An Act To Increase Funding for Career and Technical Education Programs
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §15688-A, sub-§1, as repealed and replaced by PL 2017, c. 420, §8, is amended to read:
(1) A teacher salary matrix. In determining the teacher salary matrix for each program, the commissioner shall give consideration to the most recent available data regarding years of education experience and years of professional work experience relevant to instructional assignment;
(2) Student-to-teacher ratios for each program;
(3) The number of education technicians required for purposes of instructional support, based on student enrollment and program requirements. The commissioner shall calculate the education technician allocation by multiplying the number of education technicians required by the statewide average salary for full-time education technicians, based on the most recent available salary data, but shall ensure that each career and technical education center or career and technical education region is allocated at least one full-time education technician; and
(4) The clinical supervision staffing level necessary for each program requiring such staffing, based on student enrollment as determined pursuant to paragraph G;
(1) Costs for personnel for each career and technical education center and career and technical education region, as follows:
(a) A director, the allocation for which must be for one full-time equivalent;
(b) An assistant director, the allocation for which must be based on student enrollment as determined pursuant to paragraph G but may not exceed one full-time equivalent;
(c) Clerical staff, the allocation for which must be for at least one full-time equivalent, with additional clerical staff allocations based on student enrollment as determined pursuant to paragraph G;
(d) A career and technical education region business manager, the allocation for which must be for one full-time equivalent; and
(e) Benefit costs for employees in central administration, which must be calculated pursuant to section 15678, subsection 5, paragraph B; and
(2) Nonpersonnel costs, which the commissioner shall calculate annually based upon the relationship of the most recent available career and technical education expenditures for nonpersonnel costs to personnel costs;
(1) A per-program allocation for supplies, as determined by the commissioner based on the most recent available career and technical education expenditures amount, adjusted to the year prior to the allocation year; and
(2) A per-pupil allocation for each student in each career and technical education center and each career and technical education region, determined by the commissioner based on:
(a) The most recent available career and technical education expenditures amount, adjusted for inflation to the year prior to the allocation year; and
(b) Student enrollment, as determined pursuant to paragraph G;
(1) A counselor, the allocation for which must be for one full-time equivalent, to collaborate with sending school guidance counselors in order to maximize student participation at the middle school and high school grade levels;
(2) Career and technical education center or career and technical education region student services coordinators, the allocation for which must be based on student enrollment, as determined pursuant to paragraph G, but no less than one full-time equivalent;
(3) Benefit costs for employees under this paragraph, calculated pursuant to section 15678, subsection 5, paragraph B; and
(4) Instructional technology, staff professional development, student assessment and program safety. The commissioner shall calculate a per-pupil allocation for this allocation based upon student enrollment, as determined pursuant to paragraph G, and the relationship of the most recent available career and technical education expenditures for these costs to total costs, adjusted to the year prior to the allocation year;
(1) For each program or plan approved pursuant to chapter 313 that has 3 years of attending student counts on October 1st, student enrollment is a 3-year average of the attending student counts on October 1st for that program or plan.
(2) For each program or plan approved pursuant to chapter 313 that is not governed by subparagraph (1), including a new program or plan approved pursuant to chapter 313, student enrollment must be based on the estimated attending student count submitted in accordance with the application for the program or plan approval. This estimated attending student count must be used until the program or plan has 3 consecutive years of actual attending student counts on October 1st.
The total allocation for a career and technical education center or career and technical education region is the sum of the components in paragraphs A to E , except if the sum of the components in paragraphs A to E is less than the most recent expenditure data, as adjusted for inflation to the year prior to the allocation year, the career and technical education center or career and technical education region may not receive less than the adjusted expenditure, and if the sum of the components in paragraphs A to E is more than 5% greater than the most recent expenditure data, as adjusted for inflation to the year prior to the allocation year, then the career and technical education center or career and technical education region may not receive more than the adjusted expenditures plus 5%.
The commissioner shall authorize monthly payment of allocations to career and technical education centers and career and technical education regions in an amount equal to 1/12 of the total allocation. Payments for satellite programs as approved pursuant to chapter 313 must be made within this schedule to the responsible career and technical education center or career and technical education region; it is the responsibility of the career and technical education center or career and technical education region to provide the state support for the approved satellite program to the school administrative unit that operates the approved satellite program.
If a school administrative unit operating a career and technical education center or career and technical education region has any unexpended funds at the end of the fiscal year, these funds must be carried forward for the purposes of career and technical education.
Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF
General Purpose Aid for Local Schools 0308
Initiative: Provides ongoing funds for career and technical education costs pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15688-A, subsection 1.
| GENERAL FUND | 2019-20 | 2020-21 |
|
All Other
|
$1,500,000 | $1,500,000 |
 |
|
|
| GENERAL FUND TOTAL | $1,500,000 | $1,500,000 |
Sec. 3. Effective date. That section of this Act that amends the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15688-A, subsection 1 takes effect January 1, 2020.
SUMMARY
This bill provides an additional $1,500,000 per year for the cost of career and technical education pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15688-A, subsection 1.
This bill also removes the so-called hold harmless provision that limits the amount of any decrease or increase in the total allocation for a career and technical education center or career and technical education region, effective January 1, 2020.