Grant Funds from Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan Support Expansion of Public Pre-K
The first years of life are a critical developmental time in forming the basis for learning and social interaction. Investments in early learning have powerful long-term paybacks. 
The pandemic heightened the difficulty that many Maine parents/caregivers already faced in struggling to locate pre-kindergarten or child care. Access gaps are especially acute in Maine’s rural communities. The Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan has committed $10 million dollars to address these access gaps.
Maine’s Department of Education has helped schools increase the number of children accessing high-quality pre-kindergarten by offering funds to establish or expand public pre-k programs. Through multiple competitive grant rounds, the Department has provided funding to local school administrative units to cover facility renovations, staff recruitment and training, and other start-up costs linked to establishing new public pre-kindergarten programs, expanding to additional classrooms, or transitioning from part-day/part-week to full-day/full-week. Priority has been given to schools that partner with community programs such Head Start or child care, provide longer duration of education, and serve socioeconomically disadvantaged students. The Department has and will continue to provide technical assistance and professional learning to school administrative units for prekindergarten expansion.
Pre-K Expansion Grantees by Grant Rounds
Three rounds of grant opportunities were offered to SAUs to start or expand Pre-K in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years. Grantees for each round can be viewed in the drop-down charts below. The chart indicates the model of each SAU's Pre-K Program, enrollment (actual and projected), community partners, and funding awarded to date.
For any information regarding the Pre-K Expansion Grant please contact Lee Anne Larsen at leeann.larsen@maine.gov
- Round 1 Pre-K Expansion Grants Awardees
-
FY 2022-24 School Year
SAU
Model
Enrollment
Partner(s)
Funding FY 1
Funding FY 2
Greenville
New program, 1
full day/full week classroom
8
$114,321.76
$33,000.00
St. George
New program, 1 full day/full week classroom
17
$187,307.83
$33,000.00
Vassalboro
Existing program, added 1 full day/full week classroom
12
$61,368.33
$33,000.00
Appleton
New program, 1 full day/full week classroom
13
$200,750.00
$33,000.00
Bangor
Existing program, added 1 classroom and expanded 2 classrooms to full day/full week
58
$80,851.00
$99,000.00
Yarmouth
New program, 4 part- day/full week classrooms
57
$356,550.00
$66,000.00
Sanford
Existing program, added 3 full day/full week classrooms
66
$261,665.31
$99,000.00
RSU 24
New program, added 4 full day/full week classrooms
34
DCP Head Start
$269,902.00
No cost extension of CT FY 23-24
RSU 22
Existing program, expanded 3 classrooms to full day/full week
38
$329,081.30
$99,000.00
Limestone
Existing program, expanded 1 classroom to full day/full week
16
ACAP Head Start
$32,946.36
$33,000.00
- Round 2 Pre-K Expansion Grants Awardees
-
FY 2023-24 School Year
SAU
Model
Projected Enrollment
Partner(s)
Funding
Tremont Consolidated School
Existing program, expanding 1 classroom to full day/full week
16
$119,207.43
Bangor
Existing program, expanding 2 classrooms from part to full day and adding 2 full day/full week classrooms
80
$249,273.37
Cape Elizabeth
New program, opening 2 full day/full week classrooms
30
Cape Care
$339,798.28
Falmouth
New program, opening 3 full day/full week classrooms
48
$597,757.12
Gorham
Existing program, adding 6 part- day/part week classrooms, 2 in partnership with a private childcare and four in collaboration with CDS
96
Seedlings to Sunflowers
$609,877.86
Lincolnville
New program, 1 full day/full week classroom
16
$72,107.00
Madawaska
Existing program, expanding 1 classroom from part day/full week to full day/full week
16
ACAP Head Start
$114,429.13
MSAD 27
Adding 1 new full day/full week classroom and 1 part day/full week classroom (2 sessions)
16
ACAP Head Start
$218,021.00
MSAD 33
Existing program, adding 1 full day/full week classroom
14
Aroostook County
Action Program
$101,230.00
MSAD 54
Existing program, adding 1 full day/full week classroom
16
Kennebec Valley Community Action
Program
$90,201.94
Portland Public Schools Existing program, adding 1 full day/full week classroom and 1 special purpose classroom 24 Youth and Family Outreach $326,847.93 RSU 14
Existing program, expanding full day/full week seats across 3 community partners
11
A Child's World, Tu Casa Childcare,
Southern Maine
Children's Academy
$95,113.00
RSU 34 * (holding until 2024-25)
Existing program, adding 1 full day/ full week classroom
16
Penquis HS
$67,812.73
RSU 40
Existing program, expanding to full day/full week and adding 1 classroom
96
$572.514.00
RSU 67
Existing program, adding 1 full day/full week classroom
16
$55,205.44
RSU 68
Existing program, adding 4 full day/full week classrooms in collaboration with CDS
22
SAD4, SAD46, RSU41
(SAU Consortium)
$166,439.30
- Round 3 Pre-K Expansion Grants Awardees
-
FY 2023-24 School Year
SAU
Model
Projected Enrollment
Partner(s)
Funding
Brunswick
Existing program, adding 1full day/full week classroom and expanding 8 seats in existing classrooms
24
Midcoast Maine Community Action Head Start
$225,380.00
Community Regional Charter School
Existing program, adding 1 full day/full week classroom
16
$127,600.00
MSAD 6
Existing program, adding 2 full day/full week classrooms and expanding existing classrooms from part week to full week
32
$183,600.45
MSAD 46 (holding until 2024-25)
Existing program, expanding 1 classroom to full day/full week
15
$155,000.00
South Portland School Department
Existing program, adding 1 full day/full week classroom in collaboration with CDS
16
$144,000.00