Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §15652, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 368, Pt. Z, §1 and affected by §2, is amended to read:

6. Property fiscal capacity. "Property fiscal capacity" means the lesser of the average of the state valuation amounts for the 2 5 most recent years prior to the year of funding or the state valuation amount for the most recent year.

Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §15656, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 401, Pt. GG, §8, is amended to read:

1. Pupil count used for operating costs. The pupil count used for operating costs in this chapter is the greater of the average of the 2 census counts for the most recent calendar year and the average of the 4 10 census counts for the 2 5 most recent calendar years.

A. The 2 census counts in each calendar year must be for April 1st and October 1st.

B. As an exception, only the 2 census counts in the most recent calendar year may be used for:

(1) Kindergarten to grade 8 students for units that send all their kindergarten to grade 8 students as tuition students to schools elsewhere in the State;

(2) Grade 9 to grade 12 students for units that send all their grade 9 to grade 12 students as tuition students to schools elsewhere in the State; and

(3) Kindergarten to grade 12 students for units that send all their kindergarten to grade 12 students as tuition students to schools elsewhere in the State.

SUMMARY

This bill requires that the pupil count and the property valuation data used for determination of the state general purpose aid for local schools subsidy to be distributed to each school administrative unit be based on the averages of the annual numbers for pupil count and for property valuation for the most recent 5-year period.