What Providers Need to Know About the Child Care Scholarship Program Enrollment Freeze

The Maryland State Department of Education issued an enrollment freeze for the Child Care Scholarship (CCS) Program that began May 1, 2025. During the freeze, the Program will temporarily be unable to give scholarships to new families.

The freeze affects new applications for the CCS Program only. Child care providers will continue to receive payments on behalf of children enrolled in the CCS Program during the freeze.

Why is the temporary enrollment freeze happening?

The CCS Program provides financial assistance to eligible families in Maryland to help cover the cost of child care. The Program has seen significant growth recently. In January 2023, the CCS Program served 21,000 Maryland children. It now serves more than 45,000 children throughout the state in 2025. Because of this major increase, the Program has reached its maximum budget capacity and must instate an enrollment freeze.

How does the enrollment freeze work?

During the freeze, scholarships for new families who apply and meet program requirements will not be issued right away. Approved families will be placed on a Frozen Status List (also called a waitlist).

Over time, children will age out or leave the CCS Program. As a result, funding becomes available to help new families. Through this process, eligible, approved families can still receive support. Families on the Frozen Status List will be notified when a scholarship has been issued. Through this process, eligible, approved families can still receive support.

Updates about the freeze, as well as related child care provider resources, can be found here. You can also read on to learn more about what this freeze may mean for you.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

I am a child care provider with children enrolled in the CCS Program in my care. Will I still receive CCS payments during the freeze?

Child care providers will receive payments on behalf of children enrolled in the CCS Program as they normally would during the freeze. The freeze affects new CCS Program applications only. Please note that the freeze will not impact private-pay families.

Families on the Frozen Status List do not yet have an active scholarship.  If you enter into an agreement to provide care before the family provides you with a child care scholarship via the Child Care Provider Portal, CCS payment will not be backdated to cover any costs incurred due to the family not being authorized to receive CCS benefits. Any family without an active child care scholarship is considered a private-pay customer.

To support families in your community and protect your business from unpaid care:

• Make sure you have an active child care scholarship for all children in which CCS payment is expected.
• Check the CCS Provider Portal regularly.
• Respond to Portal, text, or email notifications as soon as possible.
• Talk to families about the importance of timely completion of their attendance verification in the Portal.
• Develop a process for tracking scholarship expiration dates. Parents are encouraged to submit all required documents for renewals 45 days prior to the scholarship end date.

More information can be found in the FAQs here.

How should I communicate with families about the freeze?

Let families know they can visit Money4ChildCare.com for the latest updates about the freeze. The website includes FAQs for both currently enrolled and prospective families.

The following information is important for families in your community to know:

• Families with active scholarships will continue to receive benefits as long as they meet program requirements and renew on time.
• Families who do not yet have a scholarship may apply for the CCS Program at any time. Their applications will be processed as normal. Approved families will be placed on the Frozen Status List. They will receive a notification when a scholarship is ready for their use.
• Families receiving Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are not subject to Frozen Status. They can apply at any time. If they qualify, they will receive a scholarship.
• Families with children currently enrolled in the CCS Program can add a new child to the scholarship during the freeze. A request to add a new child will be reviewed as part of the existing case.
• Families should also check their CCS Family Portal account regularly for information about their application or scholarship status. Encourage families to respond to Portal, text, or email notifications right away. They can reach out to CCS Central 2 for help.

Child care providers can contact CCS Central 2 for support by calling 1-877-227-0125 or using the Provider Inquiry Link online form (the big red circles at the bottom of Money4ChildCare.com).