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News & Updates
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Child Care Providers: Fund Your College Education with CCCPDF
The Division of Early Childhood extends congratulations to the recipients of the Child Care Career and Professional Development Fund (CCCPDF) who recently graduated in December 2024. The CCCPDF is a tuition assistance program for early childhood educators to pursue a college education at participating Maryland colleges and universities. With…
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Interested in Providing Informal Child Care?
Do you spend time with your friend’s or family member’s child while their parent is at work or school/training? You can become their informal child care provider in Maryland—even without a license! Plus, you can get paid through the Child Care Scholarship program. What Is Informal Child Care? Informal child…
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Maryland EXCELS Marks Five Years of Supporting Military Families Through Military Child Care Program
October 2024 marks the fifth anniversary of Maryland EXCELS’s partnership with the Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood-PLUS (MCCYN-PLUS) program. This Department of Defense (DoD) initiative offers assistance with child care costs to military families, enabling them to enroll their children in high-quality local child care programs. Through this continued partnership,…
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Upcoming Push to Pre-K Information Sessions Offer Grant Assistance
The Push to Pre-K initiative launched by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) Office of Early Learning and Instruction offers support, training, and resources for early childhood educators and child care providers interested in the Maryland Prekindergarten Expansion Grant and Blueprint formula funding for Pre-K. Providers who would like…
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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…