RSU 14 boards plans to join cohort 3 to take on special-education services for 4‑year‑olds under state transition

RSU 14 officials told the board on Nov. 19 that the district intends to join cohort 3 of a statewide transition that moves Child Development Services (CDS) responsibilities for young children to local school districts.

Assistant Superintendent Christine Frostbert Ney and Director of Student Services Lisa Garnaut said the change is driven by state legislation read aloud in the meeting as “Public Law 2023 c.643 part W,” which will shift responsibility and funding for early-childhood special-education services from CDS to local units. The district plans to begin by taking on 4‑year‑olds next year as part of cohort 3 and expects to be fully responsible for ages roughly 2½–5 by July 1, 2028.

Why it matters: presenters said RSU 14 currently has roughly 125 children ages 3 and 4 identified in state data who will need evaluation, services and program placements. District staff emphasized this is a large operational change — it will require hiring or reallocating related‑service personnel (speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, school psychologists), adding resource-teaching capacity and establishing outreach and child‑find procedures for partner sites off school campuses.

Funding and timing: presenters told the board the transition is to be fully funded under the statute and that RSU 14 will receive quarterly payments from the state for enrolled students. Those payments will be recorded outside the district’s regular operating warrant (similar to the district’s enterprise accounts such as food service). District staff said quarterly reconciliations with the Maine Department of Education will address enrollment volatility and any under‑ or over‑estimates.

Operational questions: board members pressed staff on hiring challenges, certification changes, and how services will be scheduled at partner sites. Staff said some certification rules are expected to change (references were made to proposed changes to chapter 115 and 282-series certifications) so pre‑K–12 special‑education staff could serve a wider age span. The presenters described a proposed staffing model for a 125‑child caseload that includes an early‑childhood coordinator, administrative support, two speech‑language pathologists, one occupational therapist, a half‑time physical therapist, a school psychologist, three resource‑room teachers and 1–2 educational technicians; the Department of Education preliminarily indicated that staffing looked reasonable for the district’s enrollment estimate.

Family choice and delivery model: RSU 14 reiterated its intention to preserve a mixed‑delivery model and continue partnerships with community providers (examples cited included Casa and A Child’s World). Placement will use a lottery that accounts for parental preference and students’ IEP needs, and the district said it will retain options for limited‑service families where feasible. Presenters said transportation responsibilities for IEP‑mandated trips will be covered under the transition funding; universal pre‑K transportation remains a district decision.

Next steps: staff said cohort 3 for 4‑year‑olds gives the district time to learn and prepare before assuming 3‑year‑old responsibilities. They also said the transition’s budget and program details will be refined in quarterly DOE conversations and during the next budget cycle.

The board held extended Q&A without taking a formal vote on entering cohort 3; district staff will return with more detailed budget and staffing proposals as planning continues.