LD 1301
pg. 2
Page 1 of 2 An Act to Implement Changes in Cost-sharing Agreements in School Districts ... LD 1301 Title Page
Download Bill Text
LR 987
Item 1

 
election within the district, or if approved by a majority of
the full board of directors, the board of directors shall hold
a at least one meeting of municipal representatives to
reconsider the method of sharing costs. The district shall
give at least 15 days' notice to each municipality comprising
the district of that any meeting.

 
B. Each member municipality shall must be represented at
the meeting or meetings by 2 representatives chosen at large
by its municipal officers, and one member of the district
board of directors chosen by the municipality's directors.

 
B-1.__Prior to the first meeting of municipal
representatives pursuant to paragraph A, the district shall
engage the services of a facilitator selected from the list
maintained by the commissioner under subsection 4, paragraph
C, subparagraph 1.__The facilitator shall:

 
(1)__At the first meeting, review and present data and
information pertaining to sharing of costs within the
district.__Pertinent information may include, but is
not limited to, the following:

 
(a)__A description of the district's cost-sharing
method, the elements involved in the calculation
of each municipality's costs and a graphic
depiction of the current and historic distribution
of costs in the district; and

 
(b)__If withdrawal of one or more district members
is under consideration, the financial and
educational impact of the withdrawal;

 
(2)__Solicit and prepare a balanced summary of the
concerns of municipal officials, educators and the
public about the current method of cost sharing; and

 
(3)__Develop a plan of action for consideration by the
municipal representatives that responds to the
information collected and the concerns raised.__The
plan of action must include a list of expectations for
the conduct of the parties, options for proceeding and
an assessment of the likely success of those options.

 
C. A change in the method of sharing costs may only be
approved by a majority vote of the municipal representatives
present and voting.

 
C-1.__If a majority of the representatives from each municipality
meeting pursuant to paragraph A are unable to

 
agree on a recommendation on what the cost-sharing method
for the district should be, within 15 days following the
last meeting a knowledgeable 3rd party must be selected in
accordance with rules adopted pursuant to subsection 4,
paragraph C.__The district is responsible for compensating
the 3rd party.__The 3rd party shall:

 
(1)__Prepare a written summary of__the process to date,
including an assessment of the fairness, accuracy and
responsiveness of the recommendations of the
facilitator engaged pursuant to paragraph B-1;

 
(2)__Prepare an impartial recommendation regarding
changing the method of cost sharing; and

 
(3)__Present the summary and recommendations to the
municipal representatives for their consideration.

 
C-2.__At an advertised public hearing, the municipal
representatives shall solicit public input on the 3rd
party's recommendation for cost sharing required under
paragraph C-1 and any alternative method or methods proposed
by municipal representatives.

 
D. If a change in the cost-sharing method is approved by
this meeting a majority of the municipal representatives
meeting pursuant to paragraph A, the change shall must be
submitted to the voters at a district meeting. It shall
become becomes effective when approved by a majority vote of
the district in a district referendum called and held for
this purpose in accordance with sections 1351 to 1354,
except that, if the proposed change is an alternative cost-
sharing plan under subsection 1, paragraph B, subparagraph
4, the change must be approved by a majority of voters
voting in a referendum in each municipality in the district
instead of in a district referendum.

 
E. Assessments made by the school board thereafter shall
must be made in accordance with the new method of sharing
costs.

 
F. The secretary of the district shall notify the state
board that the district has voted to change its method of
sharing costs. The state board shall issue an amended
certificate of organization showing this new method of
sharing costs.

 
Sec. 3. 20-A MRSA §1301, sub-§4 is enacted to read:

 
4.__Departmental assistance.__The department shall provide the
following services relating to changing district cost-sharing
methods:

 
A.__The provision of information and data relating to cost
sharing, including, but not limited to, a description of a
district's method of cost sharing, the total assessment, the
per pupil cost and mils raised for education for district
members and the calculation of member costs.__The
information must be district-specific, comprehensive, easily
understood by the general public, presented in graphic and
spreadsheet format and available over the Internet.__Written
copies of the information described and additional
information requested must be provided by the department
upon receipt of a written request from a district school
board or the legislative body of any municipality member of
a district;

 
B.__The provision of professional evaluation and assistance
to districts and member municipalities considering changes
in cost-sharing methods; and

 
C.__The establishment and maintenance of lists of qualified,
available individuals to assist districts considering
changes in cost-sharing methods as follows:

 
(1)__Facilitators as required in subsection 3,
paragraph B-1; and

 
(2)__Knowledgeable 3rd parties as required in
subsection 3, paragraph C-1.

 
In establishing the lists, the department shall seek input
from the Maine Municipal Association and Maine School
Management Association or successor organizations.__The
department may adopt rules to define the qualifications,
responsibilities and selection of individuals on the lists.__
Rules adopted pursuant to this paragraph are routine
technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375,
subchapter II-A.

 
Sec. 4. 20-A MRSA §1704, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1993, c. 696, §2, is
further amended to read:

 
1. Formula. A community school district shall share its
costs among the member municipalities on the basis of:

 
A. The number of resident pupils in each municipality;

 
B. The fiscal capacity of each member municipality as
defined in section 15603, subsection 11-A;

 
C. In accordance with any Any combination of paragraphs A
and B; or

 
D. In accordance with any Any other formula authorized by
the Legislature.; or

 
E.__Any other factor or combination of factors that may, but
need not, include paragraphs A and B.

 
Notwithstanding paragraphs A to D and for fiscal year 1992-93
only, the state valuation and resident pupil information used to
calculate the shared cost for each municipality must be the same
as the information used for fiscal year 1991-92.

 
Notwithstanding paragraphs A to D, Title 30-A, chapter 208-A or
any other provision of law, the state valuation used to calculate
the shared cost for each municipality in a community school
district with a municipal incentive development zone must include
the increase in equalized just value of all industrial and
commercial property located in the zone over the assessed value.

 
Sec. 5. 20-A MRSA §1704, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1981, c. 693, §§5
and 8, is amended to read:

 
2. Amendment of formula. The procedure for amending the
cost-sharing formula shall be is as follows.

 
A. When requested by a written petition of at least 10% of
the number of voters voting for the gubernatorial candidates
in the last gubernatorial election in the municipalities
comprising the community school district, the district
school committee shall give at least 15 days' notice to each
member municipality of a meeting or meetings to determine
the necessity of reconsidering the method of sharing costs.

 
B. Each member municipality shall must be represented by 2
representatives chosen by its municipal officers and one
member of the district school committee chosen by the
committee members from that municipality at the meeting or
meetings to determine the necessity of reconsidering the
method of sharing costs. A change in the method of sharing
costs shall first must be approved by a vote of a majority
of those present and voting.

 
B-1.__Prior to the first meeting of member municipalities
pursuant to paragraph A, the district shall engage the services
of a facilitator selected from the list maintained

 
by the commissioner under subsection 3, paragraph C.__The
facilitator shall:

 
(1)__At the first meeting, review and present data and
information pertaining to sharing of costs within the
district.__Pertinent information may include, but is
not limited to, the following:

 
(a)__A description of the district's cost-sharing
method, the elements involved in the calculation
of each municipality's costs and a graphic
depiction of the current and historic distribution
of costs in the district; and

 
(b)__If withdrawal of one or more district members
is under consideration, the financial and
educational impact of the withdrawal;

 
(2)__Solicit and prepare a balanced summary of the
concerns of municipal officials, educators and the
public about the current method of cost sharing; and

 
(3)__Develop a plan of action for consideration by the
municipal representatives that responds to the
information collected and the concerns raised.__The
plan of action must include a list of expectations for
the conduct of the parties, options for proceeding and
an assessment of the likely success of those options.

 
B-2.__If a majority of the representatives from each
municipality meeting pursuant to paragraph A are unable to
agree on a recommendation on what the cost-sharing method
for the district should be, within 15 days following the
last meeting a knowledgeable 3rd party must be selected__in
accordance with rules adopted pursuant to subsection 3,
paragraph C.__The district is responsible for compensating
the 3rd party.__The 3rd party shall:

 
(1)__Prepare a written summary of the process to date,
including an assessment of the fairness, accuracy and
responsiveness of the recommendations of the
facilitator engaged pursuant to paragraph B-1;

 
(2)__Prepare an impartial recommendation regarding
changing the method of cost sharing; and

 
(3)__Present the summary and recommendations to the
municipal representatives for their consideration.

 
B-3.__At an advertised public hearing, the municipal
representatives shall solicit public input on the 3rd
party's recommendation for cost sharing required under
paragraph B-2 and any alternative method or methods proposed
by municipal representatives.

 
C. Municipal approval shall must be in the same manner as
the original formula was adopted when the community school
district was formed, except that, if the proposed change is
an alternative cost-sharing plan under subsection 1,
paragraph E, the change must be approved by a majority of
voters voting in a referendum in each municipality. The
total vote cast in each of the member municipalities shall
must be at least 20% of the number of votes cast in each of
the member municipalities in the last gubernatorial
election.

 
D. A change in the cost-sharing formula shall be is
effective at the start of the next fiscal year which starts
at least 90 days after the voters have approved it.

 
Sec. 6. 20-A MRSA §1704, sub-§3 is enacted to read:

 
3.__Departmental assistance.__The department shall provide the
following services relating to changing district cost-sharing
methods:

 
A.__The provision of information and data relating to cost
sharing, including, but not limited to, a description of a
district's method of cost sharing, the total assessment, the
per pupil cost and mils raised for education for district
members and the calculation of member costs.__The
information must be district-specific, comprehensive, easily
understood by the general public, presented in graphic and
spreadsheet format and available over the Internet.__Written
copies of the information described and additional
information requested must be provided by the department
upon receipt of a written request from a district school
board or the legislative body of any municipality member of
a district;

 
B.__The provision of professional evaluation and assistance
to districts and member municipalities considering changes
in cost-sharing methods; and

 
C.__The establishment and maintenance of lists of qualified,
available individuals to assist districts considering
changes in cost-sharing methods as follows:

 
(1)__Facilitators as required in subsection 2,
paragraph B-1; and

 
(2)__Knowledgeable 3rd parties as required in
subsection 2, paragraph B-2.

 
In establishing the lists, the department shall seek input
from the Maine Municipal Association and Maine School
Management Association or successor organizations.__The
department may adopt rules to define the qualifications,
responsibilities and selection of individuals on the lists.__
Rules adopted pursuant to this paragraph are routine
technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375,
subchapter II-A.

 
SUMMARY

 
This bill implements recommendations of a study of methods of
changing cost-sharing formulas in school administrative districts
and community school districts conducted by the State Board of
Education. The bill does the following:

 
1. It provides an option for municipal members of a school
district to design a cost-sharing formula that fits local needs
without requiring legislative approval;

 
2. It requires the locally developed cost-sharing option to
be approved by majority referendum vote in each municipality in
the district, rather than by majority vote at a districtwide
meeting;

 
3. It provides the assistance of outside professional
facilitation services if local officials are unable to agree on
cost-sharing changes; and

 
4. It requires the Department of Education to provide
comprehensive, unbiased cost-sharing information and other
assistance to districts and municipalities considering cost-
sharing changes.


Page 1 of 2 Top of Page LD 1301 Title Page