130th MAINE LEGISLATURE
LD 270 LR 352(01)
An Act To Amend the Regional Adjustment Index To Ensure School Districts Do Not Receive Less than the State Average for Teacher Salaries
Preliminary Fiscal Impact Statement for Original Bill
Sponsor: Sen. Stewart of Aroostook
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
             
Preliminary Fiscal Impact Statement
Increase in teacher and other school-level staff salary costs - local school administrative units
FY 2021-22 FY 2022-23 Projections  FY 2023-24 Projections  FY 2024-25
Net Cost (Savings)
General Fund $0 $11,700,000 $11,700,000 $11,700,000
Appropriations/Allocations
General Fund $0 $11,700,000 $11,700,000 $11,700,000
Fiscal Detail and Notes
No longer allowing a regional adjustment pursuant to 20-A MRSA §15682 to be applied to a school administrative unit's total operating allocation if the adjustment will result in a decrease in the unit's allocation for teacher salary costs and salary costs of other school-level staff who are not teachers will increase the total cost of K-12 public education by approximately $22.6 million per year beginning in fiscal year 2022-23.  
The Department of Education will require a General Fund appropriation of $11.7 million in fiscal year 2022-23 to the General Purpose Aid for Local Schools program for the State's share of the increase in costs due to the requirement in this legislation.  The additional costs to local school administrative units are estimated to be $10.9 million annually.