An Act To Fully Fund After-school and Preschool Programs in the School Funding Formula, Increase the Economically Disadvantaged Student Factor in the School Funding Formula and Increase the School Construction Debt Service Limit
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0712
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: BRENNAN, CHIPMAN, FARNSWORTH, FECTEAU, RECKITT, TALBOT ROSS, CARSON, LIBBY
Amends: 20-A MRSA §4254, 20-A MRSA §8901, 20-A MRSA §15674, 20-A MRSA §15675, 20-A MRSA §15681, 20-A MRSA §15681-A, 20-A MRSA §15683, 20-A MRSA §15905

Legislative Document
No. 712
H.P. 517
House of Representatives, February 11, 2019
An Act To Fully Fund After-school and Preschool Programs in the 
School Funding Formula, Increase the Economically Disadvantaged 
Student Factor in the School Funding Formula and Increase the 
School Construction Debt Service Limit
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative BRENNAN of Portland.
Cosponsored by Senator CHIPMAN of Cumberland and
Representatives: FARNSWORTH of Portland, FECTEAU of Biddeford, McCREA of Fort 
Fairfield, RECKITT of South Portland, TALBOT ROSS of Portland, Senators: CARSON of 
Cumberland, LIBBY of Androscoggin, SANBORN, H. of Cumberland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §4254, sub-§4 is enacted to read:
4.  Second and subsequent years.  In each year a school administrative unit operates 
an approved public preschool program, other than the year in which it receives start-up 
funding in accordance with section 4271, the State must provide funding in accordance 
with sections 15675 and 15681.
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §8901, first ¶, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 657, §1, is 
amended to read:
The After-school Program Fund, referred to in this chapter as "the program fund," is 
established to encourage the facilitation of high-quality after-school programs in school 
administrative units throughout the State.  The commissioner shall administer the 
program fund within the department.  The commissioner may administer the program 
fund in addition to the amounts allocated pursuant to section 15681-A, subsection 6.  
Standards and approval for the allocation and use of program fund money are as follows.
Sec. 3.  20-A MRSA §15674, sub-§4 is enacted to read:
4.  Pupil count for after-school programs.  Beginning with funding for the 2019-
2020 school year, the pupil count for students attending after-school programs must be 
based on the most recent October 1st count prior to the year of funding.
Sec. 4.  20-A MRSA §15675, sub-§2, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. C, 
§30, is amended to read:
A.  An additional weight of .15 1.50.  The number of economically disadvantaged 
students for each school administrative unit is determined by multiplying the number 
of resident pupils in the most recent calendar year by the most recent available 
elementary free or reduced-price meals percentage.  The elementary free or reduced-
price meals percentage may be applied to determine the number of economically 
disadvantaged students in the unit's secondary grades; and
Sec. 5.  20-A MRSA §15675, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2013, c. 581, §8, is 
further amended to read:
3.  Public preschool program to grade 2 students.  If a school administrative unit is 
eligible to receive targeted funds for its public preschool to grade 2 program under 
section 15681, then for each public preschool program kindergarten to grade 2 student the 
unit receives an additional weight of .10 and for each public preschool program student 
the unit receives the amount specified in section 15681, subsection 4, paragraph C, if the 
school is eligible for funding in accordance with section 4254, subsection 4.
A.  For purposes of the additional weight funds under this subsection, the count of 
public preschool program to grade 2 students is calculated based on the number of 
resident pupils in the most recent calendar year.  Beginning with funding for the 
2015-2016 school year, the pupil count for students 4 years of age and students 5 
years of age attending public preschool programs must be based on the most recent 
October 1st count prior to the allocation year.
B.  Only school administrative units with public preschool to grade 2 programs 
approved by the department are eligible for funds pursuant to this subsection or other 
comparable index.
C.  Funds provided pursuant to this subsection for kindergarten to grade 2 students 
may be expended only on behalf of kindergarten to grade 2 students and funds 
provided pursuant to this subsection for public preschool programs may be expended 
only on behalf of public preschool program to grade 2 students.
Sec. 6.  20-A MRSA §15681, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2007, c. 141, §17, is 
further amended to read:
4.  Public preschool program to grade 2 funds.  For targeted public preschool 
program to grade 2 funds, the commissioner shall calculate the amount that may must be 
made available to eligible school administrative units as follows.
A.  For fiscal year 2005-06, the amount equals the product of the per-pupil guarantee 
calculated pursuant to section 15676 multiplied by the additional weight calculated 
pursuant to section 15675, subsection 3.
B.  For kindergarten to grade 2 students, for fiscal year 2006-07 and each subsequent 
year, the commissioner shall recalculate the amount by using the amount calculated 
under paragraph A as a base and appropriate trends in the Consumer Price Index or 
other comparable index.
C.  For public preschool program students, for each fiscal year, 50% of the per-pupil 
costs of the public preschool program in the base year adjusted to the year prior to the 
allocation year, except that, if a school administrative unit's state share percentage is 
more than 50%, the targeted funds are equal to the per-pupil costs of the public 
preschool program in the base year adjusted to the year prior to the allocation year 
multiplied by the school administrative unit's state share percentage.
Sec. 7.  20-A MRSA §15681-A, sub-§4-A, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 420, §7, is 
amended to read:
4-A.  Costs of plans for middle school career and technical education exploration 
programs.  Beginning in fiscal year 2018-19, and in each subsequent fiscal year, costs 
approved pursuant to chapter 313 attributable to establishing and operating career and 
technical education exploration programs for middle school students.  The commissioner 
may establish an allocation to school administrative units for plans under this subsection.  
The plans must be implemented within the school administrative unit; and
Sec. 8.  20-A MRSA §15681-A, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 2, Pt. D, §44 
and affected by §§72 and 74 and c. 12, Pt. WW, §18, is amended to read:
5.  Gifted and talented education costs.  Gifted and talented education costs in the 
base year adjusted to the year prior to the allocation year.; and
Sec. 9.  20-A MRSA §15681-A, sub-§6 is enacted to read:
6.  After-school program costs.  Beginning in fiscal year 2019-20, after-school 
program per-pupil costs for each applicable student in the base year adjusted to the year 
prior to the allocation year multiplied by the school administrative unit's state share 
percentage.
Sec. 10.  20-A MRSA §15683, sub-§1, ¶E, as amended by PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. 
C, §41, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
E.  If the school administrative unit is eligible for targeted public preschool program 
to grade 2 funds pursuant to section 15681, subsection 1, the sum of: 
(1)  The product of the EPS per-pupil rate multiplied by the additional weight for 
kindergarten to grade 2 calculated pursuant to section 15675, subsection 3; and
(2)  The amount specified in section 15681, subsection 4, paragraph C, if the 
school administrative unit is eligible for public preschool program funds under 
that section.
Sec. 11.  20-A MRSA §15905, sub-§1, ¶A, as amended by PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. 
C, §56, is further amended to read:
A.  The state board may approve projects as long as no project approval will cause 
debt service costs, as defined in section 15672, subsection 2-A, paragraph A and 
pursuant to Resolve 2007, chapter 223, section 4, to exceed the maximum limits 
specified in Table 1 in subsequent fiscal years.
Table 1
Major Capital
Integrated, Consolidated 
Secondary and Postsecondary 
Project
Fiscal year
Maximum Debt Service Limit
Maximum Debt Service Limit
1990
$ 48,000,000
1991
$ 57,000,000
1992
$ 65,000,000
1993
$ 67,000,000
1994
$ 67,000,000
1995
$ 67,000,000
1996
$ 67,000,000
1997
$ 67,000,000
1998
$ 67,000,000
1999
$ 69,000,000
2000
$ 72,000,000
2001
$ 74,000,000
2002
$ 74,000,000
2003
$ 80,000,000
2004
$ 80,000,000
2005
$ 84,000,000
SUMMARY
This bill amends the school funding formula to fund after-school programs based on 
the state share percentage and to fund public preschool programs at 50% of the cost of the 
programs, or if a school administrative unit's state share percentage is greater than 50%, 
to fund the unit's public preschool program at the state share percentage.  The bill also 
increases the additional weight for economically disadvantaged students from 0.15 to 1.5.  
The bill also raises the maximum debt service limit for school construction projects from 
$126,000,000 to $150,000,000 beginning in 2020.
2006
$ 90,000,000
2007
$ 96,000,000
2008
$100,000,000
2009
$104,000,000
2010
$108,000,000
2011
$126,000,000
2012
 $116,000,000
2013
 $116,000,000
2014
 $126,000,000
$10,000,000
2015
 $126,000,000
$10,000,000
2016
 $126,000,000
$10,000,000
2017
 $126,000,000
$10,000,000
2018
 $126,000,000
$10,000,000
2019
 $126,000,000
$10,000,000
2020
$126,000,000  $150,000,000
$20,000,000
2021
$126,000,000  $150,000,000
$20,000,000
2022
$126,000,000  $150,000,000
$20,000,000
2023
$126,000,000  $150,000,000
$20,000,000