An Act Regarding the Funding Formula for Adult Education
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1367
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: BRENNAN, RAFFERTY, CLOUTIER, DODGE, FAY, MASTRACCIO, MURPHY, SALISBURY, SARGENT, PIERCE
Amends: 20-A MRSA §8606-A

Legislative Document
No. 1367
H.P. 881
House of Representatives, March 28, 2023
An Act Regarding the Funding Formula for Adult Education
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 RAFFERTY of York and
Representatives: CLOUTIER of Lewiston, DODGE of Belfast, FAY of Raymond, 
MASTRACCIO of Sanford, MURPHY of Scarborough, SALISBURY of Westbrook, 
SARGENT of York, Senator: PIERCE of Cumberland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §8606-A, sub-§7 is enacted to read:
7.  Notification.  If the state allocation for expenditures on adult education programs 
falls below 95% of the allocation established for the prior year pursuant to subsection 2, 
the department's office of adult education shall notify the Governor's office and the 
Legislature in writing.  The notice must include the total amount necessary to fulfill the 
State's obligation for reimbursement of adult education program costs as provided in this 
section and the total amount that is available.
Sec. 2.  Department of Education adult education system and 
reimbursement formula working group.  The Department of Education shall 
establish a working group, or as an alternative hire and fund an outside agency, to analyze 
the State's adult education system and reimbursement formula to ensure it meets the 
following criteria:
1.  The formula is fair and meets the needs of adult education programs;
2.  Adult education is funded at a comparable level to kindergarten to grade 12 
education, career and technical education and community colleges;
3.  All funds appropriated and allocated for adult education, including grants, additional 
state funds and federal funds, are being used to their best potential to meet the needs of the 
State's adults; and
4.  Communities are incentivized to use, and are rewarded for using, local funding for 
adult education.
The working group shall consult with adult education programs throughout the State, 
a statewide adult education association, personnel of the department's office of adult 
education and others as needed to fully explore and remedy the formula.  The department 
shall report with the findings of the working group no later than December 6, 2023 to the 
Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs, which may report out a bill 
based on the report to the Second Regular Session of the 131st Legislature.
Sec. 3.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made.
EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF
Adult Education 0364
Initiative: Provides ongoing funds to support adult education programs statewide.
GENERAL FUND
2023-24
2024-25
All Other
$1,500,000
$2,000,000
__________
__________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL
$1,500,000
$2,000,000
SUMMARY
This bill provides that the Department of Education's office of adult education must 
notify the Governor's office and the Legislature if the state allocation for expenditures on 
adult education programs falls below 95% of the allocation established for the prior year.  
The notification must include the total amount necessary to fulfill the state obligation to 
reimburse adult education costs and the total amount that is available.
It directs the department to establish a working group, or as an alternative hire and fund 
an outside agency, to analyze the State's adult education system and reimbursement formula 
to ensure: the formula is fair and meets the needs of adult education programs; adult 
education is funded at a comparable level to kindergarten to grade 12 education, career and 
technical education and community colleges; all funds appropriated and allocated for adult 
education, including grants, additional state funds and federal funds, are being used to their 
best potential to meet the needs of the State's adults; and communities are incentivized to 
use, and are rewarded for using, local funding for adult education.
It also includes an appropriations and allocations section.