AUGUSTA - The Maine House of Representatives voted unanimously Tuesday to advance a measure from Rep. Kathy Shaw, D-Auburn, that would help Maine schools create outdoor experiential education programs.
LD 1682 would establish the Maine Experiential Education Program Fund, which would support grants to facilitate new staff positions within participating public schools dedicated to providing hands-on, experiential learning opportunities related to gardens, food and agriculture. The fund would improve healthy academic, physical and emotional development for students and would be housed within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.
"Experiential learning is an impactful way to engage students who might otherwise have a difficult time in the classroom," said Shaw. "Giving schools an opportunity to provide hands-on learning experiences for students without mandating a curriculum change opens up new potential for deepening connections to the land while also equipping the next generation with the fundamental skills needed to feed and fend for themselves."
The bill faces further votes in the House and Senate.
Shaw is serving her first term in the Maine House, representing part of Auburn. A lifelong farmer and president of the Cumberland and Falmouth farmers markets, Shaw serves on the Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Shaw], c. 305-965-2744