Resolve, To Direct the Department of Education To Review the School Facility Needs of the State and To Develop Standards for Cost-effective Financing of School Facilities
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 0866
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: GOLDMAN, MITCHELL, BLISS, BRYANT, EBERLE, LUNDEEN, NORTON, SA VIELLO, WEBSTER

Legislative Document 
No. 866 
H.P.617 
House of Representatives, February 16,2005 
Resolve, To Direct the Department of Education To Review the 
School Facility Needs of the State and To Develop Standards for 
Cost-effective Financing of School Facilities 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative GOLDMAN of Cape Elizabeth. 
Cosponsored by Senator MITCHELL of Kennebec and 
1J1~ 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: BLISS of South Portland, BRYANT of Windham, EBERLE of South 
Portland, LUNDEEN of Mars Hill, NORTON of Bangor, SA VIELLO of Wilton, WEBSTER 
of Freeport. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Sec. 1. Department of Education review of school facility needs of 
State. Resolved: 
That the Department of Education is directed to 
conduct a review of the school facilities inventory in order to 
evaluate the cost-effectiveness of existing state policies for 
financing school construction and to forecast the level of public 
investment necessary to meet the capital improvement needs of 
public schools over the next decade. 
This review must include 
analyses 
of 
the 
most 
recent data available 
from 
the 
school 
facilities inventory maintained by the department in accordance 
wi th the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15917 and 
must also include analyses of the facility maintenance plans and 
capital improvement programs submitted by school administrative 
units that have applied for: 
1. 
State funds for a school construction project pursuant 
to Title 20-A, section 15905; 
2. 
Loans from the School Revolving Renovation Fund pursuant 
to Title 30-A, section 6006-F; 
3. 
Loans from the school facilities finance lease-purchase 
program pursuant to Title 30-A, section 6006-E; and 
4. 
Approval 
from the Commissioner of Education for the 
construction of school facilities that were constructed without 
state support as nons tate funded projects pursuant to Title 20-A, 
section l5905-A. 
The 
Department 
cost-effectiveness 
of 
school construction by 
with school facilities 
of 
Education 
shall 
assess 
the 
existing 
state 
policies 
for 
financing 
evaluating the life cycle costs associated 
that were financed under each of the state 
finance policies or practices described in this section; and be 
it further 
Sec. 2. Standards for cost-effective financing of school facilities; 
forecast for public investment in school facilities. Resolved: 
That, in 
examining the findings and conclusions formed during the review 
conducted under section 1, 
the Department of Education shall 
recommend 
standards 
for 
cost-effective 
financing 
of 
school 
facilities, 
including 
proposed 
revisions 
to 
existing 
school 
facili ty finance pOlicies and practices that may result in more 
cost-effective expenditures 
of 
public 
funds. 
The 
department 
shall also develop a forecast of the levels of public investment 
necessary to meet the capital improvement needs of public schools 
over the next decade; and be it further 
Page l-LR0990 (1) 
• 
Sec. 3. Report. Resolved: 
That, 
no later than December 2, 
2005, the Department of Education shall submit a report of its 
review under section 1, together with the standards and forecast 
required under section 2, to the Joint Standing Committee on 
Education and Cultural Affairs. 
The Joint Standing Committee on 
Education and Cultural Affairs may introduce legislation based 
upon the Department of Education report to the Second Regular 
Session of the 122nd Legislature. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve directs the Department of Education to conduct 
a review of the school facilities inventory in order to evaluate 
the cost-effectiveness of existing state policies for financing 
school 
construction 
and 
to 
forecast 
the 
level 
of 
public 
investment necessary to meet the capital improvement needs of 
public schools over the next decade. 
The Department of Education 
is required to submit its report to the Joint Standing Committee 
on Education and Cultural Affairs by December 2, 2005.