Assistant Superintendent Christine and Director of Student Services Lisa told the RSU 14 Board on Nov. 19 that the state’s transition of Child Development Services (CDS) responsibilities to local districts will move some early childhood special‑education obligations to school systems. They said the district intends to participate in cohort 3 and to assume responsibility for four‑year‑old students in the next phase ahead of the full transition by July 1, 2028.

District staff told the Board they have been reviewing state guidance (presented in district packets) and regional cohorts’ experience and are preparing operational details. Using state rosters verified on July 30, 2025, presenters identified roughly 125 three‑ and four‑year‑olds who would need evaluation and services under the district’s child‑find process. The presenters said the FAPE transition is funded outside the regular operating budget via a separate funding code and that RSU 14 will receive quarterly state reimbursements tied to enrolled students.

Officials described a preliminary staffing list to meet identified needs for approximately 125 students: an early childhood education coordinator, an administrative assistant, two speech‑language pathologists, one occupational therapist, a half‑time physical therapist, a school psychologist, three resource‑room teachers, and one to two educational technicians. The district noted this is an initial estimate and that quarterly conversations with the Department of Education will determine whether funds and staffing meet needs.

Board members raised operational concerns including recruitment (a limited pool of certified early‑childhood special‑education staff), transportation logistics for partial‑day services, immunization/registration procedures for partner sites, and whether the state’s regional support hubs will supply technical assistance. Presenters said some cohort grants that funded facilities updates for earlier cohorts were not continued; the district will attempt to manage facility and operational costs within enterprise‑style accounts to avoid commingling with the public warrant‑article budget.

Lisa emphasized preserving a mixed‑delivery model that maintains partnerships with local childcare providers and preserves family choice. Presenters said families will still have options to enroll their children in partner programs and that IEP teams will determine least‑restrictive placements; more restrictive placements will be provided at Raymond Elementary or Wyndham Primary as staffing allows.

The Board did not vote on entering cohort 3 at the meeting but asked staff to continue planning, clarify reimbursement timing, and return with more detailed staffing and budget modeling during the next budget cycle.