§5201. Age
The following provisions apply to enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools.
[PL 1981, c. 693, §§5, 8 (NEW).]
1.
Eligibility to enroll; school year.
A person meeting the minimum age requirements of subsection 2 or section 7001, subsection 1‑B, paragraph B, and who has not reached 22 years of age before the start of the school year may enroll as a full-time or, with the consent of the school board, as a part-time student, in the public elementary and secondary schools where the student resides as described in section 5202. The school year, for the purpose of this subsection, is defined as starting on July 1st and ending on the following June 30th.
[PL 2025, c. 650, Pt. II, §1 (AMD).]
2.
Minimum ages.
The following are minimum ages necessary for student enrollment in a school administrative unit.
A.
[PL 1993, c. 201, §1 (RP).]
B.
A person who will be at least 5 years old on October 15th of the school year may enroll in school.
[PL 1993, c. 201, §1 (AMD).]
C.
A person who will be at least 4 years of age on October 15th of the school year may enroll in a public preschool program prior to kindergarten if it is available.
[PL 2025, c. 633, §12 (AMD).]
D.
A person who will be at least 3 years of age on October 15th of the school year and is not identified as a child with a disability pursuant to section 7001, subsection 1‑B, may enroll in a public preschool program if it is available and the program provides instruction to children who are 3 years of age and have not been identified as a child with a disability pursuant to section 7001, subsection 1‑B.
[PL 2025, c. 633, §13 (NEW).]
E.
A person who is at least 3 years of age and is identified as a child with a disability pursuant to section 7001, subsection 1‑B may enroll in an available public preschool program at any time prior to enrolling in kindergarten.
[PL 2025, c. 633, §14 (NEW).]
[PL 2025, c. 633, §§12-14 (AMD).]
3.
Exceptions.
The following are exceptions to this section.
A.
War veterans who have not completed high school before their 18th birthday may enroll in the public schools in the school administrative units where they reside until they graduate or until the end of the school year in which they reach the age of 25.
[PL 1983, c. 704, §2 (AMD).]
B.
A person who has enrolled in a public kindergarten or grade one in another state may enroll in kindergarten or grade one, as the case may be, in the school administrative unit where the parent or guardian become residents.
[PL 1981, c. 693, §§5, 8 (NEW).]
C.
A person who was enrolled in kindergarten in this State under paragraph B, may enroll in grade one upon satisfactory completion of kindergarten.
[PL 1981, c. 693, §§5, 8 (NEW).]
D.
A person who was enrolled in a public kindergarten in another state and was promoted to grade one may enroll in grade one in the school administrative unit where the parent or guardian becomes a resident.
[PL 1981, c. 693, §§5, 8 (NEW).]
E.
The eligibility for a child with a disability is governed by section 7001, subsection 1‑A.
[PL 2005, c. 662, Pt. A, §12 (AMD).]
F.
[PL 2017, c. 381, §3 (AMD); MRSA T. 20-A §5201, sub-§3, ¶F (RP).]
[PL 2017, c. 381, §3 (AMD).]
4.
Rules.
A school board may adopt rules to carry out this chapter.
[PL 1983, c. 806, §55 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1981, c. 693, §§5,8 (NEW). PL 1983, c. 704, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 1983, c. 806, §55 (AMD). PL 1985, c. 506, §A36 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 201, §1 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 116, §1 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 688, §B4 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 662, §§A11,12 (AMD). PL 2007, c. 141, §12 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 381, §3 (AMD). PL 2025, c. 633, §§12-14 (AMD). PL 2025, c. 650, Pt. II, §1 (AMD).