and the funding the center or region received
29 for the previous fiscal year. The bill requires the department to distribute additional
30 available funds to a center or region by November 30th annually to meet the staffing
31 requirements based on the annual calculation submitted by that center or region, giving
32 preference for funding distribution to a center or region with fewer than 1,000 students.
  Page 1 - 132LR1740(01)