An Act To Exempt Certain Established Public Prekindergarten Programs from New Regulations
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0130
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: KORNFIELD, DAUGHTRY, DUNPHY, MASTRACCIO, PIERCE, SAUCIER, SCHNECK, VEROW, DILL
Amends: 20-A MRSA §4271

Legislative Document 
No. 130 
H.P. 88 
House of Representatives, January 22, 2015 
An Act To Exempt Certain Established Public Prekindergarten 
Programs from New Regulations 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative KORNFIELD of Bangor. 
Cosponsored by Representatives: DAUGHTRY of Brunswick, DUNPHY of Old Town, 
MASTRACCIO of Sanford, PIERCE of Falmouth, SAUCIER of Presque Isle, SCHNECK of 
Bangor, VEROW of Brewer, Senator: DILL of Penobscot. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §4271, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 581, §3, is 
amended to read: 
4.  Qualifications; rules.  To qualify for a grant under this section, a school 
administrative unit must submit an implementation plan to the department for the 
operation of a new or expanded public preschool program. The qualifications established 
for implementation plans must contain standards and best practices for public preschool 
programs and must encourage a school administrative unit to demonstrate coordination 
with other early childhood programs in the community to maximize resources and 
provide comprehensive services to meet the needs of children 4 years of age in 
accordance with this subchapter and rules adopted by the commissioner.  In awarding 
grants under this section, the commissioner shall give priority to a qualified school 
administrative unit that has a greater percentage of economically disadvantaged students 
as determined pursuant to section 15675, subsection 2 than other qualified school 
administrative units under this subsection and in accordance with the following order of 
preference: 
A.  The first preference must be to award grant funds to a qualified school 
administrative unit that does not operate a public preschool program and that submits 
a plan for the development and operation of a new public preschool program; and 
B.  The 2nd preference must be to award grant funds to a qualified school 
administrative unit that operates a public preschool program and that submits a plan 
for the development and operation of an expanded public preschool program. 
The commissioner shall adopt rules that establish criteria for the approval of 
implementation plans and for the awarding of start-up funds for the allowable costs of 
operating public preschool programs.  Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection related to 
standards and best practices for public preschool programs do not apply to public 
preschool programs that have been in existence for at least 3 years on September 1, 2014.  
Public preschool programs that have been in existence for at least 3 years on September 
1, 2014 are subject to department rules related to standards and best practices for public 
preschool programs in effect on September 1, 2014.  Rules adopted pursuant to this 
subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
SUMMARY 
This bill exempts public preschool programs in existence for at least 3 years on 
September 1, 2014 from new Department of Education rules related to standards and best 
practices for public preschool programs.