An Act Directing the Department of Education to Develop Pilot
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0437
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: GOLEK
Amends: 20-A MRSA §4017

Legislative Document
No. 437
H.P. 291
House of Representatives, February 4, 2025
An Act Directing the Department of Education to Develop Pilot 
Programs to Place Child Care Facilities in Selected School 
Administrative Units
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative GOLEK of Harpswell.
Cosponsored by Representatives: CLOUTIER of Lewiston, DHALAC of South Portland, 
GATTINE of Westbrook, Senator: RENY of Lincoln.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §4017 is enacted to read:
§4017.  Pilot programs to establish child care facilities in public schools
The department shall conduct a study to place child care facilities in public schools for 
infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children. Based on the study, the department shall 
develop and implement pilot programs in at least 8 school administrative units. Pilot 
programs developed pursuant to this section must be operational no later than the first day 
of the 2026-2027 school year.
1. Duration. Pilot programs established pursuant to this section must be designed to 
last 6 years.
2. Reports. The department shall submit to the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters the following reports.
A. No later than November 4, 2026, the department shall submit a report detailing the 
findings of the study, including any recommendations for legislation and information 
about the pilot programs established, including the initial progress of those programs. 
The committee may report out legislation based on the report to the 133rd Legislature 
in 2027.
B. No later than December 5, 2029, the department shall submit an interim report 
detailing the progress of the program and any findings related to the program, including 
any recommendations for legislation. The committee may report out legislation based 
on the report to the Second Regular Session of the 134th Legislature.
C. No later than November 3, 2032, the department shall submit a final report detailing 
the progress of the program and any findings related to the program, including any 
recommendations for legislation. The committee may report out legislation based on 
the report to the 136th Legislature in 2033.
Sec. 2. Pilot programs placing child care facilities in public schools; 
purposes. The Department of Education shall develop pilot programs to place child care 
facilities in public schools pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 4017 
to serve the following purposes:
1. Providing an early childhood education course in child development combined with 
hands-on training for 11th and 12th grade public school students and child care courses 
involving the developmental stages of infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children; 
2. Providing nurturing quality child care and age-appropriate learning experiences in a 
safe and secure environment for infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children; 
3. Providing quality child care for children of all public school staff and employees 
during employment hours;
4. Creating a source of early childhood educators and caregivers to help reduce the 
shortage of child care workers in the State; and 
5. Being organized for and focusing on the needs of the children and parents receiving 
the services and the students, staff and employees of the public school.
Sec. 3. Pilot programs placing child care facilities in public schools; 
program characteristics to consider in developing programs. In developing pilot 
programs to place child care facilities in public schools pursuant to the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 20-A, section 4017, the Department of Education shall study potential 
characteristics for child care facilities in public schools, including:
1. Serving infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children of public school staff and 
employees;
2. Being staffed by a qualified child care educator who is hired by the school 
administrative unit of the public school and receives full state benefits as an employee of 
the school;
3. Serving as a classroom to provide hands-on experience as part of an early childhood 
education and development course or curriculum for students in grades 11 and 12 and adult 
education students, with a certificate awarded at graduation to a student who has completed 
years of study in the course or curriculum; 
4. Providing child care to children of students and others in the community if space is 
available once all children under subsection 1 have been served;
5. Providing child care to children in the community whose family's household income 
is at or below the federal poverty level;
6. Charging a fee for child care, which may be adjusted based upon the income of the 
parent or guardian of the child, based upon recommendations of the Department of 
Education and other child care service providers, and accepting a child care voucher or 
other child care assistance;
7. Providing child care for free or at a discount to a public school staff member or 
employee as an employment incentive or benefit; 
8. Operating from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on school days, coordinated with the school year, or 
year-round and on holidays or weekend days or operating in conjunction with the course 
schedules of adult education students who are enrolled in a course or curriculum to receive 
a certificate under subsection 3; and
9. Determining adequate space, staffing and resources to provide a quality child care 
service.
SUMMARY
This bill directs the Department of Education to study placing child care facilities in 
public schools and to develop and establish pilot programs based on the study in 8 school 
administrative units no later than the first day of the 2026-2027 school year. The pilot 
programs must be designed to continue for 6 years. 
The pilot programs will be designed to serve infants, toddlers and preschool-aged 
children of public school staff and employees. The department must develop the pilot 
programs to serve several purposes, including, but not limited to, the following: providing 
safe child care for staff and the community, providing child care and child development 
courses to students and reducing the shortage of early childhood educators and caregivers. 
Through the study, the department must also evaluate several potential characteristics of a 
program developed under this provision, including, but not limited to: providing child care 
services to the children of students and community members as space allows after the 
children of school staff members have been served; child care facility staffing; hours of 
operation; fees for participation; potential discounts and acceptance of vouchers; and the 
development of an early childhood education and child development curriculum for 11th 
and 12th grade students, including a certificate awarded at graduation after 2 years of study. 
Beginning in 2026, the department is required over the 6-year duration of the pilot 
programs to make 3 reports to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over education matters. The reports must be submitted by the dates specified 
in the bill and must include the findings of the initial study and the progress of the pilot 
programs, including any recommendations for legislation. The joint standing committee is 
authorized to report out legislation with respect to each of these reports.