AUGUSTA — State Reps. Michael McClellan and Richard Wagner, along with other members of the legislature’s Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, have been named as winners of this year’s Weston L. Bonney Education Leadership Award.

The award is given each year by Educate Maine to an individual, company or group that had provided leadership, commitment and vision to ensuring that all Maine students have access to a quality education.

Educate Maine was created by the merger of the Maine Coalition for Excellence in Education and the Maine Compact for Higher Education. The business-led organization’s mission is to champion college and career readiness and increased education attainment.

This year’s award marks the first time that a legislative committee has taken the top honors. The executive director of Educate Maine, Tanna Clews, said the panel was chosen “for your strong bipartisan work and leadership during the 125th session in support of proficiency-based learning.”

“I am deeply honored to be recognized for the work our committee did over the last two years,” said Rep. McClellan (R-Raymond). “It was a very active session, and we dealt with numerous bills to improve educational opportunities for all of Maine’s young people.”

The proficiency-based learning initiative, LD 1422, changes high school diploma requirements as the first step in moving all schools to higher standards. To earn a proficiency-based diploma, students will have to demonstrate mastery of every topic or skill before graduating. The new standards won’t go into effect until 2017, but school districts will begin working towards the new system well before then.

Rep. Wagner (D-Lewiston) was a proponent of LD 1422 in committee and on the House floor.

The award will be presented to the 13 Education Committee members at Educate Maine’s annual event, Pipeline to Prosperity, on Dec. 14.