Starting a Private School in Maine
Regulations, Resources, & Support
Maine State Regulations
General Regulations
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Maine has no requirements for school registration, accreditation, or licensing.
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All schools must be approved for attendance requirements through either independent accreditation, or through applying through the state.
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The Maine Department of Education has assembled a page of detailed requirements for private schools.
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Groups of homeschooled students, not individual homeschooled students, can be organized, and that organization may then qualify, under Maine law, as a private or church school. This type of organization is a legitimate alternative for a group of homeschooled students.
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The US Office of Innovation & Improvement has assembled a summary of regulations for private schools operating in Maine.
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The Maine DOE has no published requirements for school insurance -- consult a professional for guidance in this area.
State Funding Sources & Support
Maine does not provide funding for private education except in school districts where no public schools exist. In these instances, the district pays for students to attend private school instead.
Curriculum Requirements
Teacher Certification & Hiring
Teachers must be certified unless the school is accredited by an outside agency.
Food Services / Lunch
In Maine, school lunch requirements, including funding for schools offering the National School Lunch Program, are managed by the Department of Education.
Length of School Year
Schools must have at least 175 school days per year.
Recordkeeping & Reports
Principals must report to the state twice a year with student enrollment data. Additionally, schools must maintain student attendance and immunization data.
Healthy & Safety Requirements
Students must be immunized or provide documentation from a doctor or parent that they are asking for an exemption.
Transportation
Municipalities can provide transportation to students of non-profit private schools.
Testing
Schools that enroll more than 60% publicly funded students must participate in state testing.
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Maine State Resources
State & Regional Associations
Government Websites
Helping Educators Do the Work That Matters
Quick Guide Nav
We gathered so much information that we had to break it down into 10 chapters. This free information is well-researched- we even hunted down the rules and regulations for each state! If you're thinking about starting a private school, you will find this guide very handy!
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