An Act Regarding Special Education Funding for So-called Minimum Receiver School Administration Units
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 0154
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: MATHIESON, GROHOSKI, CRAFTS, DAVIS, MEYER, MILLETT, SARGENT, WILLIAMS
Amends: 20-A MRSA §15689

Legislative Document
No. 154
H.P. 95
House of Representatives, January 12, 2023
An Act Regarding Special Education Funding for So-called 
Minimum Receiver School Administration Units
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MATHIESON of Kittery.
Cosponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock and
Representatives: CRAFTS of Newcastle, DAVIS of East Machias, MEYER of Eliot, 
MILLETT of Cape Elizabeth, SARGENT of York, WILLIAMS of Bar Harbor.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §15689, sub-§1, ¶B, as amended by PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. C, 
§50, is further amended by amending subparagraph (15) to read:
(15)  In fiscal year 2019-20, 45%; and
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §15689, sub-§1, ¶B, as amended by PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. C, 
§50, is further amended by amending subparagraph (16) to read:
(16)  In fiscal year years 2020-21 and succeeding years 2021-22, 50%.; and
Sec. 3.  20-A MRSA §15689, sub-§1, ¶B, as amended by PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. C, 
§50, is further amended by enacting a new subparagraph (17) to read:
(17)  In fiscal year 2022-23 and succeeding years, 55%.
Sec. 4.  Review and report.  The Department of Education shall examine the 
methodologies used to determine when a school administrative unit's ability to pay for 
essential programs and services is greater than its required local contribution under the 
essential programs and services school funding formula under the Maine Revised Statutes, 
Title 20-A, chapter 606-B, a status that makes the unit what is commonly referred to as "a 
minimum receiver" under the funding formula. The department shall examine the trends in 
the number of school administrative units identified as minimum receivers and determine 
the factors that have caused any increases in the number of such units, the issues that this 
creates for the units and methods by which those issues may be reduced or resolved. The 
department shall report its findings and recommendations to the Joint Standing Committee 
on Education and Cultural Affairs no later than January 2, 2024. The committee may report 
out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 131st Legislature relating to minimum 
receivers.
SUMMARY
This bill provides that, beginning in fiscal year 2022-23, the minimum state share of a 
school administrative unit's special education costs under the essential programs and 
services school funding formula must be 55%.
The bill also requires the Department of Education to examine the methodologies used 
to determine when a school administrative unit is a so-called minimum receiver under the 
essential programs and services school funding formula. The department is directed to 
examine the trends in the number of school administrative units identified as minimum 
receivers and determine the factors that have caused any increases in the number of such 
units, the issues that this creates for these units and methods by which those issues may be 
reduced or resolved. The department is directed to report its findings and recommendations 
to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs no later than January 2, 
2024. The committee may report out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 131st 
Legislature relating to minimum receivers.