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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 550S.P. 202 In Senate, February 11, 2025
An Act to Support Outdoor, Agricultural-based and Hands-on
Experiential Learning in Public Schools
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and
ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator GUERIN of Penobscot.
Cosponsored by Representative LYMAN of Livermore Falls and
Senator: BLACK of Franklin, Representatives: DODGE of Belfast, MITCHELL of
Cumberland. Page 1 - 132LR0928(01)
1
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 to support the outdoor,
25 experiential and farm and sea to school learning program needs of public schools and
26 school administrative units.
27 The department shall administer the program. In
28 administering the program, the department may collaborate with the Department of
29 Education and other state agencies and nonprofit organizations that support farm and sea
30 to school learning programs, local food procurement and other experiential learning
31 initiatives in public schools and school administrative units.
32 The program shall:
33 A. Develop and manage a grant program to help public schools and school
34 administrative units create staff positions that support:
35 (1) The learning and academic development of students by ensuring that public
36 schools and school administrative units interested in the program have the capacity
37 necessary to provide experiential hands-on learning; Page 2 - 132LR0928(01)
1 (2) The health and physical development of students by ensuring that public
2 schools and school administrative units interested in the program have the capacity
3 necessary to help students build connections between the food that students and
4 their communities produce and the food that they prepare and eat; and
5 (3) The emotional and behavioral development of students by ensuring that public
6 schools and school administrative units interested in the program have the capacity
7 necessary to build, expand and maintain school gardens and other experiential
8 learning spaces; and
9 B. Provide ongoing support to public school educators engaged in experiential hands-
10 on education initiatives for continuing education and professional development
11 opportunities.
12
13 The Maine Experiential Education Program Fund is established
14 within the department. The fund is nonlapsing and may be invested in the same manner as
15 permitted for investment of other state funds. The fund must be held separate and apart
16 from all other money, funds and accounts. Any balance remaining in the fund at the end
17 of the fiscal year must be carried forward to the next fiscal year.
18 The department shall use money in the fund to:
19 A. Provide multiyear grants to public schools and school administrative units to help
20 establish experiential education positions and outdoor educator positions within the
21 public schools and school administrative units through a cost-sharing agreement in
22 accordance with the following provisions.
23 (1) In the first grant year, the fund covers the full cost of salary and benefits, or
24 stipend, of a position; in the 2nd grant year, the fund covers 2/3 of the cost of salary
25 and benefits, or stipend, for the same position and the public school or school
26 administrative unit covers 1/3 of the cost; in the 3rd grant year, the fund covers 1/3
27 of the cost of salary and benefits, or stipend, for the same position and the public
28 school or school administrative unit covers 2/3 of the cost; and, in subsequent grant
29 years, the public school or school administrative unit covers the full cost of salary
30 and benefits, or stipend, for the same or similar position.
31 (2) Grants must be made to public schools and school administrative units in a
32 manner that ensures the public schools and school administrative units create
33 experiential education positions and outdoor educator positions that meet the
34 outdoor, experiential or farm and sea to school education learning program needs
35 of the public schools and school administrative units.
36 (3) Grants must be developed and dispersed so that public schools and school
37 administrative units gradually assume full financial responsibility for the positions
38 as described in subparagraphs (1) and (2) over a period not to exceed 3 years from
39 the awarding of the grant for any individual public school or school administrative
40 unit.
41 In dispersing grant money from the fund, the department shall prioritize opportunities
42 to expand the range of positions funded by the fund, including such positions as stipend
43 garden coaches, educational technicians and teachers; and Page 3 - 132LR0928(01)
1 B. Provide for a staff position within the department to administer the program and the
2 fund.
3The following must be paid into the fund:
4 A. All money appropriated or allocated by the Legislature for inclusion in the fund;
5 B. All interest earned from investments of the fund; and
6 C. All money designated for deposit into the fund from any source, public or private.
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8 The department shall monitor and evaluate the program and submit an annual report to
9 the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over agriculture,
10 conservation and forestry matters and the joint standing committee of the Legislature
11 having jurisdiction over education matters describing the successes and challenges of
12 instituting experiential education in public schools and school administrative units.
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14 The department shall adopt rules to implement this chapter. Rules adopted pursuant to
15 this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
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17 Experiential Education Program established under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 7,
18 chapter 10-E, the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry may provide
19 support to the Maine Farm and Sea to School Institute in collaboration with the Maine Farm
20 and Sea to School Network, other appropriate state agencies and nonprofit organizations
21 that support farm and sea to school learning programs as defined in Title 7, section 320-T,
22 subsection 1 and local food procurement initiatives in the State's public schools and school
23 administrative units. Support under this section includes, but is not limited to, ensuring
24 that public schools and school administrative units, including those participating in the
25 Maine Experiential Education Program, have access to professional learning opportunities
26 and coaching designed to ensure the creation of achievable goals for the purposes of:
27 1. Enhancing the learning and academic development of students by ensuring that
28 public schools and school administrative units have the capacity necessary to provide the
29 deeper learning and knowledge gained through experiential hands-on learning; and
30 2. Enhancing access to high-quality products grown and harvested in the State through
31 increased local procurement and connections between schools, students and local farms
32 and fisheries.
33
34 Forestry shall submit its first annual report pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 7,
35 section 320-W within one year from the effective date of this Act.
36This Act does not take effect unless:
37 1. The United States Congress, United States Department of Agriculture or other public
38 or private entity creates an opportunity for the State to access funding for the purpose of
39 implementing and managing the Maine Experiential Education Program established under
40 the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 7, chapter 10-E; and Page 4 - 132LR0928(01)
1 2. The Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry notifies the Secretary
2 of State, the Secretary of the Senate, the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the
3 Revisor of Statutes that the funding opportunity under subsection 1 exists and that funding
4 has been secured.
5 In no event may this Act become effective until 90 days after adjournment of the First
6 Regular Session of the 132nd Legislature.
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8 This bill establishes the Maine Experiential Education Program within the Department
9 of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to develop and manage a grant program that
10 provides support for public schools and school administrative units to create staff positions
11 that provide outdoor and experiential hands-on learning opportunities, including
12 opportunities related to gardens, food and agriculture, to improve the health of and
13 academic, physical and emotional development of students. The program also supports
14 professional development opportunities for public school educators engaged in experiential
15 hands-on learning initiatives. The bill also establishes the Maine Experiential Education
16 Program Fund to provide funding for the program including funds to cover the cost of
17 salary and benefits for the staff positions funded by the program, the funding of which must
18 be phased-out after the 3rd year of funding, and funding to create a position within the
19 department to administer the program and the fund.
20 The bill also authorizes the department to provide support to the Maine Farm and Sea
21 to School Institute.
22 This legislation is contingent upon funding from the United States Congress, United
23 States Department of Agriculture or other public or private entity being available and
24 secured for the purpose of implementing and managing the program and the Commissioner
25 of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and other specified individuals being notified.
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