General

Pre-kindergarten Initiative in 2013-14:
Maine Public Preschool Program

State agency with administrative authority over pre-K:
Maine Department of Education

Availability of program:
206 out of 319 school districts (64%)1

Are districts, counties, or towns in Maine required to offer this pre-kindergarten initiative?
No, optional2

Hours of operation per day:
Determined locally, 10 hours/week3

Is there a formal partnership at the state level to provide extended day services through collaboration with other agencies and programs?
No3

Enrollment

Fall 2013, Total children:
4,932

Fall 2011, by age:
4,721 4-year-olds; 211 5-year-olds

Fall 2011, by type of administering agency:
Public schools, 4,932

Program enrollment, Fall 2013, by operating schedule:
Breakdown not available3

Eligibility

Minimum age for eligibility:
4 by October 15

Maximum age for eligibility:
Locally determined

Kindergarten eligibility age:
5 by October 15

Does state policy allow any exceptions to the age requirement for prekindergarten or kindergarten eligibility?
Yes4

State policy on enrolling children in state pre-K when they are eligible for kindergarten:
Kindergarten age-eligible children with documented disabilities may enroll in pre-K; State policy does not regulate the enrollment of kindergarten age-eligible children in pre-K4

Aside from age, how is eligibility determined for individual children for this state prekindergarten initiative?
All age-eligible children in districts offering the program, or in the entire state, may enroll5

What was the state-specified income requirement during the 2013-14 program year?
No income requirement

To whom, or to what percentage of children, does the income requirement apply?

Is there a sliding payment scale based on income?
No

Is child eligibility for this state prekindergarten initiative ever reassessed after a child has been enrolled in the program?
No

Risk Factors

Risk factors besides income that can be used to determine eligibility:
Not applicable

How many of the specified risk factors must be present for eligibility?
NA

How do these risk factors relate to the income cutoff for the state pre-K program?
No income requirement

Class Sizes

Maximum class size:
4-year-olds, No limit6

Staff-child ratio requirement:
4-year-olds, 1 to 157

Teachers

Minimum teacher degree requirement:
BA (public and nonpublic)

Required teacher certification, licensure, and/or endorsement:
Public and nonpublic: EC Teacher (081), with or without Special Education (Birth-5)

Education level of teachers during 2011-12 by percent:
BA, 76%; MA, 24%

Education level of teachers during 2011-12 totals:
BA, 124; MA, 40

Teacher in-service requirement:
6 credit hours per 5 years

Minimum assistant teacher degree requirement:
No minimum degree required (public and nonpublic)11

Assistant teacher specialized training requirement:
Public and nonpublic: Ed Tech II (PreK-12)11

Services

Meal requirement:
No meals are required8

Support services for English Language Learners and families:
Bilingual non-English classes are permitted in pre-K; Monolingual non-English classes are permitted in pre-K; Professional development or coaching is provided for teachers; Programs are required to screen and assess all children; A home language survey is sent home at the beginning of the school year; Information must be presented to parents in their primary language; A systematic, written plan must be in place on how to work with English Language Learners; Translators or bilingual staff are available if children do not speak English10

Support services required for all programs:
Parent conferences and/or home visits

Regulations

Screening and referral requirements:
Screenings/referrals locally determined9

State’s early learning standards document in 2013-14.
State of Maine Early Learning Guidelines

For more information about the early learning standards in 2013-14:
http://www.maine.gov/earlylearning/standards/index.html

Funding

Days per week the state prekindergarten initiative is funded to operate using state funds:
Determined locally, 10 hrs/week3

Annual operating schedule for this state-funded prekindergarten initiative:
Academic year

Actual fiscal year 2014 spending for this state prekindergarten initiative:
$29,434,015

All funding sources:
State, $13,326,853; Required local, $16,107,16212

State funding sources and amounts:
General Fund Revenue for State School funding formula, $13,326,85312

Federal funding sources and amounts:
IDEA Title I, amount not reported12

Is funding for this state prekindergarten initiative determined by a school funding or state aid formula?
Yes12

Agencies eligible to receive funding directly:
Public schools

Agencies with which subcontracting is permitted:
Public schools, Head Start, Private CCFamily CC

Is there a required local match for this program?
Yes13

Select a state program to view details.


Maine Footnotes

  1. Out of 206 programs reported, 63 opereated outside of a traditional elementary school setting in partnership with Head Start or child care.
  2. Once a school has an approved pre-K programs, it is funded through the state funding formula on par with K – 2.
  3. Local school units determine the number of weekly hours. Schools receive a full per-pupil subsidy as long as they operate a minimum of 10 hours per week. Many schools operate 4 part-days with the fifth used for home visits and teacher planning. Some operate 5 days per week as a full school-day program. The majority of programs are part-day. Some programs are moving to two school-day double sessions due to transportation costs. While the approval application process encourages collaborative partnerships for extended-day services, it is determined at the local level.
  4. It is a local district decision as to whether a district will continue to serve children who are not age-eligible in a public preschool program. If a child attended kindergarten in another state with a different age eligibility requirement, this will be honored. Allowances are made for children with IEPs who turn 5 between July 15 and Oct. 15. The district receives the same level of subsidy for children pre-K through 2nd grade.
  5. Some districts without universal capacity use a first come/first served basis, lottery, or targeted program. In addition, districts in partnership with Head Start programs may have eligibility requirements for a certain ratio of enrolled children.
  6. No class size limits are stipulated in regulation at this time. Recommended size is 16. The program approval process encourages districts to follow either NAEYC criteria or NIEER’s quality benchmarks for staff-child ratio and maximum class size. The majority of programs in Maine operate with a certified teacher and a teacher assistant for an average ratio of eight to 10 students for every staff member. If a district partners with a program holding a DHHS license, ratios of 1:10 must be met as per Maine child care licensing regulations.
  7. The program approval process encourages districts to follow either NAEYC criteria or NIEER’s quality benchmarks for staff-child ratio and maximum class size. The majority of programs in Maine operate with a certified teacher and a teacher assistant for an average ratio of eight to 10 students for every staff member. If a district partners with a program holding a DHHS license, ratios of 1 to 10 must be met as per Maine child care licensing regulations.
  8. Most programs offer a snack, and many offer breakfast and/or lunch, depending on the length of day. Those partnering with Head Start meet CACFP and Head Start meal and nutrition requirements. Schools that provide meals must meet USDA School Breakfast/Lunch guidelines.
  9. Screening and referral services will be required in 2015 – 2016 as per revised program requirements.
  10. Translator or bilingual staff availability may vary by school and district.
  11. Assistant teachers must have DOE-issued Educational Technician II Authorization, which requires at least 60 college credits of approved study in an educationally related field and in-service of three credit hours per 5 years.
  12. Public preschool in Maine is funded through the school funding formula (Essential Programs and Services School Funding Formula). Once a school has gone through an approval process for a public preschoolprogram, student counts are factored in to compute the following year’s EPS district allocation. Children who are 4 years old by October 15 and in a program a minimum of 10 hours a week receive a full per-pupil subsidy based on Maine’s Essential Programs and Services school funding formula. Use of federal is funds determined locally and spending figures are not available.
  13. Schools are required to provide a local match to draw down their per-pupil state subsidy. The required local match is part of the school funding formula based on property wealth (state valuation) multiplied by a state-wide mill rate.