Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Dr. Maxwell outlines state bills aimed at special education, MSOC and transportation funding
Summary
At the Jan. 22 Poland Public Schools Board meeting, Dr. Maxwell reviewed several House and Senate bills the district is monitoring, highlighting potential increases to special education multipliers, MSOC (materials, supplies and operating costs), and transportation funding. He urged community advocacy as the legislative session continues.
Dr. Maxwell presented a review of legislation affecting school funding during the Poland Public Schools Board of Directors meeting on Jan. 22, 2025, detailing bills that target special-education funding, materials/supplies/operating costs (MSOC) and transportation allocations.
Dr. Maxwell told the board these proposals could ease district budget pressure. “If students qualify for those services, they should receive those services and the state should be paying for those services,” he said, describing proposals to remove an enrollment cap that limits state funding for students with disabilities.
The superintendent walked the board through multiple bills he attended hearings for the same day. He described two competing MSOC approaches: one Senate bill with a roughly 10% bonus and another House bill (HB 1338) proposing a 23% bonus and consolidating several separate MSOC line items into one. He said consolidating the categories and regular rebasing could help districts keep pace with rising costs.
Transportation funding was another focus: Dr. Maxwell said the district currently receives about 76% of its transportation costs through state allocations and that some proposals would address the “STAR model” that determines that funding. He also mentioned a $400-per-student rider intended for special transportation needs, such as students experiencing homelessness.
Dr. Maxwell highlighted the special-education multiplier and an enrollment cap that currently limits state funding to 16% of a district’s students qualifying for special education; any students above that cap are funded from local levy dollars. He called eliminating that cap an important objective so services are funded by the state rather than local levies.
He also summarized proposals addressing levies and local effort assistance. Under current law the statutory levy lid is $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation; the district collects about $1.35–$1.75 per $1,000 and does not reach the cap. Dr. Maxwell said assessed valuation rose about 30% in 2025, and some bills would add inflation adjustments to levy limits, which could widen disparities among districts unless local effort assistance is expanded.
Board members asked clarifying questions about competing bill language (for example, whether MSOC categories would be lumped or maintained separately) and about the practical effects of transportation and levy changes. Dr. Maxwell encouraged community members to track bills and contact legislators, noting the district planned to provide guidance on how to register positions on the measures.
The presentation closed with a reminder that the 2025 session runs 105 days and that additional hearings and bill changes were expected. Dr. Maxwell said he had submitted written feedback to committees and that the district will continue to monitor and provide updates as the session progresses.
Ending: Board members thanked Dr. Maxwell for the briefing and the board moved on to other agenda items; no formal board action on the presented bills was taken at the meeting.
