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District highlights cohort-one transition of 3—6 special education, parents call program "lifechanging"
Summary
MSAD 35 presented its early childhood special education transition after joining cohort one: two three-year-old sessions at Central, one at Elliot, a child count of 45 (producing roughly $1.125 million/year in state funding at ~$25,000 per student), and parent testimonials describing dramatic improvement in services and child outcomes.
MSAD 35 trustees heard a presentation on the district's transition to locally run early childhood special education for children ages 3 to 5 after volunteering for cohort one of the state-led rollout.
Presenter Mr. Roing introduced district staff involved in the program and described the legislative shift that moved responsibility for 3-to-5 services from CDS to school administrative units, with a full statewide transition required by July 1, 2028. The district signed up for cohort one on Aug. 7 and opened classrooms in September 2024.
The board received operational and financial details: the district currently runs two three-year-old sessions at Central School and one at Elliot; special education teachers deliver specially designed instruction within general pre-K settings; staffing includes multiple special education teachers, two speech pathologists, a three-day pre-K coordinator and contracted OT/PT services. The most recent child count was 45 pupils; at an approximate state payment of $25,000 per child, the presenter estimated roughly $1.125 million in annual funding, and said the state will make up differences if expenses exceed allocations.
Parent videos and in-person remarks underscored the change for families. One parent described repeated CDS waitlists and little delivered service prior to the district program and said the classroom supports provided by MSAD 35 were "lifechanging," restoring the child's confidence and allowing the parent to return to work. "I remember literal tears of joy when I was talking to I think it was Andrea about the program," the parent said.
The district also noted one-time cohort funds that purchased age-appropriate furniture and classroom supplies (speaker said the amount was "just shy of $200,000," but was unclear whether that figure applied to the district or the full cohort) and a smaller vehicle to transport students who need service-based rides. Officials said they will continue collaboration with CDS for ages 0—3 and maintain families' IDEA rights.
Board members thanked staff and parents and had brief follow-up questions on the sustainability of the funding model and staffing recruitment; presenters said the cohort status and state payments mitigate budget exposure during the transition.
The presentation concluded with board applause and an invitation for questions; trustees did not take formal action during the presentation beyond recognition and thanks.
