An Act To Restore Equity in Education Funding
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1274
Committee Amendment CA_A_S240 (Senate)
Amends: Title 20-A, Section 15671, 20-A MRSA §15682

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A " to S.P. 395, L.D. 1274, Bill, "An Act To 
Restore Equity in Education Funding" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA § 15679, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 504, Pt. A, §6, is 
amended to read: 
2. Students-to-staff ratios. In calculating the salary and benefit costs pursuant to 
this section, the commissioner shall utilize the following student-to-staff ratios specified 
in paragraphs A and B and adjusted as provided in paragraph C. 
A. For the elementary school level and the middle school level: 
(1) The student-to-education technician ratio is 100: I ; 
(2) The student-to-guidance staff ratio is 350: I; 
(3) The student-to-librarian ratio is 800: 1; 
(4) The student-to-media assistant ratio is 500: I; 
(5) The student-to-health staff ratio is 800: 1; 
(6) The student-to-school administrative staff ratio is 305: I; and 
(7) The student-to-cierical staff ratio is 200: I. 
B. For the high school level: 
(1) The student-to-education technician ratio is 250: I; 
(2) The student-to-guidance staff ratio is 250: 1; 
(3) The student-to-librarian ratio is 800: 1; 
(4) The student-to-media assistant ratio is 500: 1; 
Page I - 125LR0029(02)-1 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 395, L.D. 1274 
(5) The student-to-health staff ratio is 800: 1; 
(6) The student-to-school administrative staff ratio is 315:1; and 
(7) The student-to-clerical staff ratio is 200: 1. 
C. Beginning in fiscal year 2012-13, and for each subsequent fiscal year, if the total 
attending student popUlation for a school administrative unit is less than 1,200 
students, the commissioner shall reduce the ratios set forth in paragraphs A and B by 
10%. 
Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §15682, as amended by PL 2009, c. 213, Pt. C, §6, is further 
amended to read: 
§15682. Regional adjustment 
The commissioner shall make a regional adjustment in the total operating allocation 
for each school administrative unit determined pursuant to section 15683. The regional 
adjustment must be based on the regional differences in teacher salary costs~ for labor 
market areas in which the school administrative unit is located, as computed by a 
statewide education policy research institute, and must be applied only to appropriate 
teacher salary and benefits costs as calculated under section 15678 and salary and benefit 
costs of other school-level staff who are not teachers as calculated under section 15679. 
Beginning in fiscal year 2012-13, and for each subsequent fiscal year, the commissioner 
shall make a regional· adjustment in the total operating allocation for each school 
administrative unit determined pursuant to section 15683. The regional adjustment must 
be based on the regional differences in teacher salary costs, for labor market areas in 
which the school administrative unit is located, as computed by a statewide education 
policy research institute, and must be applied only to appropriate teacher salary costs as 
calculated under section 15678 and salary costs of other school-level staff who are not 
teachers as calculated under section 15679. 
Sec.3. 20-A MRS A §15689, sub-§l1 is enacted to read: 
11. Minimum economically disadvantaged student adjustment. Beginning in 
fiscal year 2012-l3, and for each subsequent fiscal year, each school administrative unit 
may receive an adjustment for economically disadvantaged students determined as 
follows. 
. 
A. 
A school administrative unit is eligible for the adjustment for economically 
disadvantaged students under the following conditions: 
(1) The school administrative unit receives an adjustment for the minimum state 
allocation pursuant to subsection 1; 
(2) The school administrative unit's percentage of economically disadvantaged 
students as determined pursuant to section 15675, subsection 2 is greater than the 
state average percentage of economically disadvantaged students; and 
(3) The school administrative unit operates a school. 
B. The amount of the adjustment for economically disadvantaged students is the 
difference, but not less than zero, between the state share of the total allocation under 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
,... .,. 
COMMITfEE AMENDMENT" A 
"to S.P. 395, L.D. 1274 
this chapter and the amount computed as the school administrative unit's total 
allocation for economically disadvantaged students, multiplied by the relevant 
percentage in subsection 1, paragraph B. 
Sec. 4. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF 
General Purpose Aid for Local Schools 0308 
Initiative: Provides additional funds for the State's share of funding the total cost of 
public education from kindergarten to grade 12. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
SUMMARY 
2011-12 
$0 
$0 
2012-13 
$2,349,732 
$2,349,732 
This amendment is the majority report of the Joint Standing Committee on Education 
and Cultural Affairs. The amendment removes the provisions in the bill that propose to 
change the following components of the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act: 
1. The definition of "property fiscal capacity" upon which a local school 
administrative unit's fiscal capacity is based; 
2. The removal of the reduction of federal Title I funds from the calculation of 
salaries and benefits costs for teachers and other school-level staff who are not teachers 
from the EPS per-pupil rate calculated by the Commissioner of Education for each school 
administrative unit; and 
3. The removal of the benefits costs for teachers and other school-level staff from the 
calculation of salary costs included in the regional adjustment in the total operating 
allocation for school administrative units based on the regional differences in teacher 
salary costs for the labor market areas in which school administrative units are located. 
The amendment also adds an adjustment for a school administrative unit that is a 
minimum subsidy receiver if the percentage of economically disadvantaged students in 
the school administrative unit is greater than the state average percentage of economically 
disadvantaged students and the school administrative unit operates a school. 
This amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/01111 frat:!. 
LD 1274 
LR29(02) 
An Act To Restore Equity in Education Funding 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment" A" S'" 2.'" 0 
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2011-12 
FY 2012-13 
$0 
$2,349,732 
$0 
$2,349,732 
Projections 
FY 2013-14 
$2,390,147 
$2,390,147 
Projections 
FY 2014-15 
$2,431,258 
$2,431,258 
In the aggregate, this legislation will increase the total cost ofK-12 public education by $4,272,240 in fiscal 2012-13. 
This bill includes a General Fund appropriation of $2,349,732 in fiscal year 2012-13 to the General Purpose Aid for 
Local Schools program within the Department of Education to fund the state's share. 
Of that amount, applying a 10% reduction to the students-to-staffratios for a school administrative unit (SAU) with a 
total attending student population ofless that 1,200 beginning in fiscal year 2012-13 will increase the total state and 
local cost of K-12 public education by $3,816,806 in fiscal year 2012-13 with the cost to fund the state's share of this 
requirement estimated to be $2,099,243. 
Additionally, excluding benefit costs for teachers and other school-levels staff from the calculation of salary costs in 
the determination of the regional adjustment in the total operating allocation for school administrative units will 
increase the total state and local cost ofK-12 public education by $455,434 in fiscal year 2012-13 with the state's 
share of this requirement estimated to be $250,489. 
Finally, this legislation provides an adjustment for certain school administrative units that are minimum subsidy 
receivers if the percentage of economically disadvantaged students in the SAU is greater than the state average. 
Although this provision will not increase the total state and local cost of K -12 public education beginning in fiscal 
year 2012-13, or the State's share of that cost, it will result in a redistribution of approximately $2,046,553 in state 
subsidy with some SAU's receiving more subsidy than would have been received had this provision not been in place 
and some SAU's receiving less. 
LR0029(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of2 
Fiscal Year 
Fiscal Year 
2011-12 
2012-13 
Increase to total cost of K -12 Education I 
$ 
$ 
4,272,240 
Transition % 
0% 
100% 
Total cost adjusted for transition % 
$ 
$ 
4,272,240 
State share (%) 
0.00% 
55.00% 
State share ($) 
$ 
$ 
2,349,732 
Local share ($) 
$ 
$ 
1,922,508 
I Based on fiscal year 2011-12 federal funding anticipated to be received by school administrative units, increased by 
Real Personal Income growth of 1.72% per year per Title 20-A, § 15671. 
LR0029(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 2 of2