AUGUSTA — Last week, Rep. Kelly Murphy, D-Scarborough, joined a select group of state leaders from across the country to share their 2026 policy achievements for children and families at The Hunt Institute’s 9th Annual Early Childhood Leadership Summit in Colorado.
This past year, Murphy sponsored several bills in partnership with the Maine Department of Education aimed at improving Maine’s education system from early childhood through adulthood. Additionally, she successfully sponsored a new law that creates a grant program to help Mainers with intellectual or developmental disabilities pursue post-secondary education. Her leadership was also pivotal in ensuring state funding to raise teachers’ starting salaries from $40,000 to $50,000 by 2029.
“Maine’s future depends on the health and wellbeing of our kids, and a quality public education is at the heart of that,” said Murphy. “As an educator, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges our students and teachers are facing – and the importance of bringing forward policies that will help strengthen our early childhood education system. It was an honor to join other state leaders from across the country to share some of the work we’ve done in Maine to provide our students with the environment and support they need to succeed.”
Murphy, a Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellow, has spent her legislative career working in support of Maine’s children, families and school system. After being named House chair of the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee in 2024, Murphy advocated for bills that kept free breakfast and lunch available to K-12 public students across the state, supported school libraries and made schools safer for students with epilepsy and seizure disorders.
The Hunt Institute is a noted nonpartisan leader in America’s public education system. Established in 2001, the organization has brought together state policymakers to share ideas and create sustainable change in public education.
Murphy is serving her second term in the Maine House and represents part of Scarborough.
Contact:
Brian Lee (Murphy) | 305-965-2744
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