Preliminary FY 2016 State subsidy printouts available

The Maine DOE has released preliminary FY 2016 (2015-16 school year) State subsidy printouts, known as ED 279s, on its website at www.maine.gov/doe/eps/.

These preliminary amounts are based on Governor LePage’s proposed two-year budget that increases funding for Maine schools and students and assumes State payment directly to public charter schools as proposed in LD 235. The Governor’s FY16 budget proposal includes $964.1 million for general purpose aid for Maine schools – an increase of $20.3 million over the $943.8 appropriated by the Legislature for FY 15 – and $966.3 million for FY17 – an increase of $22.5 million over appropriated FY15 funding. The proposed budget would bring the subsidy provided by the State per pupil to $5,334 in FY16 and $5,389 in FY17, an increase of nearly 17 percent since the Governor took office in 2011 and per pupil State funding was $4,619.

The subsidy amounts for FY 2016 contained in the preliminary ED 279s do not represent final action of the 127th Maine Legislature and should therefore only be used as initial guidance in informing local budget preparations. Some calculations included in these amounts are dependent upon enactment of statutory changes.

For more information or technical assistance reviewing these printouts, please contact Maine DOE’s School Finance Team at 624-6790 or joanne.allen@maine.gov, tyler.backus@maine.gov or paula.b.gravelle@maine.gov.