Study of Maine's School Funding Formula Moves Forward

 09/20/2012   Reported By: Mal Leary
 http://www.mpbn.net/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3478/ItemId/23844/Default.aspx

After hearing presentations from the two finalist consulting firms, a majority of the Legislature's Education Committee chose Picus & Associates with offices in several states to study Maine's school funding formula and recommend ways to make it more fair. Mal Leary reports the $400,000 study is supposed to be completed in time for the new Legislature elected in November to consider it in the new session.

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Study of Maine's School Funding Formula Moves Forw	Duration: 2:57

Maine distributes nearly $1 billion a year to Maine schools as the state's share of elementary and secondary education costs. It is distributed through a formula called the Essential Programs and Services model. The funding law determines which programs schools offer will get partially funded by the state.

For decades, lawmakers have battled over what is a fair way to distribute school aid. Sen. Brian Langley, a Republican from Ellsworth, is the co-chairman of the Legislature's Education Committee.

"Over the past four years that I've been in the Legislature, every year people have said the funding formula does not work, is not working, especially in rural areas," he says.

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