Maine

Funding priorities for p-12 and higher education

Governor Janet Mills presented her Biennial Budget¹ prioritizing areas such as voluntary universal Pre-K, $18.5 million for Child Development Services, teacher salaries greater than $40 thousand, and $3 million in Scholarship Funds. The Governor later proposed a supplemental budget, including appropriations for critical capital equipment for Career & Technical Education Centers (CTEs), Adult Education programming; an even split among the Departments of Economic and Community Development, Labor, and Education for use in existing programs and collaboration to begin establishing the Maine Career Exploration Program; funding for P-12 education that increases the state's contribution by one percent to progressively meet state law; and more funding for higher education (HE) systems.² The Commissioner's Recommended Funding Level to the State Board of Education included a preliminary Essential Programs and Services (EPS) Components Model for FY 2020-2021 for $2.3 billion.³

Changes to the funding formula for p-12 education

To evolve the state structure, Maine focused its sight on fine-tuning its current education finance formula which blends a foundation formula and resource-allocation (EPS). Although the legislative session passed a bill to require the Department of Education (DOE) to study and report on the special education funding component of the school funding formula, a bill to provide school districts with full state funding for students with high-cost special education failed.⁴ Still, both chambers accepted bills to provide funding to increase the Minimum Grant Amount under the Maine State Grant Program; establish the Maine Community College System Pell Grant Match Program; increase the school construction debt service limit; fund after-school/preschool programs; and increase the economically disadvantaged student factor in the funding formula.⁵ An act to amend laws regarding the reserve funds of certain school organizational structures was passed.⁶ Updates to the school funding formula⁷ per the Commissioner's Recommendation for 2020-2021 included a specific per-pupil amount for system administration; an increased special education adjustment; a teacher salary adjustment; transitioning CTE funding to the EPS funding model; a per-pupil amount for active members of education service centers; funds for musical instruments in rural schools; and educator directed professional development.

Pressing state issues affecting p-12 and higher education funding

The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the typical flow of funding. The federal Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act temporarily suspended payments for federal student loans, and otherwise revised provisions related to campus-based aid, supplemental educational-opportunity grants, federal work-study, subsidized loans, Pell grants, and foreign institutions. The Governor and Maine Department of Health and Human Services commissioner "announced nearly $11 million in federal funds to support access to child care for Maine's essential workers…in response to the COVID-19 pandemic."⁸ General guidance included paying staff, costs associated with cancelled professional development and related expenses, contracted service costs, and serving students. Program guidance was also issued.

Exclusive to p-12

Maine continued to offer a variety of education options such as Charter, Magnet, and Private Non-Sectarian/Sectarian/Special Purpose choices. In 2019, the proposed state budget presented by the Maine State Legislature allocated nearly $700 million for the Maine Charter School Commission.⁹ In 2020, a moderately partisan bill proposed legislation to prevent charter schools from using state funds for anti-union campaigns.¹⁰

State per-pupil expenditures11

$12,442.95

Allocation of state dollars12

$1,163,757,928

Percent of the state budget for p-12 and higher education13

DOE General Fund FY 2020; FY 2021

$1,438,595,204/9,754,179,578 (about 14.8 percent); $1,469,563,180/10,198,664,319 (about 14.4 percent)