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News & Updates
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Maryland EXCELS Reports Increase in Bonus Recipients
Maryland EXCELS, a quality rating and improvement system offering support and incentives to child care providers to grow and enhance their services, reports that in July 2024, the program awarded bonuses to 154 licensed child care centers and registered family child care homes. This is a significant jump from July…
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Maryland’s Early Learning Standards Now Available Online
We are thrilled to announce that Maryland’s Early Learning Standards are now available online. The standards are structured around five comprehensive domains and take into account diverse populations of children, such as those with disabilities, early multilingual learners, and those experiencing homelessness. The Five Domains Social-Emotional Development Approaches…
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The Maryland Prekindergarten Expansion Grant application is now open!
The Prekindergarten Expansion Grant is a competitive grant program administered by the Division of Early Childhood at the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). It provides funding for local education agencies (LEAs) and private providers to administer high-quality prekindergarten and school readiness services throughout the State for children and their…
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New Child Care Portals for Families and Providers
Child Care Portals The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has recently introduced new online portals for both Child Care Scholarship families and providers, which are designed to enhance and simplify various processes related to the Child Care Scholarship (CCS) program. Here’s a summary of the key information provided in…
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Enhanced Child Care Support and Teacher Retention Award (ECSTRA) Retention Bonus Program
Young children thrive when they have stable and engaging relationships with their caregivers. Yet child care providers struggle to pay their staff a living wage, which contributes to the alarmingly high turnover rates in child care settings. The Enhanced Child Care Support and Teacher Retention Award (ECSTRA) Program seeks…
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Bonus Payments for Eligible Maryland EXCELS Child Care Providers
Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Provides $5 Million in Bonus Awards On October 20, 2022, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) announced the distribution of bonuses to child care programs participating in Maryland EXCELS that demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement in their early education programs. As part of the…
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Applications Open for Child Care Capital Support Fund
The Maryland Department of Commerce announced that applications are now open for the Child Care Capital Support Revolving Loan Fund, which was passed during the most recent General Assembly session. The fund will operate in partnership with the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and provide no-interest loans for capital…
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Governor Hogan Announces $50 Million For Additional Child Care Stabilization Grants
On January 17th, Governor Larry Hogan announced that the State of Maryland will provide an additional $50 million in grant funding to support child care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Child care is one of our most essential services, and keeping facilities open and available to parents with minimal disruption…
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3 Ways to Help Young Children Respect and Accept Diversity
Encouraging friendships and social interactions among all the diverse young children in your classroom is more important than ever. Studies show that the roots of bullying take hold in early childhood, during the critical first years of attitude development. The message is clear: To reduce the high incidence of bullying…
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MSDE Announces Second Round of Child Care Stabilization Grant Applications
Additional $125 Million in Funding Provided by American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 for Eligible Child Care Programs The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) announced today that it will open the application window for the second and final round of Child Care Stabilization Grants on January 3, 2022. MSDE…
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Honoring Cultures: Culturally Responsive Care
Children develop a sense of who they are and what is important through life through cultural experiences. Traditionally, values, ways of doing things, and expectations, have been passed down by the child’s family and cultural community. As more children enter child care during their early years, their cultural identity and…
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COVID Diagnostic Testing and/or the Screening Testing
Licensed child care facilities in the state of Maryland interested in receiving information on COVID-19 Testing should contact their local health department for more information on testing resources that may be available. For additional information on COVID-19 testing and resources for child care facilities please see below: Operation Expanded Testing…