Sec. A-67. Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services; distribution of the fund in fiscal year 2005-06. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15754, the allocations from the General Purpose Aid to Local Schools program in fiscal year 2005-06 to the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services must be used for the transition adjustment pursuant to Title 20-A, section 15686, subsection 1. The allocation of funds from the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services must be distributed to school administrative units that are eligible for the transition adjustment under the criteria established in Title 20-A, section 15686, subsection 1.

Sec. A-68. Sharing of total costs in school administrative districts and community school districts; Department of Education review. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15688, subsection 2 and to ensure that member municipalities of school administrative districts and community school districts whose cost-sharing formulas were established in accordance with Title 20-A, sections 1301 and 1704, respectively, do not experience significant adverse effects as a result of the cost-sharing mechanism established pursuant to Title 20-A, section 15688, subsection 2, the Department of Education shall conduct a review and analysis, for each school administrative unit, of the implications of this proposed cost-sharing mechanism on the member municipalities of these school administrative districts and community school districts. The Department of Education shall assist the member municipalities of these school districts in developing transition plans that include a phase-in to achieve the new method of determining member municipalities' local cost of education in accordance with Title 20-A, section 15688, subsection 2 no later than fiscal year 2008-09. The Department of Education shall report the findings of this review, including any recommended legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs by March 31, 2005. The Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs is authorized to introduce a bill related to the Department of Education report to the First Regular Session of the 122nd Legislature.