RSU 05 weighs state mandate to serve 3‑ to 5‑year‑olds as administrators flag staffing, space and long‑term costs

Assistant Superintendent Erica Mateo told the RSU 05 school board on Sept. 10 that the district must be ready to assume child‑find and special‑education responsibilities for children aged 3 through 5 by July 1, 2028.

“This is a state mandate,” Mateo said. “On 07/01/2028, RSU 5 will be responsible for the identification and provision of special education services to young learners aged 3 to 5,” she said during a presentation outlining options and funding pathways.

Why it matters: The change shifts evaluation, individual education plan (IEP) administration and legal responsibility for early‑childhood special education from Child Development Services (CDS) to local school districts. That raises questions about where to place children, how to staff new roles and how to pay for new services — issues the board and administrators discussed at length.

What administrators presented: Erica Mateo and Early Childhood Special Education Coordinator Ted Dalton laid out three broad options: have the district assume responsibility for all 3‑ to 5‑year‑olds; assume responsibility only for 4‑ and 5‑year‑olds next year and expand later; or continue current programming while building capacity without joining a state cohort. Dalton described the state’s early‑adopter cohort program and three funding “buckets” offered to districts that join early. Those include a per‑pupil contract allocation (paid at the…