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<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">All, I received the following questions and thought everyone would benefit from the responses
<span style="font-family:"Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif">😊</span>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">A few clarifying questions regarding the information you provided regarding this law and State funding. <o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="m3370180583800136170msolistparagraph" style="mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1">
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?<o:p></o:p></li></ol>
<ol start="1" type="1">
<ol start="1" type="a">
<li class="m3370180583800136170msolistparagraph" style="mso-list:l15 level2 lfo2">
<b>Response</b>: 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. <o:p></o:p></li></ol>
</ol>
<ol start="2" type="1">
<li class="m3370180583800136170msolistparagraph" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
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. <o:p></o:p></li></ol>
<ol start="2" type="1">
<ol start="1" type="a">
<li class="m3370180583800136170msolistparagraph" style="mso-list:l4 level2 lfo4">
<b>Response</b>: 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. <o:p></o:p></li></ol>
</ol>
<ol start="3" type="1">
<li class="m3370180583800136170msolistparagraph" style="mso-list:l9 level1 lfo5">
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? <o:p></o:p></li></ol>
<ol start="3" type="1">
<ol start="1" type="a">
<li class="m3370180583800136170msolistparagraph" style="mso-list:l13 level2 lfo6">
<b>Response</b>: 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). <o:p></o:p></li><li class="m3370180583800136170msolistparagraph" style="mso-list:l13 level2 lfo6">
<b>Response</b>: How the SAU decides to provide those funds to the individual staff member listed is a local decision. <o:p></o:p></li></ol>
</ol>
<ol start="4" type="1">
<li class="m3370180583800136170msolistparagraph" style="mso-list:l10 level1 lfo7">
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?<o:p></o:p></li></ol>
<ol start="4" type="1">
<ol start="1" type="a">
<li class="m3370180583800136170msolistparagraph" style="mso-list:l7 level2 lfo8">
<b>Response</b>: 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.<o:p></o:p></li></ol>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">________________________________________<br>
<br>
<b>Paula Gravelle</b><br>
Director of Public School Finance <br>
Maine Department of Education<br>
23 State House Station<br>
Augusta, Maine 04333-0023<br>
<b>Email: </b><a href="mailto:paula.b.gravelle@maine.gov"><span style="color:#0070C0">paula.b.gravelle@maine.gov</span></a>
<br>
<b>Phone</b>: 207-624-6792</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><a href="http://www.maine.gov/doe"><span style="color:#0070C0">Maine DOE</span></a> |
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<a href="https://mainedoenews.net/"><span style="color:#0070C0">Maine DOE Newsroom</span><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><br>
</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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