K-12 areas of instruction required by statute in Maine

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This page features information about K-12 areas of instruction required by state statute in Maine public schools.
Background
State education officials may develop content standards and curricula, depending on the state, in order to facilitate instruction in public schools. In some states, lawmakers also adopt required areas of instruction by statute.
K-12 content standards and curriculum development
State or local education officials may develop K-12 curricula for classroom instruction that generally includes lessons and materials used in a particular course of study.[1] Depending on the state, K-12 curricula may reflect or incorporate state content standards—educational learning and achievement goals that state education officials either require or recommend that local schools satisfy in K-12 instruction.
Areas of instruction required by statute
Some state laws require the inclusion of specific areas of instruction in K-12 public school curricula. In these cases, lawmakers—rather than state education officials—mandate certain education requirements for students. Laws governing specific areas of instruction in K-12 curricula vary by state.
Statutorily required areas of instruction in Maine
The following table provides information about selected areas of instruction required by statute in Maine, as of 2023. The statutes provided may not be comprehensive. The statutory text is provided below the table.
Statutorily required areas of instruction in Maine | ||
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Area(s) of instruction | Statute(s) | |
American history, Maine studies, and Maine Native American history | 20-A Maine Revised Statutes § 4706 (2022) | |
Instruction in American history, African American studies, Maine studies, Maine Native American history, and the history of genocide | 20-A Maine Revised Statutes § 4706 (2022) | |
Elementary courses of study; including life and career readiness, English language arts, world languages, health education and physical education, mathematics, science and technology, social studies, and visual and performing arts | 20-A Maine Revised Statutes § 4711 (2022) | |
Junior high school or middle school course of study; including life and career readiness, English language arts, health education and physical education, mathematics, science and technology, social studies, visual and performing arts, and world languages | 20-A Maine Revised Statutes § 4712 (2022) |
20-A Maine Revised Statutes § 4706 (2022):
“ | Instruction in American history, Maine studies and Maine Native American history
|
” |
20-A Maine Revised Statutes § 4706 (2022):
“ | Instruction in American history, African American studies, Maine studies, Maine Native American history and the history of genocide
|
” |
20-A Maine Revised Statutes § 4711 (2022):
“ | Elementary course of study
|
” |
20-A Maine Revised Statutes § 4712 (2022):
“ | Junior high school or middle school course of study
|
” |
See also
- K-12 areas of instruction required by statute in the states
- K-12 curriculum authority, requirements, and statutes in the states
- K-12 education content standards in the states
- Overview of trends in K-12 curricula development
- Use of the term critical race theory (CRT)
External links
Footnotes