CHAPTER 676

S.P. 801 - L.D. 1960

An Act Regarding the Continued Provision of Free and

Appropriate Public Education for Eligible Children of

Kindergarten Age

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §7001, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2003, c. 477, §6, is further amended by adding a new paragraph at the end to read:

Notwithstanding paragraph A, "exceptional student" does not include a child who reaches 5 years of age between September 1st and October 15th who is already receiving free, appropriate public education services through the Child Development Services System and whose parent chooses, in accordance with rules adopted by the commissioner, not to enroll the child in kindergarten until the start of the following school year.

Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §7001, sub-§4, ¶B-1 is enacted to read:

B-1.__Notwithstanding paragraph B, has reached 5 years of age between September 1st and October 15th, is already receiving free, appropriate public education services through the Child Development Services System and whose parent chooses, in accordance with rules adopted by the commissioner, not to enroll the child in kindergarten until the start of the following school year.

Sec. 3. 20-A MRSA §7725, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1993, c. 625, §3, is further amended to read:

1. Child Development Services System. "Child Development Services System," or "CDS," means regional sites, or their successor sites, a state-level intermediate educational unit, or