Article ___: Shall the Manchester, Mount Vernon, Readfield and Wayne Community School District approve a cost-sharing transition provision for fiscal years 2005-06 through 2008-09 under which the district's contribution to the total cost of funding public education from grade 6 to grade 12 under the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act is shared by the member municipalities of the district partially on the basis of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15688 and partially on the basis of the district's prior cost-sharing formula in accordance with the following percentages:

FISCAL YEAR PERCENTAGE SHARED PERCENTAGE SHARED

UNDER 20-A MRSA UNDER DISTRICT'S

§15688 COST-SHARING

FORMULA

2005-06 60% 40%

2006-07 75% 25%

2007-08 90% 10%

2008-09 100% 0%

The district meeting at which the article is considered must be conducted in accordance with the same procedures as a regular annual budget meeting conducted pursuant to Title 20-A, section 1701.

Sec. 4. Method of sharing costs in School Administrative District No. 74; transition provision. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15688, subsections 2 and 3, and to ensure that the member municipalities in School Administrative District No. 74 do not experience significant adverse effects as a result of the cost- sharing mechanism established pursuant to Title 20-A, section 15688, subsections 2 and 3, the Department of Education shall continue to review and analyze the implications of this proposed cost-sharing mechanism on the member municipalities in School Administrative District No. 74. The Department of Education shall assist the member municipalities in School Administrative District No. 74 in developing a transition plan that includes a phase-in to achieve the new method of determining member municipalities' local cost of education in accordance with Title 20-A, section 15688, subsections 2 and 3 no later than fiscal year 2008-09. The Department of Education shall report the findings of this review, including any recommended legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs no later than February 1, 2006. The Joint