Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-03
tax and probate laws of the State may
have more time for the work and make
it's report to the Legislature of 1928.
The State School Fund


An Act to establish the State School
Fund and provide for the apportion-
ment of the same, as introduced on
Wednesday by Varney of Jonesboro.
provides for a. complete change in the
method of school fund apportionment,
but entirely differs from the so-called
Grange bill. which has caused so much
discussion in previous sessions. 1t is
understood that Mr.. Varney's measure
has the endorsement of'the State De-
partment of Education.
The act provides for State school
fund of 1-3 mills. to which is added
the income from the permanent school
fund and part of the bank taxes as
and from which are deducted the ap-
preparations now made out Of the
School Mill Fund. The act provides
for the annulment of the present ap-
preparations for free high school aid,
SO that the total fund available for
distribution is slightly less than the
present fund for common school sup
port and the appropriations for high
school aid and, consequently, makes no
increase in the Budget estimates
The fund thus created is to be dis
tributed to the cities, towns and plan
tations of the State, to be expended by
them for the maintenance and support
Of both elementary and secondary
schools.
After deducting an equalization fund
to the amount of s150,00O' and also
such sum as is required for reimburse
ment to towns for secondary school
| tuition. the remainder is distributed
on the basis of teaching positions,
school census and aggregate attend
! ance with approximately the same
amount available for each of these
purposes.
For each teaching position (includ-
ing both classroom teachers and SUI
pervisors of special subSects) the sum
of 500 is paid annually. Teaching
positions in secondary schools are
| reckoned in proportion to the attend
ance of resident pupils in these
| schools.
For school census the same age linn
itations are made as by the present
school fund law. Aggregate attend
| ance includes the total number Of days
of attendance for any school year of
the regularly enrolled pupils resident
| of the town. sxss
Reimbursement for secondary school
| tuition paid by towns not supporting
free high schools is on the same gen.
eral basis as provided for at present
with an increase of the maximum to
| each town from $500 to 5000 annually.
The equalization fund is designed to
further assist those towns having ex-
| cessive rates of school support and is
to be apportioned along the same gen.
| eral principles as the present equaliza-
ton fund. Out of this fund, however,
| there may be paid limited sums to
towns undertaking unusually worthy
projects including the Improvement of
| conveyance. consolidation. housing of
teachers and Standardization of
schools. When schools are closed or
suspended by the action of the town
of the committee and conveyance Of
the pupils is necessary, provision is
made that aid may be paid for such
conveyance in lieu of the aid for the
teaching position previously main
tanned. Provision is also made for
meeting conditions when schools have
been required to be closed because of
epidemic. fire or other unpreventable
causes. -t
The first distribution of funds under
the terms of this act would be made
in December, 1922, on the basis of edu-
cational reports made for the year
ending July 1, 1922. Amounts re-
ceived by towns under it's provisions
are 20 be expended in conjunction with
local appropriations for all purposes