- The 4% cap was phased in beginning in 2008.
- In 2009, state aid was cut in half and the town made up the difference.
- In 2010, the Maintenance of Effort rule was suspended. The town cut $2 million dollars (more than 6%) from the previous year's appropriation.
- While technically satisfying Maintenance of Effort, the next four appropriations were all below the 2009 Maintenance of Effort Level, for a total of $5.7 million less than level-funding at the 2009 level over the period 2010-2015 would have provided.
- Schools were level-funded in the 2017-2018 school year.
- Over time the fraction of school department general fund expenses covered by state aid has risen. In 2010 it was 4.3% of general fund expense, but by 2025 it had increased to 14.2%.
The local tax appropriation and state aid are the primary funding sources for the East Greenwich public schools.
State education aid is determined by the RIDE funding formula
The annual school department tax appropriation is a portion of the local property tax levy. By law the school appropriation cannot be less than the previous year's appropriation ("Maintenance of Effort"), and cannot exceed the previous appropriation by more than 4% without a waiver.