Maine Revised Statutes
Chapter 219: TUITION
20-A §5805. Secondary school students; public schools

§5805. Secondary school students; public schools
Tuition charges for secondary school students in public schools shall be governed by the following. [PL 1981, c. 693, §§5, 8 (NEW).]
1. Computation of tuition rate. The tuition rate at a public secondary school shall be the sum of all expenditures divided by the number of students. These figures shall be determined as follows.
A. Expenditures shall be all expenditures for public secondary education for the period July 1st to June 30th of the year immediately before the school year for which the tuition charge is computed, except expenditures for:
(1) Special education;
(2) Career and technical education;
(3) Community services;
(4) Major capital outlay;
(5) Debt retirement; and
(6) Tuition and transportation. [PL 1981, c. 693, §§5, 8 (NEW); PL 2005, c. 397, Pt. D, §3 (REV).]
B. The number of students shall be the average number of public secondary pupils enrolled on October 1st and April 1st of the same year. [PL 1981, c. 693, §§5, 8 (NEW).]
C. The figure obtained by using the figures established in paragraphs A and B shall be divided by the average number of secondary students on October 1st and April 1st of the year immediately prior to the year for which the tuition charge is computed. [PL 1981, c. 693, §§5, 8 (NEW).]
D. The tuition rate thus determined shall be adjusted by the average change in public secondary education costs for the 2 years immediately before the school year for which the tuition charge is computed. This adjustment shall be limited to a 6% increase. [PL 1981, c. 693, §§5, 8 (NEW).]
[PL 1981, c. 693, §§5, 8 (NEW); PL 2005, c. 397, Pt. D, §3 (REV).]
2. Maximum allowable tuition. The maximum allowable tuition charge by a public secondary school is the rate computed under subsection 1 or the state average per public secondary student cost as adjusted, whichever is lower. The school board of the sending unit may vote to pay a higher tuition rate.
[PL 1997, c. 266, §10 (AMD).]
3. Maine School of Science and Mathematics.
[PL 1995, c. 368, Pt. LL, §1 (RP).]
4. Debt service factor. Notwithstanding subsections 1 and 2, beginning with the 1999-2000 school year, a school administrative unit may charge a debt service factor for newly incurred capital outlay and debt service, as defined in section 1, subsection 19‑A. The debt service factor must be an amount agreed upon by both the sending and receiving units, with the approval of the commissioner, and may not exceed 10% of a school's legal tuition rate per student in any one year. The debt service factor adjustment must be limited to a period of time not to exceed the receiving unit's repayment period for newly incurred capital outlay and debt service. The percentage of the debt service factor must be proportional to the cost of the project and the number of tuition students.
[PL 1997, c. 787, §5 (NEW).]
5. Online learning program.
[PL 2011, c. 353, §2 (NEW); MRSA T. 20-A §5805, sub-§5 (RP).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1981, c. 693, §§5,8 (NEW). PL 1993, c. 706, §A3 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 368, §LL1 (AMD). PL 1997, c. 266, §10 (AMD). PL 1997, c. 787, §5 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 397, §D3 (REV). PL 2011, c. 353, §2 (AMD).