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Bill > LD470

ME LD470

ME LD470
Resolve, Directing the Department of Education to Review Teacher Mentoring Programs in Maine Public Schools

summary

Introduced
02/05/2025
In Committee
02/05/2025
Crossed Over
06/05/2025
Passed
06/25/2025
Dead

Introduced Session

Potential new amendment
132nd Legislature

Bill Summary

This bill requires the Department of Education to develop peer support and teacher mentoring programs to be adopted by school administrative units. A school administrative unit may develop its own peer support and teacher mentoring program and submit the program to the department for approval. A peer support and teacher mentoring program must include a $5,000 stipend per school year for mentoring teachers for each teacher they mentor, plans to train mentoring teachers and to provide support for and regular engagement with teachers required to be mentored and regular professional development for mentoring teachers to improve their mentoring abilities. Mentoring teachers must be selected from a list provided by or in consultation with a local teacher's association and must have held a teacher certificate in the State for at least 5 years. All peer support and teacher mentoring programs must be reviewed by the department every 7 years. The Commissioner of Education may waive the requirement for a teacher to be mentored for no more than one year if the school administrative unit has demonstrated that the requirements of the peer support and teacher mentoring program would result in the school administrative unit being unable to operate. School administrative units without a peer support and teacher mentoring program may not hire conditionally certified teachers or teachers holding emergency teacher certificates. The legislation goes into effect July 1, 2026.

AI Summary

This bill requires school administrative units in Maine to adopt comprehensive peer support and teacher mentoring programs designed to support new and early-career teachers. The Department of Education must develop pre-approved mentoring programs that include a $5,000 annual stipend for mentoring teachers, who must be selected from a local teacher's association list and have held a teaching certificate in the state for at least 5 years. The programs must include specific plans for training mentors, providing regular support and engagement with new teachers, and ensuring ongoing professional development for mentors. Teachers requiring mentoring include those with less than 3 years of experience, conditionally certified teachers, emergency certificate holders, and teachers new to a school administrative unit. Each mentoring program will be reviewed every 7 years by a stakeholder group, and school administrative units without an approved program will be prohibited from hiring conditionally certified or emergency certificate teachers. The Commissioner of Education may waive mentoring requirements for up to one year if implementing the program would prevent a school administrative unit from operating. Starting October 1, 2027, superintendents must annually report details about mentoring teachers and their mentees to the department. The legislation will take effect on July 1, 2026, aiming to improve teacher support, retention, and classroom instruction quality.

Committee Categories

Education

Sponsors (8)

Last Action

HELD BY THE GOVERNOR. (on 07/08/2025)

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