COLLINS WORKS TO PROTECT EDUCATION FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS IN MAINE

Washington, D.C. -- Senator Susan Collins has taken another step in her effort to protect federal education funding for disadvantaged students in Maine. She is working to prevent Maine from losing $2.5 million in Title I dollars this year that would result from changes in the distribution formula made by the U.S. Department of Education. Senator Collins is urging the Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee that has jurisdiction over education appropriations to enact a one-time 100 percent "hold-harmless" provision that would maintain the current level of Title I funding for states that stand to lose education dollars under the new distribution formula.

"I am extremely concerned about the impact that this loss of funding will have on school districts in Maine and in other states, particularly those that serve economically disadvantaged children. It is this very group of students for which Title I dollars are critically important," said Senator Collins.

Before the new funding formula, it was estimated that Maine would receive approximately $49.8 million for Title I education programs this year. But now, Maine is expected to receive only $45.2 million, a decrease of $2.5 million from the 2004 level. Eleven other states are also facing cuts in their Title I funds, despite a $654 million increase in Congress for Title I programs this year. A hold-harmless provision would direct a portion of the substantial federal increase toward states that would lose Title I dollars this year, in order to maintain their funding at current levels.

"A hold harmless provision would protect Maine and eleven other states from suffering drastic cuts in funding for low income school districts, while still also providing an increase in funding to other states who stand to benefit from the formula change," said Senator Collins.

Senator Collins also recently joined a bipartisan group of Senators in writing a letter to US Department of Education Secretary Rod Paige, expressing serious concerns about the Title I formula change and asking that it not be implemented.