<div dir="ltr"><div><font face="times new roman, serif" size="4"><br clear="all"></font></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><p class="gmail-"><font face="times new roman, serif" size="4">Good morning,</font></p><p class="gmail-"><font face="times new roman, serif" size="4">Thank you for the detailed summary and clarification of the requirements related to the FY 25 hourly staff data collection and the one-time additional funding calculations for FY 26.</font></p><p class="gmail-"><font face="times new roman, serif" size="4">After reviewing what is being asked, I want to acknowledge that while we understand the importance of this initiative, the scope of what is required represents a significant amount of work on our end. The one-time data pull from our local payroll system—gathering names, hourly wages, and total hours worked for all hourly employees, including student workers and substitutes—will require substantial time and effort to compile accurately. Ensuring that all hourly wage data is also updated in NEO Staff and confirming employment for FY 26 only adds to the complexity.</font></p><p class="gmail-"><font face="times new roman, serif" size="4">While we are not required to request the additional funds, I believe most of us are in a position where every available resource is critical—particularly with the looming possibility of reductions or eliminations in federal funding. We certainly want to access any funds available to support our staff, but the process as outlined will be very labor-intensive for local districts.</font></p><p class="gmail-"><font face="times new roman, serif" size="4">I understand and appreciate the need for accountability, but I do hope that consideration might be given to finding a more streamlined or less burdensome approach to accomplishing the same goal.</font></p><p class="gmail-"><font face="times new roman, serif" size="4">Thank you again for your guidance and continued support as we work through this process.</font></p><p class="gmail-">
</p><p class="gmail-"><font face="times new roman, serif" size="4"><span class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"></span>M<span class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">ost respectfully,</span><br>
Andrea</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial">
<span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)"><br><font face="Century Gothic, sans-serif" style="font-size:14pt">Andrea Disch</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#666666"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif">Business
Manager<br></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial"><font color="#666666"><br></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial"><font color="#666666"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif">Maine School Administrative District No. 11<br></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif">150 Highland Avenue</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif"> </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif">•</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif"> </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif">Gardiner, Maine 04330</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-family:"Perpetua Titling MT",serif"><font color="#666666"> </font></span><span style="font-family:"Perpetua Titling MT",serif"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#444444">207-582-5346</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial"><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#444444"><a href="mailto:aDisch@msad11.org" target="_blank">aDisch@msad11.org</a></span></u><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial"><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#444444"><a href="http://www.msad11.org" target="_blank">www.msad11.org</a></span></u><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, Apr 22, 2025 at 10:00 AM Gravelle, Paula B <<a href="mailto:Paula.B.Gravelle@maine.gov">Paula.B.Gravelle@maine.gov</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div class="msg3002516866642181036">
<div lang="EN-US" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<div class="m_3002516866642181036WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Good morning,<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">After the release of the plan for collecting the current year (FY 25) hourly staff data in NEO Staff in order
to calculate the one-time additional funds for the upcoming school year (FY 26) as required by the new minimum hourly wage
</span><a href="https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/statutes/20-A/title20-Asec4016.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">statute</span></a><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">, we realized nothing is as simple
as we originally thought.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Some questions have come up that have required the Maine Department of Education (DOE) to consider many other
issues that cannot be resolved simply by updating the hourly wage data in NEO Staff.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Summary of final requirements:<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">All hourly wage data will still need to be updated for the current FY 25 year in NEO staff for all hourly staff that are currently in NEO staff.<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Maine DOE will also require a one-time pull from your local payroll system in order to validate payments are accurate for this one-time payment of additional funds.<u></u><u></u></span></li><ol start="1" type="a">
<li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">This one-time pull from your local payroll system will need to include:<u></u><u></u></span></li></ol>
</ol>
<p class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:1.5in;line-height:normal">
<u></u><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>i.<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><u></u><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Names of all hourly staff paid in FY 25<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<ol start="2" type="1">
<ol start="1" type="a">
<ol start="1" type="i">
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Student workers<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Substitutes<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Food Service Workers<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Education Technicians<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">All other hourly staff<u></u><u></u></span></li></ol>
</ol>
</ol>
</ol>
<p class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:1.5in;line-height:normal">
<u></u><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>ii.<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><u></u><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Hourly wage for each hourly employee paid in FY 25<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:1.5in;line-height:normal">
<u></u><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>iii.<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><u></u><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Total number of hours worked for each hourly employee in FY 25<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<ol start="3" type="1">
<li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">If you do not have hourly employees paid less than $16.85 per hour for other support staff, and $18.31 per hour for education technicians, then you do not need to do anything at this time
since you would not be eligible for additional funding.<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Additional funding will not be allocated until after verification of continued employment of all hourly staff eligible in the FY 26 school year is completed.<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Hourly wages will need to be updated annually in NEO staff going forward for all hourly staff that are collected in the NEO Staff module.<u></u><u></u></span></li></ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Here are answers to some of the questions we received:<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">What about student workers that are paid hourly?<u></u><u></u></span></li><ol start="1" type="a">
<li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Problem: student workers cannot be entered into the NEO staff module because it then creates violations for certification.<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Solution: do
<b><i>not</i></b> enter students into the NEO staff module.<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">If you have students that are working in the current FY 25 school year and are paid less than the new FY 26 minimum of $16.85; and they will still be working for you in the FY 26 school year,
then you will need to send the Maine DOE a list of those students with their current hourly wage and how many hours they worked in FY 25.<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">This can also be included in the one-time pull from your local payroll system.<u></u><u></u></span></li></ol>
<li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">What about substitutes that are paid hourly and only work as needed?<u></u><u></u></span></li><ol start="1" type="a">
<li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Problem: salary and wage data for substitutes are not collected in NEO Staff because they only work as needed.<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Solution: continue to enter substitutes in NEO staff for purposes of criminal history records checks and verification of employment.<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">We will need to collect information from your local payroll system for the FY 25 year after the year end (6/30/2025); to include the substitutes name, hourly wage, and number of hours worked
in FY 25.<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">We will also need to confirm that they are still employed by the same SAU using the FY 26 data in NEO Staff.<u></u><u></u></span></li></ol>
<li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">What about CTE Regions?<u></u><u></u></span></li><ol start="1" type="a">
<li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Problem: The statute did not specify that the additional funds would be for CTE Regions, and since they are not considered a School Administrative Unit by definition in Title 20-A; CTE Regions
are not eligible for the additional funds for hourly staff.<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">CTE Centers that are within a School Administrative Unit are eligible for the additional funds and therefore should update their hourly staff data in NEO Staff.<u></u><u></u></span></li></ol>
<li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Does this include food service workers that are paid using federal funds?<u></u><u></u></span></li><ol start="1" type="a">
<li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Yes, food service workers are eligible for the additional funds.<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="m_3002516866642181036MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Even though they are paid using federal funds, the statute requiring one-time additional funds for the minimum hourly wage is not restricted to a specific funding source. So, all hourly support
staff, no matter what the source of funding, will need to be updated in NEO staff to include the hourly wage information.<u></u><u></u></span></li></ol>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Thank you for your assistance and continued patience as we work together to make this work possible.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Sincerely,<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">________________________________________<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" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(0,112,192)">paula.b.gravelle@maine.gov</span></a>
<br>
<b>Phone</b>: 207-624-6792<span><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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