[SchoolFinance] Expenditure of Multilingual Hardship Funds

[Adam Hanson]

Hi everyone,
I'm wondering if Drummond Woodsum weighed in at the conference last Friday
about expenditure of the new Multilingual Hardship Funds that were just
distributed via the new public law referenced in the priority notice below.
These are flowing into general fund through the 279's, but it is unclear if
we are authorized to "expend" them and potentially overspend Article 1
and/or the overall general fund in the process.
If not, has anyone consulted with Drummond or received any advice about
this?
Thanks.

Priority Notice from the Maine Department of Education
View this message in your browser
<https://mailchi.mp/maine/cu5lemq6y0-1326487?e=e0272ba6a2>.
<https://maine.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a582edd6473e477ef6307c769&id=51949424db&e=e0272ba6a2>

*Multilingual (EL) Hardship Fund Updates  *

Dear Champions of Education,

Public Law 2023
<https://maine.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a582edd6473e477ef6307c769&id=3d7336718f&e=e0272ba6a2>
Chapter
412 Part JJJJ includes important updates to the Multilingual (EL)
Hardship Fund.
The effective date of this new language is October 25, 2023.

1. School Administrative Units (SAUs) will no longer have to apply for the
hardship funds.  Instead, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) will
automatically determine eligibility using the October and April student
counts.

2. The eligibility criteria has been lowered from an increase of 5% or more
English learners weighted allocation to 3%, as calculated pursuant to
section 15675, subsection 1.

*What do SAUs need to do in order to receive
the Multilingual (EL) Hardship funds? *

The changes to the statute will allow the DOE to automatically determine
eligibility following each student data collection period on October 1st
and April 1,st annually.

Once eligibility is determined, the funding will be allocated to each SAU
as an adjustment to the school funding allocation on the ED 279 report
section 5B.

*How do I know if our SAU will be receiving funds? *

Please contact Pam Partridge at the School Finance team help desk at (207)
624-6625 or pamela.partridge at maine.gov.  Additional information related to
the Multilingual (EL) Hardship can be found here
<https://maine.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a582edd6473e477ef6307c769&id=d4de312df8&e=e0272ba6a2>
.

*When can we expect the funds from the April 1, 2023, count, if we are
eligible? *

As Public Law 2023 Chapter 412 is not in effect until October 25, 2023, the
School Finance team will provide those funds as soon as possible after that
date.

*Sent August 30, 2023*


-- 
Adam Hanson
Controller
Lewiston Public Schools
36 Oak Street
Lewiston, ME 04240
Phone: (207) 795-4100, ext. 4051
Fax: (207) 795-4177

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