An Act to Create the Maine Experiential Education Program
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1682
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: SHAW, INGWERSEN, CRAY, GUERRETTE, HALL, JACKSON, JAUCH, OSHER, PLUECKER, BLACK

Legislative Document
No. 1682
H.P. 1081
House of Representatives, April 18, 2023
An Act to Create the Maine Experiential Education Program
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and 
ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative SHAW of Auburn.
Cosponsored by Senator INGWERSEN of York and
Representatives: CRAY of Palmyra, GUERRETTE of Caribou, HALL of Wilton, JACKSON 
of Oxford, JAUCH of Topsham, OSHER of Orono, PLUECKER of Warren, Senator: BLACK 
of Franklin.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  7 MRSA c. 10-E is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 10-E
MAINE EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
§320-T.  Definitions
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms 
have the following meanings. 
1.  Farm and sea to school learning program.  "Farm and sea to school learning 
program" means a program that incorporates agricultural-based education, hands-on 
learning through school gardens and increased access to local foods through local 
procurement by school meal programs; improves access to local seafood sourcing by 
school meal programs; and provides seafood education in schools. 
2.  Fund.  "Fund" means the Maine Experiential Education Program Fund established 
in section 320-V.
3.  Program.  "Program" means the Maine Experiential Education Program established 
in section 320-U.
4.  Public school.  "Public school" has the same meaning as in Title 20-A, section 1, 
subsection 24.
5.  School administrative unit.  "School administrative unit" has the same meaning as 
in Title 20-A, section 1, subsection 26 and includes a public school.
6.  Student.  "Student" means an individual enrolled in prekindergarten to grade 12 in 
a public school or school administrative unit.
§320-U.  Maine Experiential Education Program
1.  Program established.  The Maine Experiential Education Program is established.  
The department shall administer the program. In administering the program, the department 
may collaborate with the Department of Education and other state agencies and nonprofit 
organizations that support farm and sea to school learning programs, local procurement and 
other experiential learning initiatives in public schools and school administrative units. 
2.  Purposes.  The program shall:
A.  Develop and manage a grant program to help public schools and school 
administrative units create staff positions that support:
(1)  The learning and academic development of students by ensuring that public 
schools and school administrative units interested in the program have the capacity 
necessary to provide experiential hands-on learning;
(2)  The health and physical development of students by ensuring that public 
schools and school administrative units interested in the program have the capacity 
necessary to help students build connections between the food that they and their 
communities produce and the food that they prepare and eat; and
(3)  The emotional and behavioral development of students by ensuring that public 
schools and school administrative units interested in the program have the capacity 
necessary to build, expand and maintain school gardens and other experiential 
learning spaces; and
B.  Provide ongoing support to public school educators engaged in hands-on 
experiential education initiatives for continued education and professional 
development opportunities.
§320-V.  Maine Experiential Education Program Fund
1.  Fund established.  The Maine Experiential Education Program Fund is established 
within the department.  The fund is nonlapsing and may be invested in the same manner as 
permitted for investment of other state funds.  The fund must be held separate and apart 
from all other money, funds and accounts.  Any balance remaining in the fund at the end 
of the fiscal year must be carried forward to the next fiscal year. 
2.  Use of fund.  The department shall use money in the fund to:
A.  Provide multiyear grants to public schools and school administrative units to help 
establish experiential education positions and outdoor educator positions within the 
schools and school administrative units through a cost-sharing agreement with the 
following provisions.
(1)  In the first grant year, the fund covers full salary and benefits, or stipend, of a 
position; in the 2nd grant year, the fund covers 2/3 the cost for salary and benefits, 
or stipend, for the same position and the public school or school administrative unit 
covers 1/3 of the cost; in the 3rd grant year, the fund covers 1/3 of the cost of salary 
and benefits, or stipend, for the same position and the public school or school 
administrative unit covers 2/3; and in subsequent years the public school or school 
administrative unit covers the full cost of salary and benefits, or stipend, for the 
same or similar position.
(2)  Grants must be made to public schools and school administrative units in a 
manner that ensures the public schools and school administrative units create 
outdoor educator positions that meet the outdoor, experiential or farm and sea to 
school education needs of the public schools and school administrative units.
(3)  Grants must be developed and dispersed so that public schools and school 
administrative units gradually assume full financial responsibility for the positions 
described in subparagraphs (1) and (2) over a period not to exceed 3 years from the 
awarding of the grant for any individual public school or school administrative 
unit.
In distributing money from the fund, the department shall prioritize opportunities to 
expand the range of positions funded by the fund, including such positions as stipend 
garden coaches, educational technicians and teachers; and
B.  Provide for a staff person within the department to administer the program and the 
fund. 
3.  Fund sources.  The following must be paid into the fund:
A.  All money appropriated or allocated by the Legislature for inclusion in the fund;
B.  All interest earned from investments of the fund; and
C.  All money designated for deposit into the fund from any source, public or private.
§320-W.  Evaluation and reporting
The department shall monitor and evaluate the program and submit an annual report to 
the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over agriculture, 
conservation and forestry matters and the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over education matters describing the successes and challenges of 
instituting experiential education in public schools and school administrative units.
§320-X.  Rules
The department shall adopt rules to implement this chapter.  Rules adopted pursuant to 
this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2.  Maine Farm and Sea to School Institute support.  As part of the Maine 
Experiential Education Program established under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 7, 
chapter 10-E, the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry may provide 
support to the Maine Farm and Sea to School Institute in collaboration with the Maine Farm 
and Sea to School Network, other appropriate state agencies and nonprofit organizations 
that support farm and sea to school learning and local procurement initiatives in the State's 
public schools.  Support under this section includes, but is not limited to, ensuring that 
public schools and school administrative units, including those participating in the Maine 
Experiential Education Program, have access to professional learning opportunities and 
coaching designed to ensure the creation of achievable goals for the purposes of:
1.  Enhancing the learning and academic development of students by ensuring that 
public schools and school administrative units have the capacity necessary to provide the 
deeper learning and knowledge gained through experiential, hands-on learning; and
2.  Enhancing access to high-quality, Maine-grown and harvested products through 
increased local procurement and connections between schools, students and local farms 
and fisheries.
SUMMARY
This bill establishes the Maine Experiential Education Program within the Department 
of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to oversee a grant program that provides phased-
out support for public schools and school administrative units to create staff positions that 
provide outdoor, hands-on, experiential learning opportunities related to gardens, food and 
agriculture to improve healthy academic, physical and emotional development for students.  
It also establishes the Maine Experiential Education Program Fund to provide funding for 
the program and creates a position within the department to administer the program and the 
fund.  The bill also authorizes the department to support the Maine Farm and Sea to School 
Institute.