RSU 06 to begin taking on early‑childhood special‑education services; state to reimburse "100%", district says

Education Director Katie Hawes told the RSU 06/MSAD 06 board at its meeting that state law enacted in 2024 requires early‑childhood special‑education services to move from Child Development Services (CDS) to public school districts and that RSU 06 plans to join cohort 3 of the roll‑in, beginning with 4‑year‑olds next year and taking on 3‑year‑olds the following year.

Hawes said the law requires those services to be funded at "100%" by the state and described a reimbursement schedule in which the Department of Education reviews district numbers and invoicing four times a year and adjusts reimbursements accordingly. "That is the way the legislation reads, and that is what the first 2 cohorts have realized," Hawes said. The department visited the district, reviewed Individualized Education Plans and classrooms, and offered to fully outfit special‑education classrooms and provide some one‑time construction funding where needed.

Why it matters: the change shifts responsibility for services for children from birth to age 5; in RSU 06 the district will assume services for children on their third birthday as the roll‑in progresses. Hawes said the district currently operates six pre‑K classrooms (about 96 children), with roughly 20 percent of those students holding IEPs. She estimated the district will serve about 70 students with special needs when the 4‑year‑old roll‑in begins next year; about 18 four‑year‑olds with IEPs are already in district pre‑K classrooms.

Details from the presentation: Hawes provided a projected breakdown of needs among the roughly 70 incoming children — about 35–40 expected to be in mainstream pre‑K with limited supports, 16–22 to split time between general and special‑education pre‑K settings, and about 6–8 likely to require more intensive, largely self‑contained placements. The department told the district it would fully outfit four special‑education classrooms at roughly $25,000 each and said cohort 3 is the last cohort that will receive such outfitting funds. Hawes said the district anticipates receiving "over $200,000 of federal funds" tied to the outfitting and related supports.

Board concerns and operational challenges: directors asked whether the statutory promise of 100 percent funding has a clear definition and whether marginal district costs — heat, electricity and space — effectively shift costs to local taxpayers. Director Marine asked, "Do we have a clear understanding, and are we confident in the 100% reimbursement rate?" Hawes and the superintendent said the language is in statute but acknowledged questions about long‑term certainty; changing the commitment would require legislative action. Directors also raised practical issues: transportation for younger children, additional cafeteria counts, and the difficulty of recruiting therapists. Hawes said recruiting speech therapists is a statewide challenge and that the district expects to contract with outside providers and submit those costs for reimbursement.

Background and timeline: Hawes said the state roll‑in began with cohort 1 and is scheduled to be fully implemented across districts by July 1, 2028. RSU 06 plans to come on board with cohort 3 so the district can start with 4‑year‑olds and phase in 3‑year‑olds, avoiding taking both ages simultaneously this year.

What comes next: Hawes asked the board to be informed and prepared to answer public questions as implementation proceeds; the district's pre‑K committee will continue logistics planning (space, busing, staffing) and will report back to the board as plans firm up.