01/30/2018

Printout projects $875,000 drop in state subsidy for Cape schools

Preliminary printouts published by the state Department of Education on Jan. 30, 2018 show a reduction in state subsidy of more than $875,000 for Cape Elizabeth schools for fiscal 2019 .

The printout projects $1.27 million in state subsidy for Cape schools next year, down $875,654 compared to this year's subsidy of $2.14 million, a decrease of 40 percent.

The subsidy printouts are based on $1.1 billion in funding allocated to education in the 2018/19 biennial budget enacted by the Legislature last summer.

"As a reminder, a number of (Essential Programs and Services) funding formula changes were also enacted as part of the budget," says a news release from the Department of Education announcing the subsidy printouts. "Many of these changes were made to both increase funds to education and to target more funds toward classroom expenditures."

Catherine Messmer, School Department business manager, said she had seen the printout but did not yet know which of the "numerous" changes in the funding formula might have affected Cape Elizabeth. "Actually I'm shocked we had such a reduction," Messmer said.

The School Board is scheduled to start work on its budget for 2019 in February, beginning with a workshop at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6, in the High School library. All are scheduled to be videotaped for publication on this website.