MAINE, USA — Child Developmental Services is under the Maine Department of Education, and it offers support for kids with disabilities who are under five years old.
Maine is the only state in the country with these services under the DOE, and the department wants to change that and leave it up to school districts to provide those services. Some local school leaders said it would simplify the process.
"One of the positives that would absolutely be in place would be there would be less transition for families and students as they move through the support services that are provided to them," Gorham Superintendent Heather Perry said.
Some parents said it's all happening too fast.
"We are very concerned that if the timing moves forward, that children will be hurt and lost in this process," Carrie Woodwork, executive director of Maine Parent Federation, said.
She and Nancy Cronin with the Maine Developmental Disabilities Council told NEWS CENTER Maine some steps need to be taken before this proposal can move forward.
"There [are] some things that could happen right now. We could create that task force to actually create those plans, and we could create the funding plan, and next session we might be ready to actually move some kids," Cronin said.
This isn't the first time the DOE has proposed this change. It also faced pushback four years ago under former Gov. Paul LePage.
"There's certainly pluses and minuses for these services to be provided but school administrative units," Perry said.
While there are opposing opinions on this proposal, advocacy groups and educators said their goals are the same, to serve children with disabilities better.
Lawmakers are hoping to get this to the state House and Senate floors for a vote before the end of the session in April.