AUGUSTA — On May 18 the legislature’s Joint Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs held a work session on LD 1276 “An Act To Improve Educational Assessments of Maine Students.” This bill required that the Department of Education withdraw from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and not engage with SBAC on any future statewide assessments.

The bill passed unanimously in committee and will be debated and voted on in both houses of the legislature in the coming weeks.

“While passage of this bill would (if it becomes law) eliminate the use of SBAC in future assessments, it has no effect whatsoever on this year’s assessment,” said Tom Desjardin, Acting Commissioner of the Maine Department of Education, in an update emailed to educators.

Rep. Beebe-Center named to national legislative committee

Rep. Pinny Beebe-Center, D-Rockland, will serve on the National Conference of State Legislatures’ Legislative Effectiveness Committee. 

“I am very excited about this opportunity to learn about what other states are doing,” said Beebe-Center in a news release. “I look forward to sharing ideas and practices with legislators from other states and learning how their legislatures work so I can bring the best ideas back to Maine.”

The Committee on Legislative Effectiveness focuses both on key skills for legislators and on key operations and powers of state legislatures.

The NCSL standing committees educate Congress and federal agencies about state concerns and serve as a forum for state legislators and legislative staff to learn about and share information regarding programs and initiatives in other states.

Burstein to serve on nationwide health and human services panel

Rep. Christine Burstein, D-Lincolnville, will serve on a national panel on health and human services.

Burstein earned a spot on the Health and Human Services Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures, or NCSL. The committee brings state lawmakers from across the country together to work on issues including child welfare, aging and disability services, Medicaid, Medicare and the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, formerly known as the food stamp program.

"I am excited for this opportunity to come together with others working in these critical policy areas to share information and advocate for the people of Maine," said Burstein in a news release.

"I look forward to learning from other states, as well as to sharing my own experience as a family nurse practitioner and work on the Maine Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee."