20-A ME Rev Stat § 15688-A (2021)
2021 Maine Revised Statutes|TITLE 20-A: EDUCATION|Part 7: SCHOOL FINANCE|Chapter 606-B: ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES|20-A §15688-A. Enhancing student performance and opportunity; costs

 §15688-A. Enhancing student performance and opportunity; costs Beginning in fiscal year 2013-14, the commissioner may expend and disburse funds to meet the purposes of this section to the appropriate school administrative unit or institution or to meet contractual obligations.   [PL 2013, c. 368, Pt. C, §12 (NEW).]1.  Career and technical education program components.  Beginning in fiscal year 2018-19, the allocation for career and technical education centers and career and technical education regions is based upon a model that recognizes program components that have been approved by the department pursuant to chapter 313 for:   A. Direct instruction. The direct instruction component includes personnel costs for teachers, education technicians for programs and clinical supervisors for health care programs. The allocation for direct instruction is the sum of the costs as determined based on the following components, which the commissioner shall determine annually:   (1) A teacher salary matrix. In determining the teacher salary matrix for each program, the commissioner shall give consideration to the most recent available data regarding years of education experience and years of professional work experience relevant to instructional assignment;   (2) Student-to-teacher ratios for each program;   (3) The number of education technicians required for purposes of instructional support, based on student enrollment and program requirements. The commissioner shall calculate the education technician allocation by multiplying the number of education technicians required by the statewide average salary for full-time education technicians, based on the most recent available salary data, but shall ensure that each career and technical education center or career and technical education region is allocated at least one full-time education technician; and   (4) The clinical supervision staffing level necessary for each program requiring such staffing, based on student enrollment as determined pursuant to paragraph G;   [PL 2017, c. 420, §8 (NEW).]B. Central administration. The central administration component includes personnel costs for directors, assistant directors and clerical staff working in career and technical education centers and career and technical education regions, as well as business managers working in career and technical education regions. The central administration allocation is the sum of:   (1) Costs for personnel for each career and technical education center and career and technical education region, as follows:   (a) A director, the allocation for which must be for one full-time equivalent;   (b) An assistant director, the allocation for which must be based on student enrollment as determined pursuant to paragraph G but may not exceed one full-time equivalent;   (c) Clerical staff, the allocation for which must be for at least one full-time equivalent, with additional clerical staff allocations based on student enrollment as determined pursuant to paragraph G;   (d) A career and technical education region business manager, the allocation for which must be for one full-time equivalent; and   (e) Benefit costs for employees in central administration, which must be calculated pursuant to section 15678, subsection 5, paragraph B; and   (2) Nonpersonnel costs, which the commissioner shall calculate annually based upon the relationship of the most recent available career and technical education expenditures for nonpersonnel costs to personnel costs;   [PL 2017, c. 420, §8 (NEW).]C. Supplies and other expenditures such as purchased services, dues and fees for instructional programs. The allocation for supplies and other expenditures is the sum of:   (1) A per-program allocation for supplies, as determined by the commissioner based on the most recent available career and technical education expenditures amount, adjusted to the year prior to the allocation year; and   (2) A per-pupil allocation for each student in each career and technical education center and each career and technical education region, determined by the commissioner based on:   (a) The most recent available career and technical education expenditures amount, adjusted for inflation to the year prior to the allocation year; and   (b) Student enrollment, as determined pursuant to paragraph G;   [PL 2017, c. 420, §8 (NEW).]D. Plant operation and maintenance, including all costs for operating and maintaining buildings and grounds. The commissioner shall determine the allocation for plant operation and maintenance costs for each career and technical education center and each career and technical education region by multiplying the square footage of the career and technical education center or career and technical education region building by an amount per square foot, as determined by the commissioner;   [PL 2017, c. 420, §8 (NEW).]E. Other student and staff support, which includes costs for student services coordination, career preparation, instructional technology, professional development, student assessment and program safety. The other student and staff support allocation is the sum of the costs for:   (1) A counselor, the allocation for which must be for one full-time equivalent, to collaborate with sending school guidance counselors in order to maximize student participation at the middle school and high school grade levels;   (2) Career and technical education center or career and technical education region student services coordinators, the allocation for which must be based on student enrollment, as determined pursuant to paragraph G, but no less than one full-time equivalent;   (3) Benefit costs for employees under this paragraph, calculated pursuant to section 15678, subsection 5, paragraph B; and   (4) Instructional technology, staff professional development, student assessment and program safety. The commissioner shall calculate a per-pupil allocation for this allocation based upon student enrollment, as determined pursuant to paragraph G, and the relationship of the most recent available career and technical education expenditures for these costs to total costs, adjusted to the year prior to the allocation year;   [PL 2017, c. 420, §8 (NEW).]F. Equipment provided pursuant to subsection 6; and   [PL 2017, c. 420, §8 (NEW).]G. Student enrollment, which is determined as follows.   (1) For each program or plan approved pursuant to chapter 313 that has 3 years of attending student counts on October 1st, student enrollment is a 3-year average of the attending student counts on October 1st for that program or plan.   (2) For each program or plan approved pursuant to chapter 313 that is not governed by subparagraph (1), including a new program or plan approved pursuant to chapter 313, student enrollment must be based on the estimated attending student count submitted in accordance with the application for the program or plan approval. This estimated attending student count must be used until the program or plan has 3 consecutive years of actual attending student counts on October 1st.   [PL 2017, c. 420, §8 (NEW).]In fiscal year 2019-20, the total allocation for a career and technical education center or career and technical education region is the sum of the components in paragraphs A to E, except if the sum of the components in paragraphs A to E is less than the most recent expenditure data, as adjusted for inflation to the year prior to the allocation year, the career and technical education center or career and technical education region may not receive less than the adjusted expenditure, and if the sum of the components in paragraphs A to E is more than 5% greater than the most recent expenditure data, as adjusted for inflation to the year prior to the allocation year, then the career and technical education center or career and technical education region may not receive more than the adjusted expenditures plus 5%.   In fiscal year 2020-21, fiscal year 2021-22 and fiscal year 2022-23, the total allocation for a career and technical education center or career and technical education region is the sum of the components in paragraphs A to E, except if the sum of the components in paragraphs A to E is less than the most recent expenditure data, as adjusted for inflation to the year prior to the allocation year, the total allocation must be determined pursuant to subsection 1‑A. If the sum of the components in paragraphs A to E is more than 15% greater than the most recent expenditure data, as adjusted for inflation to the year prior to the allocation year, the career and technical education center or career and technical education region may not receive more than the adjusted expenditures plus 15%.   Beginning in fiscal year 2023-24, the total allocation for a career and technical education center or career and technical education region is the sum of components in paragraphs A to E.   The commissioner shall authorize monthly payment of allocations to career and technical education centers and career and technical education regions in an amount equal to 1/12 of the total allocation. Payments for satellite programs as approved pursuant to chapter 313 must be made within this schedule to the responsible career and technical education center or career and technical education region; it is the responsibility of the career and technical education center or career and technical education region to provide the state support for the approved satellite program to the school administrative unit that operates the approved satellite program.   If a school administrative unit operating a career and technical education center or career and technical education region has any unexpended funds at the end of the fiscal year, these funds must be carried forward for the purposes of career and technical education.   [PL 2019, c. 616, Pt. C, §5 (AMD).] 1-A.  Transition period for career and technical education program components.  In fiscal year 2020-21, fiscal year 2021-22 and fiscal year 2022-23, referred to in this subsection as "the transition period," the total allocation for career and technical education centers and career and technical education regions is subject to a transition period adjustment to align the total allocation for career and technical education centers and career and technical education regions with the career and technical education program components in subsection 1.   A. In each fiscal year of the transition period, the commissioner shall identify each career and technical education center and career and technical education region for which the sum of the components in subsection 1, paragraphs A to E is less than the most recent expenditure data, as adjusted for inflation to the year prior to the allocation year, or more than the most recent expenditure data, as adjusted for inflation to the year prior to the allocation year.   [PL 2019, c. 343, Pt. AAAAA, §2 (NEW).]B. In each fiscal year of the transition period, the commissioner shall calculate an adjustment to the total allocation for each career and technical education center and career and technical education region identified pursuant to paragraph A. The calculation must be based on the amounts necessary to transition the career and technical education center or career and technical education region to a total allocation that is equal to the sum of the components in subsection 1, paragraphs A to E by fiscal year 2023-24. In making this calculation, the commissioner shall ensure that the annual adjustment calculated pursuant to this paragraph is reasonably similar over the course of the transition period.   [PL 2019, c. 343, Pt. AAAAA, §2 (NEW).]C. During each fiscal year of the transition period, the commissioner shall adjust the total allocation for each career and technical education center and career and technical education region identified pursuant to paragraph A in accordance with the calculation under paragraph B.   [PL 2019, c. 343, Pt. AAAAA, §2 (NEW).][PL 2019, c. 343, Pt. AAAAA, §2 (NEW).] 2.  College transitions programs.  The commissioner may expend and disburse funds to provide for expanded access to programs designed to provide college transitions programs through the State's adult education system.   [PL 2013, c. 368, Pt. C, §12 (NEW).] 3.  Transition to proficiency-based diplomas.   [PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. C, §46 (RP).] 4.  New or expanded public preschool programs for children 4 years of age.  Beginning in fiscal year 2015-16 and for each subsequent fiscal year, the commissioner may expend and disburse one-time, start-up funds to provide grants for expanded access to public preschool programs for children 4 years of age pursuant to chapter 203, subchapter 3. The amounts of the grant funding provided to qualified school administrative units pursuant to chapter 203, subchapter 3 are limited to the amounts appropriated, allocated or authorized by the Legislature for the operation of public preschool programs. Any balance of funds appropriated, allocated or authorized by the Legislature remaining at the end of a fiscal year do not lapse and are carried forward to the next fiscal year to carry out the purposes of chapter 203, subchapter 3.   [PL 2013, c. 581, §10 (NEW).] 5.  School improvement and support.  The commissioner may expend and disburse funds to support school improvement activities to school administrative units whose eligibility and priority is established pursuant to section 6214 in accordance with chapter 222.   [PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. C, §47 (AMD).] 6.  National industry standards for career and technical education.  The commissioner may expend and disburse funds to support enhancements to career and technical education programs that align those programs with national industry standards, in accordance with chapter 313.   [PL 2015, c. 267, Pt. C, §11 (NEW).] 7.  Educator effectiveness.   [PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. C, §48 (RP).] 8.  Pilot projects for middle school career and technical education exploration.  Beginning in fiscal year 2018-19 and for the 2 subsequent fiscal years, the commissioner may expend and disburse funds to career and technical education centers and career and technical education regions for pilot projects for middle school level plans approved pursuant to chapter 313 to create career and technical education exploration programs for middle school level students. The commissioner, in collaboration with career and technical education directors, also may contract for services to implement pilot projects for middle school level plans. A middle school level plan must demonstrate to the commissioner a partnership between a school administrative unit and a career and technical education center or career and technical education region.   [PL 2017, c. 420, §9 (NEW).] 9.  Regional school leadership academy.  Beginning in fiscal year 2020‑21, the commissioner may expend and disburse funds to support the establishment of regional school leadership academies pursuant to chapter 502‑C.   [PL 2019, c. 70, §7 (NEW).] SECTION HISTORY PL 2013, c. 368, Pt. C, §12 (NEW). PL 2013, c. 581, §10 (AMD). PL 2013, c. 595, Pt. C, §5 (AMD). PL 2015, c. 267, Pt. C, §§10, 11 (AMD). PL 2015, c. 489, §9 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. C, §§45-48 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 420, §§8, 9 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 70, §7 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 343, Pt. AAAAA, §§1, 2 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 616, Pt. C, §5 (AMD).