An Act To Ensure Adequate Funding for Students of Alternative Schools
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 1325
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: WALKER, WESTON, EDGECOMB, MAKAS, MUSE, NORTON, SILSBY, STRANG BURGESS, BOWMAN

Legislative Document 
No. 1325 
H.P.933 
House of Representatives, March 12,2007 
An Act To Ensure Adequate Funding for Students of Alternative 
Schools 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative WALKER of Lincolnville. 
Cosponsored by Senator WESTON of Waldo and 
7rJ~1'J7.~ 
Mll...LICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: EDGECOMB of Caribou, MAKAS of Lewiston, MUSE of Fryeburg, 
NORTON of Bangor, SILSBY of Augusta, STRANG BURGESS of Cumberland, Senator: 
BOWMAN of York. 
Primed on m:yclcd JIIl""r 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §S104-A, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 415, §31, is amended to 
read: 
§5104-A. Alternative programs outside the school administrative unit 
1. 
Alternative programs in another school administrative unit. 
If the 
superintendents approve, a school administrative unit may enroll a student in an 
alternative program in another school administrative unit SF iA aA appFs,,'e~ pFivate 
alternative pF9gFam. 
I-A. Alternative pro!!:rams in an approved private school. If the governing board 
of an approved private school approves, a student may enroll in an approved private 
alternative program outside the school administrative unit in which the student resides. 
I-B. Notification. Upon enrollment of a student properly approved for enrollment 
under subsection 1 or subsection I-A, the governing board of the receiving school 
administrative unit or approved private school shall provide written documentation of the 
student's enrollment date to the governing board of the school administrative unit where 
the student resides. 
2. Student count. A student properly approved for enrollment under subsection 1 
sRall or subsection I-A must be counted as a 1.0 student on school administrative unit 
counts for each semester, or its equivalent, of alternative program. 
2-A. Funding. Notwithstanding section 5204, subsection 1, funding for a student 
properly approved for enrollment under subsection 1 or subsection I-A must be provided 
as follows. 
A. The school administrative unit that enrolls a student in an alternative program 
outside the school administrative unit under subsection 1 shall provide an amount 
equal to the school administrative unit's state contribution and local contribution to 
the EPS per-pupil rate to the alternative program outside the school administrative 
unit. 
B. The school administrative unit that formerly enrolled a student that has been 
properly enrolled in an approved private alternative program under subsection I-A 
shall provide an amount equal to the school administrative unit's state contribution 
and local contribution to the EPS per-pupil rate to the approved private alternative 
program. 
C. 
The amount provided by the school administrative unit in accordance with 
paragraph A or B must be transferred on the first day of the semester or quarter 
following the student's enrollment date. 
The amount provided by the school 
administrative unit must be prorated for the term of the student's enrollment in the 
alternative program. Transfer of funds must continue for each term that the student is 
enrolled in the alternative program, except that funding may not exceed 4 years of 
alternative education. 
Page I - 123LR1329(OJ)-1 
3. 
Rules. 
The commissioner shall adopt rules in accordance 'Nith the Maine 
Administrative Procedtire Act, Title 5, chapter 375, to administer this section. Rules 
adop~~L pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5~ 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
SUMMARY 
This bill amends the eXlstmg statutes to clarify the responsibility for funding 
alternative education programs, including private programs, for public school students 
who enroll in alternative education programs outside the school administrative units in 
which they reside.