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LD 339

Resolve, To Provide Funds To The Maine Indian Education School District To Develop A Wabanaki-Centered Curriculum

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Michael Brennan and 7 co-sponsors

Would provide $100,000 per year for two years to MIESD to develop and disseminate a Wabanaki-centered high school curriculum, coordinated by the DOE for Maine schools.

Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
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Bill Summary · LD 339

Summary of LD 339: Resolve, To Provide Funds To The Maine Indian Education School District To Develop A Wabanaki-Centered Curriculum

Overview

LD 339 is a Maine resolve introduced on January 30, 2025, proposing a General Fund appropriation to support the Maine Indian Education School District (MIESD) in developing and implementing a Wabanaki-centered high school curriculum. The bill passed through committee and was amended, but it was ultimately placed in Legislative Files as Dead, meaning it did not become law.

Purpose and Intent

  • Create a targeted program to develop a Wabanaki-centered curriculum for Native American high school students.
  • Fund the Maine Indian Education School District to design, implement, and align the curriculum with state education standards.
  • Coordinate with the Maine Department of Education to disseminate the curriculum to state-approved high schools across Maine.

Key Provisions

  • Appropriation: One-time General Fund expenditures of $100,000 per year for two fiscal years.
    • FY 2025-26: $100,000
    • FY 2026-27: $100,000
  • Eligible Uses:
    • Development and implementation of a Wabanaki-centered curriculum by MIESD.
    • Collaboration with the Department of Education (DOE) to ensure the curriculum is available to state-approved high schools statewide.
  • Administrative Arrangements:
    • Funds would be allocated to the DOE’s School Finance and Operations program to support MIESD’s curriculum work.
    • DOE would coordinate dissemination of the curriculum using existing resources (no additional new costs beyond those identified in the bill).

Fiscal Impact

  • General Fund cost to state: $100,000 in each of FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27 (total $200,000 over two years).
  • Ongoing costs after FY 2026-27: None identified in the bill; any dissemination activities beyond the two-year window would be absorbed within existing DOE resources per the fiscal notes.
  • The fiscal notes indicate that additional costs to the DOE for coordination and dissemination can be absorbed within current budgets.

Who/What Would Be Affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: Native American high school students in Maine, through a Wabanaki-centered curriculum.
  • Implementing entity: Maine Indian Education School District (MIESD).
  • Statewide impact: DOE would coordinate adoption and dissemination of the curriculum in state-approved high schools.

Timeline and Procedural Status

  • Introduced: January 30, 2025
  • Referred to Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
  • Key actions: Work session and votes in spring 2025; reports (OTP-AM/ONTP, then minority report) and concurrence discussions.
  • Final status: Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD) on June 4, 2025, meaning the bill did not advance to enactment.
  • Notable procedural notes: Amendments were considered; the bill’s amended version maintained the same fiscal amounts in the provided fiscal notes.

Additional Context

  • The initiative aligns with efforts to incorporate Indigenous history and perspectives into Maine's K-12 system by supporting a curriculum developed by a community-focused educational district.
  • While the bill did not pass, the fiscal note framework remains relevant for future legislation seeking targeted funding for curriculum development and Indigenous education initiatives.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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