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An Act To Raise the Floor of State Education Funding
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §15689, sub-§1, ¶A, as amended by PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. C, §49, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
 
A.  The school administrative unit's total cost of education, as calculated pursuant to section 15688, subsection 1, multiplied by 15%; and
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §15689, sub-§1-C  is enacted to read:
 
1-C.  Adjustments to state contributions to member municipalities in certain school administrative units.     A member municipality of a school administrative unit must be guaranteed a minimum state contribution of 15% of the municipality's total cost of education, as calculated pursuant to section 15688, subsection 2, which must be made to the school administrative unit and deducted from the municipality's required contribution. The minimum state contribution attributable to a member municipality pursuant to this subsection must be calculated prior to determining whether the school administrative unit is eligible for the minimum state allocation pursuant to subsection 1.
 
SUMMARY
This bill changes the formula for determining the minimum state allocation for a school administrative unit to be the unit's total cost of education, as adjusted, multiplied by 15% or the unit's special education costs, as adjusted, whichever is greater. This bill also guarantees a member municipality a minimum state contribution of 15% of the municipality's total cost of education, as adjusted, and requires the funds to be paid to the school administrative unit and deducted from the municipality's required contribution.