Public Law, Chapter 190, An Act To Support Life and Career Readiness Education in Maine was signed by Governor Mills on June 14, 2021.

Public Law, Chapter 190 was born out of a deep commitment to ensure Maine students are taught the knowledge and skills needed to make informed career choices in a complex world where exponential increases in computing power, the agility and power of digital technologies, and the creativity of human beings to innovate are fueling rapid rates of change in the workplace and in daily life.

Recognizing that students will choose to enter the workforce in different ways, the newly enacted law preserves local control over curricula, courses of study, resources, materials, and multiple pathways for learning. It also honors the impact that well-designed work-based learning experiences can have in developing student aspirations and employability skills by encouraging direct exposure of adolescents to a variety of career options.

Aligned tightly with the 2020 Maine Learning Results Life and Career Ready Standards, the newly enacted law updates language in Maine’s Education Laws by replacing the former title of the standards (career and education development) with the new title (life and career readiness), thereby highlighting the developmental progression of learning from career awareness in elementary school to career exploration and planning in grades 6-12.

To support educators throughout the summer, the Maine DOE will continue to develop and collect resources aligned with the 2020 Maine Learning Results Life and Career Ready Standards and upload them to the Life and Career Ready Resources page.

For more information, please contact Maine DOE Life and Career Ready Education Specialist, Diana Doiron at diana.doiron@maine.gov.