An Act To Fund Students In Maine Schools Who Are Experiencing Homelessness

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Marshall Archer and 5 co-sponsors

Revises how homeless students are counted and adjusts Maine's school funding formula to boost funding for districts with higher homeless student needs.

Pursuant to Joint Rule 310.3 Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)

#provisionsrevised #pupilcounts #schoolfundingformula

Quick Facts

Bill Number: LD 193

Title: An Act To Fund Students In Maine Schools Who Are Experiencing Homelessness

Status: DEAD (Pursuant to Joint Rule 310.3 Placed in Legislative Files)

Introduced: January 14, 2025

Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs

Subject: Provisions revised, pupil counts, school funding formula

Key dates:

2025-01-14: Referred to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs
2025-01-14: Sent for concurrence
2025-03-21: Carried over to the next special or regular session (pursuant to Joint Order SP 519)
2025-05-16/20: Work session and reporting (ONTP)
2025-05-21: Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)

Purpose and Intent

The bill is described as an act to fund Maine students who are experiencing homelessness by revising provisions related to pupil counts and the state school funding formula. While specific statutory text is not provided here, the intent appears to be to adjust how homeless students are counted for funding purposes and to modify the funding formula accordingly, with the goal of enhancing funding support for schools serving homeless students.

Key Provisions (Conceptual)

Provisions Revised: The bill would revise existing provisions related to funding, likely aiming to better account for students who are experiencing homelessness.

Pupil Counts: It would adjust how pupil counts are calculated or used in funding determinations, specifically in relation to homeless students.

School Funding Formula: It would modify the state school funding formula to reflect the revised pupil counts and the needs of homeless students.

Implementation Details: Specific mechanisms (e.g., eligibility criteria, data sources, timing, or funding adjustments) are not provided in the available summary.

Affected Parties

Students: Maine students experiencing homelessness.

School Districts/Schools: Districts and schools with homeless student populations, which could see changes in per-pupil funding allocations.

Department of Education: Likely roles in data collection, reporting, and administration of any revised funding formula.

Fiscal and Administrative Implications

The bill’s focus on housing-status-based adjustments to pupil counts and the funding formula suggests potential changes in state funding distributions to districts, particularly those serving higher numbers of homeless students.

Specific dollar amounts, funding levels, or fiscal impact analyses are not provided in the available information.

Procedural History and Status

The bill went through standard committee process (Education and Cultural Affairs) and was carried over to the next session in March 2025.

It was reported “Ought Not to Pass (ONTP)” and subsequently failed to advance, with the latest status showing it placed in Legislative Files as DEAD under Joint Rule 310.3 on May 21, 2025.

As of the latest actions, the bill did not become law and could be reconsidered in a future session if reintroduced.

Potential Impact and Takeaways

If enacted in a future session, the bill could reshape how funding is allocated to support homeless students by altering counts used for funding and the overall formula.

The legislative path indicates a focus on equity for students experiencing homelessness and how districts are funded to address their needs.

The current status means no changes are in effect for the 2025-2026 school year, but the concept could reappear in subsequent sessions.

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