APPROVED CHAPTER
JULY 9, 2021 441
BY GOVERNOR PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE
_____
H.P. 866 - L.D. 1188
An Act To Include Career and Technical Education Teachers in the
Minimum $40,000 Salary Initiative
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, this legislation needs to take effect before the expiration of the 90-day
period in order to ensure that career and technical education teachers are eligible for the
incremental increase in minimum salary for the school year starting after June 30, 2021;
and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now,
therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §13407, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 343, Pt. UU, §2, is amended
to read:
§13407. Minimum salaries beginning in 2020-2021 school year
Each school administrative unit shall establish a minimum salary for certified teachers
and career and technical education teachers as follows:
1. School year 2020-2021. For the school year starting after June 30, 2020, the
minimum salary is $35,000;
2. School year 2021-2022. For the school year starting after June 30, 2021, the
minimum salary for certified teachers and career and technical education teachers is
$37,500; and
3. School years beginning in or after 2022. For the school year starting after June
30, 2022, and in each subsequent school year, the minimum salary for certified teachers
and career and technical education teachers is $40,000.
A school administrative unit shall provide to the department annually on or before
October 1st the number of certified teachers and career and technical education teachers
Page 1 - 130LR0602(03)
eligible for incremental salary increases as defined in section 15689, subsection 7‑A,
paragraph A.
Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §15689, sub-§7-A, as amended by PL 2019, c. 616, Pt. C, §6,
is further amended to read:
7-A. Adjustment for minimum teacher salary. Beginning in fiscal year 2020-21,
the commissioner shall, in accordance with this subsection, increase the state share of the
total allocation to a qualifying school administrative unit by an amount necessary to achieve
the minimum salary for certified teachers and career and technical education teachers
established in section 13407.
A. As used in this subsection, unless the context otherwise indicates, "qualifying
school administrative unit" means a school administrative unit that the commissioner
determines to have a locally established salary schedule with a minimum teacher salary
of less than $40,000 in school year 2019-2020. As used in this subsection, unless the
context otherwise indicates, "incremental salary increases" means the incremental
increases in the salaries of certified teachers and career and technical education
teachers employed by a qualifying school administrative unit in school year 2019-2020
necessary to meet the minimum salary requirements of section 13407 from fiscal year
2020-21 to fiscal year 2022-23.
B. The commissioner shall allocate the funds appropriated by the Legislature in
accordance with the following.
(1) The amount of increased funds provided to qualifying school administrative
units under this subsection must be the amount necessary to fund the incremental
salary increases specified in this subsection.
(2) The number of certified teachers and career and technical education teachers
eligible for incremental salary increases in a qualifying school administrative unit
for a fiscal year must be based on the information supplied to the department
pursuant to section 13407 in that fiscal year.
(3) The increased funds provided under this subsection must be issued to
qualifying school administrative units as an adjustment to the state school subsidy
for distribution to the certified teachers and career and technical education
teachers. Qualifying school administrative units shall use the payments provided
under this subsection to provide salary adjustments to those certified teachers and
career and technical education teachers eligible for incremental salary increases.
The department shall collect the necessary data to allow the funds to be included
in a qualifying school administrative unit's monthly subsidy payments beginning
no later than February 1st of each fiscal year.
(4) Funding for incremental salary increases in fiscal year 2020-21 must be based
on data submitted to the department and certified by school administrative units as
of October 1, 2019.
Sec. 3. Department of Education to report. By December 1, 2021, the
Department of Education shall report to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and
Cultural Affairs on the status of the $40,000 minimum teacher salary initiative. The
department shall report on progress made toward meeting the requirements of the Maine
Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 13407 and shall include verification that all
Page 2 - 130LR0602(03)
professions intended to be included in the salary initiative are included, including librarians
and career and technical education teachers teaching in career and technical education
regions and centers. If the department identifies any areas of deficiency, its report to the
committee must include a plan for remediation. The committee is authorized to report out
legislation related to the department's report in the Second Regular Session of the 130th
Legislature.
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation
takes effect when approved.
Page 3 - 130LR0602(03)


Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 1188, HP 866: 20-A.13407, 20-A.15689
Bill Text ACTPUB , Chapter 441: 20-A.13407, 20-A.15689