SAD 52 details expansion of special-education services for 3- and 4-year-olds and districtwide inclusion push

Rebecca Drysdale, the district director of special education, told the SAD 52 Board of Directors on Tuesday that the district is beginning to implement state-funded special-education services for three- and four-year-olds and is advancing an inclusion initiative at the elementary level.

"Free appropriate public education is really looking at public education that's provided at no cost to parents for children through special education, ages 3 to 22," Drysdale said, summarizing federal IDEA requirements and how they apply to younger children.

The presentation explained that LD 214 (passed by the Maine Legislature in 2023) requires public school districts to assume responsibility for providing special-education services to children age 3 and older by July 1, 2028. Drysdale told the board that SAD 52 has already begun receiving quarterly state allotments under the new program and that the district had identified 19 students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 10 additional children in the child-find/referral process.

Drysdale said the district has submitted those counts to the Maine Department of Education and "we should receive over $400,000 to be able to pay for these services," based on the current enrollment information the district has submitted.

Nut graf: The change shifts responsibility — and funding — for preschool special-education services to local public schools. For SAD 52, administrators say the new revenue and a regional service hub should allow the district to serve young children in district classrooms, expand early screening, and outfit preschool classrooms to meet legal requirements.

Details: Drysdale reviewed the program rules the district is following and the service model under federal law. She said IDEA requires teams to consider the least-restrictive environment (LRE): "children with disabilities have the right to be educated with their non disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate, provided supplementary aids and services." She noted the district must justify any placement that removes a child from general education by documenting student data and team decision-making.

On service levels, Drysdale said 3-year-olds receiving specially designed instruction (SDI) may have programs that differ in length, while the federal minimum for 4‑year-olds is commonly described as 10 hours weekly; because SAD 52 already operates universal pre‑K, the district is providing the equivalent of two full days of pre‑K (about 13 hours) to children with IEPs.

Drysdale showed photographs of recently outfitted classrooms in Leeds and Greene (district school initials LCS and GCS), saying furniture and materials have been purchased to meet the square-foot and program requirements for preschool special‑education.

She also described a new referral pathway: a publicly available online referral form and QR flyer distributed to medical offices, day-care providers and schools so parents and professionals can request screening. Board members asked about response time; Drysdale said staff aim to contact families within days but acknowledged some delays as the program scales up.

Inclusion work: Drysdale and district staff described a district goal that 80% of students with disabilities spend 80% or more of their school time in general-education settings. Leeds and Turner elementary schools are designated model inclusion schools and have adopted a multi‑year framework, with pillars that include vision and climate, scheduling and structure, instructional practices and family engagement.

Board members asked about evidence of academic and behavior outcomes. Deputy administrators said preliminary data show NWEA growth and reductions in behavior incidents where inclusive practices and updated reading curriculum have been implemented; the district plans to track outcomes annually through a newly established data team.

Ending: Drysdale asked board members and the community to use the district's online referral form and said staff will continue reporting updates as the fall funding allocations arrive and programs are staffed.