The fiscal year 2019-2020 ED 279 subsidy printouts are now available at: https://neo.maine.gov/DOE/NEO/eps/public/ed279.aspx
The subsidy printouts are provided based on the $1.1 Billion in General Purpose Aid funding recommended for FY 2019-2020 by Governor Janet Mills in her FY 2020-2021 biennial budget. This amount is an additional $41.3 million from last year, and reflects the Governor’s commitment to increase the state’s share of education funding.
Below is a list of changes to the funding formula, enacted during the second session of the 128th Legislature:
- The Minimum Special Education Adjustment has increased from 40% to 45%.
- Each town’s valuation is provided by the Maine Revenue Service annually and utilized as the calculation of fiscal capacity to determine the town’s ability to pay its required local share. Previously the amounts used were determined based on the average valuation of the 2 most recent years prior to the year of funding for each town. For FY 2019-2020, the calculation of fiscal capacity will be based on the average of the 3 most recent years, prior to the year of funding or, the most recent year, whichever is less.
- The allocation for system administration is $47 per pupil.
- The additional allocation for members of regional service centers, as formed under M.R.S. 20-A, Chapter 123, is $94 per pupil, indexed to the member unit’s state share percentage on the ED 279, with a member unit receiving no less than a 30% state share and no greater than a 70% state share.
- We are pleased to announce that the increased state share in funding this year has resulted in a change to the mill expectation. The mill expectation determines a unit’s required local share when multiplied times its fiscal capacity. This year it is 8.28 mills, down from 8.48 in FY 2019.
- Remember, an increase or decrease in student enrollment, disadvantaged student population, special education costs, and other key factors in the formula have a major impact on funding for each district as the EPS model is a student-centered funding model.
- School units that have either paid off or have begun to pay principal or interest payments for State approved new school construction will realize changes in funding if either a payment no longer needs to be made or if a new payment has begun.
The ED 279 Subsidy Printouts are calculated using the Essential Programs and Services (EPS) Funding Formula. The Department is proud to be offering one of the most equitable school funding formulas in the nation. It is based on years of research and information, designed to respond to student needs, and to direct resources to the communities with the most need. That said, the Department understands that the formula is not responsive to every need a school administrative unit may have, especially given the different priorities in schools and communities throughout the state.
Should you have questions regarding subsidy printouts, please contact the School Finance Team: Tyler Backus at tyler.backus@maine.gov; Paula Gravelle at paula.b.gravelle@maine.gov; or Ida Batista at ida.batista@maine.gov.