An Act to Establish the Community Schools Success Fund to Ensure the Implementation and Success of Community Schools Programs

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STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
_____
H.P. 867 - L.D. 1332
An Act to Establish the Community Schools Success Fund to Ensure the
Implementation and Success of Community Schools Programs
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §9924 is enacted to read:
§9924. Community Schools Success Fund
1. Fund established. The Community Schools Success Fund, referred to in this section
as "the fund," is established within the department as a nonlapsing fund to provide grants
to community schools, local education providers and nonprofit organizations. The
commissioner shall administer the fund to provide community schools with assistance with
the following:
A. Community needs audits and community schools resources assessment;
B. Readiness plan assessments;
C. New and ongoing sustainability efforts;
D. Professional development and training; and
E. Peer support and mentoring efforts.
For the purposes of this section, "local education provider" means a school administrative
unit, a school located in an unorganized territory pursuant to chapter 119, a public charter
school authorized pursuant to chapter 112 and a school or program established under Part
4, Subpart 2.
2. Grant recipients; supporting documentation. To receive a grant under this
section, a potential recipient must be designated as a community school pursuant to section
9922, must be a school administrative unit that has begun developing a community school
plan pursuant to section 9922, subsection 1 for a school not yet designated as a community
school or must be a local education provider located in a school administrative unit with a
community school or a nonprofit organization that supports community school programs.
A potential recipient shall submit to the department a grant utilization plan that includes
the scope of work that will be supported by the grant and a description of programs
administered by the potential recipient that support community schools.
LAW WITHOUT
GOVERNOR'S
SIGNATURE

JUNE 22, 2025
CHAPTER
410
PUBLIC LAW
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3. Rules. The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to carry out the purposes of the
fund, including eligibility standards for the awarding of grants from the fund under this
section and rules for determining the allowable uses of grants by eligible recipients, which
must include, but are not limited to, hiring or contracting, technical assistance, professional
development and training and attending statewide training and conferences. Rules adopted
pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375,
subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
allocations are made.
EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF
Community Schools Success Fund N554
Initiative: Provides base allocations to authorize expenditures of funds received to provide
grants to community schools, local education providers and nonprofit organizations.
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 2025-26 2026-27
All Other $500 $500
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OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL $500 $500