Ellsworth, ME: Early intervention for disabled 3 and 4 yo.s; 'changes in the behavior of students'

Dec 30, 2025, Ellsworth American: Ellsworth Schools to provide case management for 3- and 4-year-olds with disabilities

Ellsworth Schools will begin to provide public education for all qualified 3- and 4-year-olds with disabilities in the city in order to comply with state law.

Free appropriate public education (FAPE) means that children who have disabilities are identified and granted a special education that is provided at public expense, meets the standards of the state, is appropriately located and is offered jointly with any individualized education programs.

Ellsworth Schools Superintendent Amy Boles explained the change in a Finance Committee meeting on Dec. 22.

“Ellsworth is going to be responsible for providing case management services for all 3- and 4-year-olds that live in Ellsworth. That doesn’t mean we have to have 3-year-olds in our public schools, but it means we have to provide case management for them.”

She called it “the biggest change that’s going to come” for the city beginning in fiscal year 2027.

The law, which was passed in April 2024 by the Maine Legislature, requires all school administrative units to assume FAPE by July 1, 2028. FAPE is also applied by the U.S. Department of Education, which states that “students with disabilities have the same right to K-12 public education that students without disabilities have.”

Entry into the program involves a referral and evaluation process, as well as transitions from other early intervention services.

“This is going to be a massive change for our system,” Boles said. “I believe it’s the right change.”

She noted that the schools have seen many shifts in special education over the years.

“More and more, we’ve talked the last couple of years about changes in the behavior of students,” she said. “We have more out-of-district placements than we’ve ever had this year.”

This includes students sent to Stillwater Academy in Bangor, KidsPeace and the Bangor Regional Behavioral Program. Ellsworth is also responsible for transporting those kids.

“If you capture kids younger and help them with their services younger, they’re more successful getting through school,” Boles said.

She believes the program will ultimately be beneficial.

“In the long run, I think it is going to help our community and long-term, our educational system, but it is going to have an impact for sure,” Boles added.

The program will require staff, coordination with Child Development Services (CDS), which currently provides case management for the age group, and other services. Boles added that she has already begun speaking with Matt Montgomery, CEO of the Down East Family YMCA, about shifting the city’s current public pre-kindergarten program, housed partially at the Moore Community Center.

The program is expected to result in additional government subsidies depending on the number of students participating. . . .

 “What we want to do is take on 4-year-olds for FY27, get that under our belt, really come up with a solid system and then FY28, which is when the full law goes into effect, we would fold in 3-year-olds,” Boles explained. . . .