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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#505050">Priority Notice from the Maine Department of Education<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p style="line-height:150%"><strong><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#505050">Information for SAUs Interested in Applying to be Early Adopters for Providing Programming for 3- and 4-Year-Old Children with IEPs </span></strong><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#505050"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#505050">Dear Champions of Education, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#505050"><a href="https://maine.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a582edd6473e477ef6307c769&id=767721e419&e=d89fcd9d0f" target="_blank"><span style="color:#336699">LD
345</span></a> is a bill that would, over a period of four years, shift the responsibility of providing a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) from Child Development Services (CDS) to school administrative units (SAUs). The bill proposes that SAUs may
provide special education services directly or through contracts to preschool children aged 3 to under 6 years. The first year is the 2024-2025 school year and is considered the pilot year for early-adopting schools. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#505050">This proposed legislation includes the following provisions: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul type="disc">
<li style="color:#505050;line-height:150%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Transition of responsibility for the provision of preschool special education (Section 619) services to SAUs -
directly or through contracting - with the full transition to SAUs by July 1, 2028. <o:p></o:p></span></li><li style="color:#505050;line-height:150%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Services provided by SAUs through SAU-run public preschool programs, contracted partnerships with private preschools,
Head Start programs, licensed childcare settings with preschool programs, or a collaborative combination of different providers <o:p></o:p></span></li><li style="color:#505050;line-height:150%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Special education services for 3- and 4-year-old children would be funded 100% through the Maine Department of
Education (DOE) in a special allocation <o:p></o:p></span></li><li style="color:#505050;line-height:150%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Funding for high-cost preschool placement <o:p></o:p></span></li><li style="color:#505050;line-height:150%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The creation of preschool special education service hubs supported by Child Development Services <o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#505050">SAUs interested in assuming the FAPE responsibility for 3- and 4-year-old children with individual education programs (IEPs) during the
2024-2025 year as a part of the early adopter cohort are asked to complete a simple application by April 12, 2024. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#505050">Applications are due by April 12, 2024. Please use this
<a href="https://maine.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a582edd6473e477ef6307c769&id=bb43307d14&e=d89fcd9d0f" target="_blank">
<span style="color:#336699">link</span></a> for the application. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#505050">Once accepted, SAUs will complete a readiness plan and participate in weekly technical assistance to support effective transition to the
provision of Section 619 Services. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#505050">Please join us at an Early Adopters Informational Session for interested SAUs on Thursday, April 4 at 4pm. This meeting will be recorded
and available upon request. Find the zoom meeting <a href="https://maine.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a582edd6473e477ef6307c769&id=60779d3b3c&e=d89fcd9d0f" target="_blank">
<span style="color:#336699">here</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#505050">The Maine DOE plans to keep all SAUs informed about this legislation and the transition of early-adopting SAUs throughout the 2024-2025
school year. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#505050">For additional information, please contact Acting Deputy Director of Special Services, Dr. Sandy Flacke at
<a href="mailto:Julia.flacke@maine.gov" target="_blank"><span style="color:#336699">Julia.flacke@maine.gov</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:150%"><em><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#505050">Sent April 1, 2024</span></em><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#505050"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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Maine Department of Education · 23 State House Station · Augusta, ME 04333-0023 · USA
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