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131st MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2023
Legislative Document No. 1682H.P. 1081House 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. Page 1 - 131LR1575(01)
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2 is enacted to read:
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6 As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms
7 have the following meanings.
8 "Farm and sea to school learning
9 program" means a program that incorporates agricultural-based education, hands-on
10 learning through school gardens and increased access to local foods through local
11 procurement by school meal programs; improves access to local seafood sourcing by
12 school meal programs; and provides seafood education in schools.
13 "Fund" means the Maine Experiential Education Program Fund established
14 in section 320-V.
15 "Program" means the Maine Experiential Education Program established
16 in section 320-U.
17 "Public school" has the same meaning as in Title 20-A, section 1,
18 subsection 24.
19 "School administrative unit" has the same meaning as
20 in Title 20-A, section 1, subsection 26 and includes a public school.
21 "Student" means an individual enrolled in prekindergarten to grade 12 in
22 a public school or school administrative unit.
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24 The Maine Experiential Education Program is established.
25 The department shall administer the program. In administering the program, the department
26 may collaborate with the Department of Education and other state agencies and nonprofit
27 organizations that support farm and sea to school learning programs, local procurement and
28 other experiential learning initiatives in public schools and school administrative units.
29 The program shall:
30 A. Develop and manage a grant program to help public schools and school
31 administrative units create staff positions that support:
32 (1) The learning and academic development of students by ensuring that public
33 schools and school administrative units interested in the program have the capacity
34 necessary to provide experiential hands-on learning;
35 (2) The health and physical development of students by ensuring that public
36 schools and school administrative units interested in the program have the capacity
37 necessary to help students build connections between the food that they and their
38 communities produce and the food that they prepare and eat; and Page 2 - 131LR1575(01)
1 (3) The emotional and behavioral development of students by ensuring that public
2 schools and school administrative units interested in the program have the capacity
3 necessary to build, expand and maintain school gardens and other experiential
4 learning spaces; and
5 B. Provide ongoing support to public school educators engaged in hands-on
6 experiential education initiatives for continued education and professional
7 development opportunities.
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9 The Maine Experiential Education Program Fund is established
10 within the department. The fund is nonlapsing and may be invested in the same manner as
11 permitted for investment of other state funds. The fund must be held separate and apart
12 from all other money, funds and accounts. Any balance remaining in the fund at the end
13 of the fiscal year must be carried forward to the next fiscal year.
14 The department shall use money in the fund to:
15 A. Provide multiyear grants to public schools and school administrative units to help
16 establish experiential education positions and outdoor educator positions within the
17 schools and school administrative units through a cost-sharing agreement with the
18 following provisions.
19 (1) In the first grant year, the fund covers full salary and benefits, or stipend, of a
20 position; in the 2nd grant year, the fund covers 2/3 the cost for salary and benefits,
21 or stipend, for the same position and the public school or school administrative unit
22 covers 1/3 of the cost; in the 3rd grant year, the fund covers 1/3 of the cost of salary
23 and benefits, or stipend, for the same position and the public school or school
24 administrative unit covers 2/3; and in subsequent years the public school or school
25 administrative unit covers the full cost of salary and benefits, or stipend, for the
26 same or similar position.
27 (2) Grants must be made to public schools and school administrative units in a
28 manner that ensures the public schools and school administrative units create
29 outdoor educator positions that meet the outdoor, experiential or farm and sea to
30 school education needs of the public schools and school administrative units.
31 (3) Grants must be developed and dispersed so that public schools and school
32 administrative units gradually assume full financial responsibility for the positions
33 described in subparagraphs (1) and (2) over a period not to exceed 3 years from the
34 awarding of the grant for any individual public school or school administrative
35 unit.
36 In distributing money from the fund, the department shall prioritize opportunities to
37 expand the range of positions funded by the fund, including such positions as stipend
38 garden coaches, educational technicians and teachers; and
39 B. Provide for a staff person within the department to administer the program and the
40 fund.
41 The following must be paid into the fund:
42 A. All money appropriated or allocated by the Legislature for inclusion in the fund; Page 3 - 131LR1575(01)
1 B. All interest earned from investments of the fund; and
2 C. All money designated for deposit into the fund from any source, public or private.
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4 The department shall monitor and evaluate the program and submit an annual report to
5 the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over agriculture,
6 conservation and forestry matters and the joint standing committee of the Legislature
7 having jurisdiction over education matters describing the successes and challenges of
8 instituting experiential education in public schools and school administrative units.
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10 The department shall adopt rules to implement this chapter. Rules adopted pursuant to
11 this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
12 As part of the Maine
13 Experiential Education Program established under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 7,
14 chapter 10-E, the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry may provide
15 support to the Maine Farm and Sea to School Institute in collaboration with the Maine Farm
16 and Sea to School Network, other appropriate state agencies and nonprofit organizations
17 that support farm and sea to school learning and local procurement initiatives in the State's
18 public schools. Support under this section includes, but is not limited to, ensuring that
19 public schools and school administrative units, including those participating in the Maine
20 Experiential Education Program, have access to professional learning opportunities and
21 coaching designed to ensure the creation of achievable goals for the purposes of:
22 1. Enhancing the learning and academic development of students by ensuring that
23 public schools and school administrative units have the capacity necessary to provide the
24 deeper learning and knowledge gained through experiential, hands-on learning; and
25 2. Enhancing access to high-quality, Maine-grown and harvested products through
26 increased local procurement and connections between schools, students and local farms
27 and fisheries.
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29 This bill establishes the Maine Experiential Education Program within the Department
30 of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to oversee a grant program that provides phased-
31 out support for public schools and school administrative units to create staff positions that
32 provide outdoor, hands-on, experiential learning opportunities related to gardens, food and
33 agriculture to improve healthy academic, physical and emotional development for students.
34 It also establishes the Maine Experiential Education Program Fund to provide funding for
35 the program and creates a position within the department to administer the program and the
36 fund. The bill also authorizes the department to support the Maine Farm and Sea to School
37 Institute.
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