By Lindsay Tice,Staff Writer

The governor’s tax-relief and school-funding package hasn’t changed state aid much for local school systems.

Except for Poland, which is set to receive $336,000 more than originally planned.

The state released its first 2005-06 projections more than a month ago. Now, under the governor’s tax-relief and school-funding package, school systems that were set to lose money under Essential Programs and Services are now expected to see their state aid stay the same or increase.

Poland, for example, was set to lose $187,000 in state aid, according to earlier projections. Now it is set to gain that amount back, plus another $149,000, for a total swing of $336,000.

“It’s better than we originally anticipated. So, we’re grateful,” said Superintendent Nina Schlikin.

But after looking at the state’s calculations more closely, Schlikin said she realized that Poland would have to raise another $122,000 locally in order to get $97,000 of that extra $336,000 from the state. She’s not sure that’s something Poland can afford.

“I just don’t know how much we can continue to ask them to kick in,” she said.

Most other local school systems saw very little shift from the early projections to the latest. State officials said some aid shifted slightly because they received updated school system information, and that affected the formula.

Auburn, for example, is now expected to get about $14.6 million in state aid next year, up about $11,000 from earlier projections.

Lewiston is expected to get $23.8 million, down about $23,000 from earlier projections.

SAD 17 in the Oxford Hills area was expected to get $15.9 million from the state when calculations were done earlier this year. Projections now show the school district getting slightly more than $16 million.

The new calculations, released Wednesday by the Maine Department of Education, are the first detailed projections since the Legislature passed the governor’s tax-relief plan and multimillion-dollar boost to education.

Within that package, lawmakers added a $9.6 million cushion for school systems losing money under the new Essential Programs and Services Funding model.

They also added more than $5 million to ensure that large school systems saw their state aid increase by at least 2.5 percent and small school systems saw their state aid increase by at least 5 percent.

Most school officials are expected to use this week’s projections to calculate their budgets for next year.

The Department of Education released the latest projections Wednesday, but officials cautioned that the numbers could change yet again because the Legislature’s Education Committee will review the funding model over the next several weeks. The committee could recommend changes.