An Act To Restore Equity in Education Funding
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1274
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: RAYE, MARTIN, LANGLEY, MASON, SAVIELLO, SHERMAN, THOMAS, AYOTTE, BRIGGS, BURNS, CRAY, EDGECOMB, GIFFORD, JOHNSON, LONG, MAKER, RICHARDSON, TURNER
Amends: 20-A MRSA §15672, 20-A MRSA §15676, 20-A MRSA §15679, 20-A MRSA §15682

Legislative Document 
No. 1274 
S.P. 395 
In Senate, March 23, 2011 
An Act To Restore Equity in Education Funding 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
JOSEPH G. CARLETON, JR. 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by President RAYE of Washington. 
Cosponsored by Representative MARTIN of Eagle Lake and 
Senators: LANGLEY of Hancock, MASON of Androscoggin, SAVIELLO of Franklin, 
SHERMAN of Aroostook, THOMAS of Somerset, Representatives: AYOTTE of Caswell, 
BRIGGS of Mexico, BURNS of Whiting, CRAY of Palmyra, EDGECOMB of Caribou, 
GIFFORD of Lincoln, JOHNSON of Greenville, LONG of Sherman, MAKER of Calais, 
McFADDEN of Dennysville, RICHARDSON of Carmel, TURNER of Burlington. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §15672, sub-§23, as amended by PL 2005, c. 2, Pt. D, §36 
and affected by §§72 and 74 and c. 12, Pt. WW, §18, is further amended to read: 
23.  Property fiscal capacity.  "Property fiscal capacity" means the lesser of the 
certified state valuation for the year prior to the most recently certified state valuation and 
the average of the certified state valuation for the 3 years prior to the most recently 
certified state valuation. 
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §15676, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2005, c. 2, Pt. D, §39 
and affected by §§72 and 74 and c. 12, Pt. WW, §18, is further amended to read: 
1.  Teaching staff costs.  The salary and benefit costs for school level teaching staff 
that are necessary to carry out this Act, calculated in accordance with section 15678, 
adjusted by the regional adjustment under section 15682 and reduced by the amount of 
funds received by the school administrative unit during the most recent fiscal year under 
Title 1 of the federal Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965, 20 United States Code, 
Section 6301 et seq.; 
Sec. 3.  20-A MRSA §15676, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2005, c. 2, Pt. D, §39 
and affected by §§72 and 74 and c. 12, Pt. WW, §18, is further amended to read: 
2.  Other staff costs.  The salary and benefit costs for school-level staff who are not 
teachers, but including substitute teachers, that are necessary to carry out this Act, 
calculated in accordance with section 15679, adjusted by the regional adjustment under 
section 15682 and reduced by the amount of funds received by the school administrative 
unit during the most recent fiscal year under Title 1 of the federal Elementary and 
Secondary Act of 1965, 20 United States Code, Section 6301 et seq.; and 
Sec. 4.  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 100:1; 
(2) The student-to-guidance staff ratio is 350:1; 
(3) The student-to-librarian ratio is 800:1; 
(4) The student-to-media assistant ratio is 500:1; 
(5) The student-to-health staff ratio is 800:1; 
(6) The student-to-school administrative staff ratio is 305:1; and 
(7) The student-to-clerical staff ratio is 200:1. 
B.  For the high school level: 
(1) The student-to-education technician ratio is 250:1; 
(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; 
(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.  If the total 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%.  Any change in the allocations to school administrative units with a total student 
population of 1,200 or more students resulting from this adjustment must be 
apportioned ratably among those school administrative units.  This adjustment may 
not require any change in the total allocations to all school administrative units nor 
require any increase in state contributions for essential programs and services. 
Sec. 5.  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, exclusive of 
benefit 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. 
SUMMARY 
This bill amends several provisions of the Essential Programs and Services Funding 
Act to more equitably allocate state funds that are appropriated for essential programs and 
services.  The bill makes the following changes. 
1. It amends the definition of "property fiscal capacity" in order to base the local 
school administrative unit's fiscal capacity on the most recent certified state valuation or 
the average of the certified state valuation for the 3 years prior to the most recently 
certified state valuation, whichever is lower.  This change provides a more accurate 
determination of a school administrative unit's fiscal capacity while protecting those 
school administrative units that are experiencing increasing property valuation. 
2. It amends the staffing ratios established to determine the calculation of salary and 
benefit costs for school-level staff positions by providing a 10% reduction in the staffing 
ratios for school administrative units with a total school population of less than 1,200 
students.  This change recognizes that school administrative units with fewer than 1,200 
students still have to provide certain levels of instruction, support and administrative 
positions that do not conform to the existing staffing ratios, which are based on 
enrollment assumptions that do not apply to approved smaller school administrative units. 
3. It amends the EPS per-pupil rate calculated by the Commissioner of Education for 
each school administrative unit by removing the reduction of federal Title I funds from 
the calculation for teacher salaries and benefit costs.  This change reflects the fact that 
federal Title I funding is one of several sources of revenue that are allocated to school 
administrative units and expended to support essential programs and services. 
4. It amends 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 by removing the benefits 
costs for teachers and other school-level staff from the calculation of salary costs.  This 
change addresses the inequitable treatment of school administrative units with lower 
teacher salary costs relative to statewide averages due to local economic circumstances.