[SchoolFinance] Minimum Wage for Hourly Public School Staff - Clarifying Questions and Responses

[Dawn Fickett]

Did I miss something I was supposed to fill out for our district because I
don't remember providing any info in NEO on which staff are hourly and what
their rates are?  (Question 4)


On Wed, Apr 2, 2025 at 4:37 PM Gravelle, Paula B <Paula.B.Gravelle at maine.gov>
wrote:

> All, I received the following questions and thought everyone would benefit
> from the responses 😊.
>
> A few clarifying questions regarding the information you provided
> regarding this law and State funding.
>
>    1. Am I correct that the calculation for the State funded portion is
>    based on an individual, not a position? In other words, if an individual
>    employed and reported in NEO in FY25, is not employed in FY26, the SAU
>    wouldn't receive funding for their replacement?
>
>
>    1. *Response*: Correct, that additional funding is based on a person,
>       not a position.  If an individual hourly staff member from our base year of
>       FY 2024-25, is no longer employed at the SAU in FY 2025-26, no additional
>       funds will be provided to the SAU.
>
>
>    2. If wage scales for FY26 have already been adjusted to meet the
>    minimum salary requirement, is the SAU still entitled to the funding from
>    the State? I believe it would as the funding is based on FY25 salary data.
>
>
>    1. *Response*: Yes, since we are using the actual hourly wage amount
>       collected in FY 25 as the base to compare the updated minimum for FY 26;
>       you will receive additional funds for each employee that was below the
>       minimum using the FY 25 levels.
>
>
>    3. I understand the SAU is responsible for paying these
>    additional funds received by the State to each employee. Is this achieved
>    by providing documentation that these specified employees received the
>    minimum salary as required? Or will it be a dollar for dollar
>    separate payment to the individual?
>
>
>    1. *Response*: The Maine DOE will be sending the SAU a list of
>       individual staff that were below the new minimum, the amount of the actual
>       salary from FY 25, the new minimum amount, and the difference calculated
>       (which is the additional funds allocated to the SAU).
>       2. *Response*: How the SAU decides to provide those funds to the
>       individual staff member listed is a local decision.
>
>
>    4. There was a question asked previously regarding the term "Other
>    School Support Staff" and who exactly this included. At that time there was
>    no further guidance as to its meaning. Is it now understood to mean all
>    other hourly employees reported in NEO Staff?
>
>
>    1. *Response*: That is correct.  In the FY 2024-25 staff collection,
>       SAUs were asked to provide in NEO Staff which staff are hourly and what
>       their actual hourly rate was.  Those are the “other school support staff”
>       that the Maine DOE will use to calculate the additional funds for the FY
>       2025-26 school year.
>
>
>
> ________________________________________
>
> *Paula Gravelle*
> Director of Public School Finance
> Maine Department of Education
> 23 State House Station
> Augusta, Maine 04333-0023
> *Email: *paula.b.gravelle at maine.gov
> *Phone*: 207-624-6792
>
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>
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-- 




*Dawn L. FickettAssistant SuperintendentRSU/SAD #37*
*1020 Sacarap Road*


*Harrington ME 04643Telephone: 207-483-2734Fax: 207-483-6051*

 *“Education is one thing no one can take away from you.” —Elin Nordegren*
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