Portland Public Schools warns of $4.1 million EPS shortfall as MEPRI proposes formula changes
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Summary
Portland Public Schools told its Public & Legislative Affairs Committee it faces an estimated $4,100,000 drop in state EPS funding and reviewed MEPRI recommendations that could reallocate funds through regional adjustments, alternative valuation/income weightings, higher disadvantaged-student multipliers and special education funding changes.
PORTLAND, Maine — At a Feb. 23 virtual meeting, the Portland Public Schools Public & Legislative Affairs Committee was told the district faces a projected $4,100,000 reduction in this year’s Essential Programs and Services (EPS) funding.
Chair Sarah Lentz said the superintendent and district staff are working with legislators, including Representative Michael Brennan, to explore replacement funding and that the district has already submitted updated student counts to Augusta as one immediate step.
The committee reviewed recommendations from the Maine Education Policy Research Institute (MEPRI) that the state Education Committee has considered. Lentz summarized four principal areas MEPRI presented: creating a regional adjustment to recognize higher local wages; incorporating community income alongside property valuation (options modeled included a 90/10 valuation-to-income split and requests for 50/50 and 70/25 alternatives); increasing the weight for economically disadvantaged students; and reassessing how special education costs are funded.
Lentz stressed that, as presented, MEPRI’s changes are designed to reallocate existing statewide funds rather than increase the overall funding pool. She said the 90/10 option would provide only modest benefit to Portland and that committee members asked MEPRI to model more aggressive income weightings to show effects on allocations.
Committee members discussed advocacy and community engagement. Grace Valenzuela, executive director for family engagement and community partnership, outlined two upcoming learning opportunities intended to prepare local advocates: a March 12 Parent University session featuring Betsy Sweet on grassroots advocacy and an April 2 presentation by Amy Johnson on EPS funding. Members discussed coalition-building with other districts (including Lewiston, Westbrook and South Portland), parent-teacher organizations and community groups, and organizing a breakfast with the legislative delegation to align local priorities.
District staff actions noted in the meeting included the submission of updated student counts to Augusta, which Lentz said could help recapture some funding, and a plan to circulate MEPRI slides and presentation recordings to committee members.
On timing, the committee acknowledged uncertainty. Members repeatedly asked whether MEPRI’s directive (referred to in discussion as LD 318) would take effect for the following school year. Lentz said the committee expects MEPRI to work quickly and that a bill could be filed in the coming weeks; she urged members to flag when the bill reaches a work session or public hearing so the district can quickly mobilize testimony.
The committee did not take formal votes on funding policy at the meeting. Next steps specified by the committee were information-sharing (staff to send presentations and links), outreach to potential allies, and preparing community testimony should the bill reach committee hearings.
What’s next: staff will circulate the MEPRI presentation materials to the committee; Valenzuela and staff will coordinate community education sessions; members agreed to monitor committee schedules and flag any hearings so the district can organize public testimony and advocacy.