An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Commission to
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1689
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: HASENFUS, PIERCE, FECTEAU, DAUGHTRY
Amends: 20-A MRSA §4273

Legislative Document
No. 1689
H.P. 1124
House of Representatives, April 17, 2025
An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Commission to 
Study Expansion of Public Preschool and Early Care and Education
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative HASENFUS of Readfield.
Cosponsored by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland and
Representatives: BRENNAN of Portland, CROCKETT of Portland, Speaker FECTEAU of 
Biddeford, MURPHY of Scarborough, Senators: President DAUGHTRY of Cumberland, 
LIBBY of Cumberland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §4273 is enacted to read:
§4273.  Elementary schools to include area for preschool or child care
A public elementary school constructed after October 1, 2025 must include an area that 
may be used for preschool instruction or child care.
Sec. 2.  Department of Education to revise essential programs and services 
funding formula.  The Department of Education shall revise the essential programs and 
services funding formula under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, chapter 606-B 
regarding the method it uses to fund preschool instruction to use a method similar to that 
used for funding kindergarten instruction in order to provide incentives to school 
administrative units to provide full-day preschool instruction.
Sec. 3.  Department of Education to study early childhood education 
credentialing procedures and policies. The Department of Education shall study early 
childhood educator and provider credentialing procedures and policies as they relate to 
nursery school teachers, preschool teachers, kindergarten teachers and elementary school 
teachers. The department shall identify barriers to the expansion of preschool programs in 
this State and recommend improvements to early childhood educator and provider 
credentialing procedures and policies that would provide greater flexibility in credentialing 
and facilitate the expansion of preschool programs by school administrative units.
Sec. 4.  Department of Health and Human Services to study standards and 
rules for early childhood educators and providers.  The Department of Health and 
Human Services, in collaboration with the Department of Education and stakeholders, shall 
study the standards and rules for early childhood educators and providers in order to better 
align standards and rules across all early childhood educators and providers and reduce 
barriers to the expansion of preschool programs and the provision of early childhood 
education services.
Sec. 5.  Reports.  The Department of Education and the Department of Health and 
Human Services shall each report their findings under sections 3 and 4, including any 
suggested legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs 
and the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services no later than December 
3, 2025.  The Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs and the Joint 
Standing Committee on Health and Human Services may each report out legislation based 
on the reports to the Second Regular Session of the 132nd Legislature.
Sec. 6.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made.
EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF
Early Childhood Infrastructure Z315
Initiative: Provides ongoing funds to establish 4 Education Specialist II positions to serve 
as regional coordinators to work with schools and potential partners in different regions of 
the State that are looking to start or expand public preschool programs.
GENERAL FUND
2025-26
2026-27
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT
4.000
4.000
Personal Services
$342,690
$463,597
All Other
$37,312
$37,312
__________
__________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL
$380,002
$500,909
Early Childhood Infrastructure Z315
Initiative: Provides one-time funds in fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 for a preschool 
expansion grant program.
GENERAL FUND
2025-26
2026-27
All Other
$2,000,000
$2,000,000
__________
__________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL
$2,000,000
$2,000,000
EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF
DEPARTMENT TOTALS
2025-26
2026-27
GENERAL FUND
$2,380,002
$2,500,909
__________
__________
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS
$2,380,002
$2,500,909
SUMMARY
This bill implements the recommendations of the Commission to Study Expansion of 
Public Preschool and Early Care and Education, which was established pursuant to Public 
Law 2023, chapter 477. It provides that a public elementary school constructed after 
October 1, 2025 must include an area that may be used for preschool instruction or child 
care.  
It directs the Department of Education to revise the essential programs and services 
funding formula regarding the method it uses to fund preschool instruction to use a method 
similar to that used for funding kindergarten instruction in order to provide incentives to 
school administrative units to provide full-day preschool instruction.  
It directs the Department of Education to study early childhood educator and provider 
credentialing procedures and policies as they relate to nursery school teachers, preschool 
teachers, kindergarten teachers and elementary school teachers. The department is required 
to identify barriers to the expansion of preschool programs in this State and recommend 
improvements to early childhood educator and provider credentialing procedures and 
policies that would provide greater flexibility in credentialing and facilitate the expansion 
of preschool programs by school administrative units.
It directs the Department of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with the 
Department of Education and stakeholders, to study the standards and rules for early 
childhood educators and providers in order to better align standards and rules across early 
childhood educators and providers and reduce barriers to the expansion of preschool 
programs and the provision of early childhood education services.  
It requires the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human 
Services to each report their findings, including any suggested legislation, to the Joint 
Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs and the Joint Standing Committee 
on Health and Human Services no later than December 3, 2025.  The Joint Standing 
Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs and the Joint Standing Committee on Health 
and Human Services each may report out legislation based on the reports to the Second 
Regular Session of the 132nd Legislature.  
The bill provides funding to establish 4 regional coordinator positions in the 
Department of Education to work with schools and potential partners in different regions 
of the State that are looking to start or expand public preschool programs.  The bill also 
provides a total of $4,000,000 for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 for a preschool 
expansion grant program.