Report of the Commission to Study the Adequacy and Equity of Certain Cost Components of the School Funding Formula. Report to Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs, Maine State Legislature

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259

Funding Formulas; School Funds; Costs; Educational Equity (Finance); Educational Finance; State Aid; Public Schools; Preschool Education; Economically Disadvantaged; Faculty Development; Teacher Collaboration; Teacher Salaries; Debt (Financial); School Construction; Special Education; Legal Responsibility; Teacher Retirement; Elementary Secondary Education; Summer Schools; Extended School Day; Federal Legislation; Educational Legislation; Federal Aid

The Commission to Study the Adequacy and Equity of Certain Cost Components of the School Funding Formula was created in legislation crafted by the Joint Standing Committee on Education of the 126th Legislature (the "Education Committee"). The legislation was enacted as Resolve 2014, chapter 114. Creation of the Commission is the latest step in a multi-year process undertaken to review the state's education funding formula, the Essential Programs and Services (EPS) funding formula. That process began with the Education Committee of the 125th Legislature, which authorized the Legislature to enter into a contract with a qualified research entity to conduct an independent review of the EPS Funding Act. Lawrence O. Picus and Associates, a California research organization, was awarded the contract for the independent review. Seven topics were identified as priority actions and duties for the Commission to Strengthen the Adequacy and Equity of Certain Cost Components of the School Funding Formula that included: (1) Public preschool programs for children 4 years of age; (2) Support for economically disadvantaged students; Title I funds, extended school day, and summer school; (3) Professional development and collaborative time needed to implement proficiency-based learning; (4) Regional cost adjustments for teacher salaries; (5) Debt service for locally approved school construction projects; (6) Special education allocation for minimum subsidy receivers; and (7) State contribution to fund the cost of the unfunded actuarial liability for retired teachers. The report provides descriptions and materials related to each section of the Resolve and the final recommendations made by the commission for each section. Materials used by the commission during their deliberations appear in a series of appendices. [This study was funded by the Maine State Legislature, and the University of Maine System.]

ERIC

86

2015

ED561355