Beginning in September 2025, pre-K students with disabilities will receive the services they need right at Wiscasset Elementary School. Currently, students with identified needs, such as speech or specially designed instruction, receive their services through Child  Development Services (CDS) of Maine, but there are not enough therapists to meet the existing needs and many needs go unmet. In response to this problem, the state moved the responsibility of providing special education services for 3 and 4 year olds from CDS to local school departments as part of Public Law 643, the 2024-2025 supplemental budget, Public Law 643, section W - (see page 169). This responsibility, also known as FAPE (Free Access to Public Education), goes into effect for all schools in Maine in the fall of 2028.

The good news is schools can skip the waiting period to become early adopters. In 2024, the first schools to adopt early were known as "Cohort 1." In 2025, the second round of early adopters will be known as "Cohort 2." At a special school committee meeting on March 18, the Wiscasset School Committee voted to join Cohort 2 and become an early adopter of providing special education services for students in its pre-K program. Wiscasset will begin Cohort 2 for 4 year olds in September 2025, and expand to 3 year olds the following year, or later. Early adopters are funded 100% for all costs associated with the program. 

Wiscasset chose to be an early adopter because we have pre-K students whose needs are not being met by CDS who we cannot currently help. Beginning in September, we will be able to help all the kids who come to our pre-K by providing them with the services they need. We are now eligible for money as early adopters that we will spend on much needed new furniture and equipment for the Pre-K classroom; services like speech and occupational therapy, additional human resources to support kids

Pre-K special education is an early intervention that is known to improve student outcomes later on, in elementary school. Early interventions are known to reduce the need and cost of special education in the future. We will be able to identify developmental delays earlier and introduce early interventions one to two years before kindergarten begins.

With financial support from the state, the Wiscasset Elementary Pre-K space is moving to renovated rooms on the ground floor of the school. The students and Samantha Crawford, their teacher, will have nice, new furniture and equipment in a clean, bright, and airy new space. They will have easy access to the cafeteria and the playground, with more space to spread out throughout their days.

If you have questions about Wiscasset’s pre-K, do not hesitate to reach out to Principal Stacy Clements, Assistant Principal and Early Childhood Education Coordinator Danielle Harris, or Superintendent Kim Andersson at 207-882-4104.