Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Act takes effect when approved.

SUMMARY

This bill is reported out as an emergency bill by the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs pursuant to Public Law 2005, chapter 2. The bill changes the cost-sharing mechanism established by the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act and incorporates transition provisions for certain school districts whose cost-sharing formulas may result in adverse impacts for member municipalities within the school districts. The bill accomplishes the following.

1. It provides an adjustment to the state share of the total allocation for school administrative districts and community school districts that have member municipalities with local contributions that are below the maximum mill rate expectation but that are adversely affected as a result of the cost-sharing mechanism established pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15688.

2. It provides transition provisions to the current cost- sharing formula of School Administrative District No. 71 for fiscal year 2005-06 to fiscal year 2008-09 and subsequent fiscal years.

3. It provides transition provisions to the cost-sharing formula of the Manchester, Mount Vernon, Readfield and Wayne Community School District for fiscal year 2005-06 to fiscal year 2008-09.

4. It provides a one-year extension to allow the Department of Education to continue to assist School Administrative District No. 74 in developing a transition plan to phase in the new method of determining member municipalities' local cost of education in accordance with Title 20-A, section 15688 by fiscal year 2008-09.

5. It authorizes the Commissioner of Education to adjust the allocation of general purpose aid to local schools for School Administrative District No. 67 in fiscal year 2005-06 should the state valuation for the Town of Lincoln be reduced due to a reduction in value of the Eastern Fine Paper plant.