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2010-2011 Public School Tuition Rates

INFORMATIONAL LETTER:  53
POLICY CODE: DB
                       

TO: Superintendents of Schools               
FROM : Angela Faherty, Ph.D., Commissioner of Education
DATE: December 8, 2010
RE: 2010 - 2011 PUBLIC SCHOOL TUITION RATES

Computations of the public elementary student and secondary student tuition rates for the 2010-2011 school year have been published on the Department of Education’s website:  http://www.maine.gov/education/data/tuitionrates/tuitrate.htm

The statutory basis for these rate determinations has not changed from that used in prior years.   20-A M.R.S.A. section 5804 through 5805 specify the method of computing these tuition charges.  A brief summary of these methods is provided below. The complete statutory law is available at
http://janus.state.me.us/legis/statutes/20-A/title20-Ach219sec0.html

Calculation of Public School Tuition Rate for Elementary (K-8) Students

Current statute (20-A M.R.S.A., section 5804, subsection 1) states: "The maximum tuition payments shall not exceed the receiving school administrative unit's per student cost for the preceding year as calculated by the commissioner.  The school board of the sending unit may vote to pay a higher tuition rate."

Calculation of Public School Tuition Rate Secondary (9-12) Students

Current statute (20-A M.R.S.A. section 5805) establishes the method for calculating secondary tuition rates for any secondary student attending a public school in 2010-2011.   Subsection 2 of this statute establishes that the maximum allowable tuition rate may not exceed the lesser of:

  1. the per pupil expenditure in that public school (for all allowable expenditures) in 2009-10 after an adjustment for inflationary increases; or
  2. the statewide average public secondary per pupil expenditure (for all allowable expenditures) in 2009-10 after an adjustment for inflationary increases.

However, 20-A M.R.S.A. section 5805, subsection 2, further explains that the school board of the sending unit may vote to pay a higher tuition rate. 

If you have any questions regarding these public tuition rates, please contact Joanne Allen of General Purpose Aid Support Services via e-mail at joanne.allen@maine.gov