Pre-K

Prekindergarten (Pre-K)

Pre-K is a state-funded program for 3- and 4-year-old children. The overall goal of Pre-K is to provide high-quality learning experiences to help children develop and maintain the skills, knowledge, and behaviors necessary to be successful in school.

The program’s goal is being achieved by providing appropriate experiences that address the needs of young children in the areas of language and literacy, mathematics, social foundations, science, social studies, fine arts, and physical well-being and motor development.

Children must be three years old or four years old by September 1st of the current school year for which they are enrolling. Acceptable age documentation could include the following:

Birth Certificate
Valid Unexpired Passport
Physician certificate
Hospital Certificate (proof of live birth) with the name of the child and parent
Parents’ notarized affidavit
Baptismal or church certification
Birth Registration, or other legal or notarized identification for the child’s identity and date of birth verification

Under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, children from families with annual incomes at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) are eligible for publicly funded, full-day Pre-K at no cost to the family.

Local school systems are required to develop their own policies and procedures for implementing prekindergarten programs in accordance with state regulations.

Contact your neighborhood elementary school to ask questions or enroll your child.

**Poverty Guidelines**
Household/ Family Size	300% Family Poverty Level
2	$61,320
3	$77,460
4	$93,600
5	$109,740
6	$125,880
7	$142,020
8	$158,160
9	$174,570
10	$190,440
11	$206,580
12	$222,720

See the full Income Chart

Types of Pre-K Programs

Every child and family is unique. Picking the right pre-K program for your child is a big choice. Think about your schedule, your child’s personality, and the resources offered by each type of Pre-K. Each type has special benefits that might work best for your family. Here are the main types of Pre-K programs and why families may choose them.