ANDOVER – As a result of a state education funding formula change, Andover taxpayers could see their tax rate jump $2 to $3 per $1,000 of valuation this year.

That’s what SAD 44 Superintendent David Murphy told selectmen Wednesday morning during an informational meeting on the Department of Education’s Essential Programs and Services plan and tax policy proposals.

“I truly believe that if this ends up coming to pass, it will be a very difficult thing for four of our towns to do in the district,” Murphy said.

SAD 44 comprises the towns of Andover, Bethel, Greenwood, Newry and Woodstock.

A state law approved during the last legislative session changes the allocation method of local school assessment in most school districts from being based on property value to a combination of property value and student population in each town. The new law takes effect July 1.

Based on the change, Andover’s 2006 total allocation would be $615,692, an increase of $133,294 over the current figure of $482,398.

Selectman David Percival said that Andover has a student population of a little less than 150, which represents 16 percent of the town’s population.

But under the new formula, he said, 41 percent of the town’s budget would have to be used to educate that 16 percent.

“If we cut out services, do we hinder those students, or do we bite the bullet and raise the money?” he asked.

Bethel’s total allocation would increase $525,717, Greenwood’s would increase $171,894, Woodstock’s would increase by $198,953.

“Property tax relief is not something that will happen with this budget here,” Murphy said.

But, he added, because Newry sends the fewest pupils to SAD 44, its school contribution would decrease by $923,654.

Murphy also said that the Department of Education has indicated that SAD 44’s budget should be $6.29 million to ensure that it meets Maine Learning Results standards.

The district’s current budget is $9.3 million. The difference, Murphy said, comes from other sources of revenue, like transportation fees, tuition and Maine Care receipts, and carryover, which the state excluded.

In addition to that $6.29 million budget, there are state mandates that the district is to provide.

“Out of that $6.29 million, the state says we have to add programs that we don’t have,” Murphy said.

Among the mandates: a gifted-and-talented program, foreign languages for students into the lower grades, and a fully-funded special education program.

“We’re just now phasing in a gifted-and-talented program, but we haven’t done the languages part yet because we can’t defend it fiscally,” Murphy said.

The district must also dedicate $175,000 of the $6.29 million for technology, and $100 per student toward a specific assessment, or lose state funding next year.

That prompted Percival to say, “If the state is mandating this, then they’d better send us the money to do this.”

Currently, SAD 44 has an enrollment of 1,050 students.

“We’re all in a tough spot right now, but I think we’re on the state’s radar screen. Maybe the good news is that this means more dialogue between the district and its towns,” Murphy said.