05- 071 C.M.R. ch. 124, § 12

Current through 2024-25, June 19, 2024

Section 071-124-12 - COORDINATED PUBLIC PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS

12.01 Any school administrative unit that wishes to develop an early childhood program for children 4 years of age must submit a public preschool program implementation plan for children 4 years of age for submission to and approval by the department. Evaluation of the proposal must include consideration of at least the following factors:

A. Demonstrated coordination with other early childhood programs in the community to maximize resources;

B. Consideration of the extended child care needs of working parents; and

C. Provision of public notice regarding the proposal to the community being served, including the extent to which public notice has been disseminated broadly to other early childhood programs in the community. [ 20-A MRSA §4502(9) ]

D. Demonstrated coordination with Child Development Services.

12.02 Schools offering a public preschool program in partnership with a community agency must submit a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed by all involved parties, on a yearly basis. The elements of the MOU shall, at a minimum, include:

A. Roles and responsibilities of each of the partners;

B. A budget, including the amount of resources that each partner will provide for the implementation of the plan;

C. Describe the organizational capacity and the existing infrastructure of the SAU and the partners to deliver a high quality program;

D. The methods and processes for making different types of decisions (e.g., policy, operational);

E. How the partners will coordinate, but not supplant, the delivery of the public preschool program with existing services for preschool -aged children including, if applicable, programs and services supported through Title I of ESEA, the Head Start Act, and Child Care Development Block Grant;

F. How the partners will coordinate with Child Development Services (under Part B, Section 619 of IDEA) regional site to ensure access for CDS for conducting its statutory obligations under IDEA and Maine law /regulations; and

G. A description of the responsibilities and process of sharing child records that meets Section 16 of this chapter.

12.03 Beginning with 2015-16 school year the Commissioner may provide start-up funding as set forth in 20-A MRSA §4271 to school administrative units to implement or expand public preschool programs for children 4 years of age as required by 20-A MRSA §4502(9).

05- 071 C.M.R. ch. 124, § 12