Translate
Push to Pre-K
Maryland’s Division of Early Childhood is committed to your success, and our Pre-K Specialists are ready to walk you through every step of the process. Join us to take your child care program to the next level!
Are you a child care provider looking to expand your business?
Do you want access to the State prekindergarten funding?
Are you seeking guidance on how to meet the requirements for the Pre-K grants?
Yes, look no further! Push to Pre-K is for you. Expand your child care services and simplify the grant application process with Push to Pre-K!
Join the Office of Early Learning and Instruction for a Push to Pre-K informational session! Click your type of program to register for an upcoming session or watch the recording of a past session.
Family Child Care Programs – [Recording] [Presentation]
Head Start Programs – [Recording] [Presentation]
Child Care Centers – [Recording] [Presentation]
Spanish-Speaking Providers – [Recording/En Español] [Presentation]
Faith-Based Child Care Programs – [Recording] [Presentation]
Access State Pre-K Grant Funding with Expert Support
Push to Pre-K is a voluntary capacity-building initiative by the Division of Early Childhood designed to support child care providers interested in accessing funding from the State Pre-K Expansion Grant.
The grant provides funding for local school systems and private providers (family child care providers, child care centers, Head Start programs, and faith-based programs) to administer high-quality prekindergarten and school readiness services throughout the State for children and their families in alignment with The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.
Make the grant application process easier with Push to Pre-K! MSDE Pre-K Specialists will walk you through each step of the application process so that you can obtain funding for your facility’s Pre-K program.
Push to Pre-K participants can find technical assistance, coaching, and other types of support while reviewing grant requirements. Topics covered by this initiative include:
- Maryland EXCELS Participation [FY 2025 Recording]
- Licensing Requirements [FY 2025 Recording]
- Components of an Educational Program: Defining High-Quality Pre-K [FY 2025 Recording] [Presentation]
- Grant Writing Tips [Recording] [Presentation]
Grant Eligibility Requirements
Local Education Agencies (LEAs) or qualified vendors (as defined in COMAR (13a.06.02) and private providers (including, Head Start, Center Based, and Family Child Care programs) who:
- hold a valid license.
- have not incurred any serious health or safety violations.
- rated at level 3, 4, or 5 in Maryland EXCELS.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the funding per slot?
The funding per prekindergarten student will be $13,000 per full-day slot for three-year-olds and four- year-olds from families earning up to 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), and up to $13,000 per slot for Head Start program applicants.
Answers to more questions
More information about State Pre-K grants:
- Grant Consideration Checklist: Discover if the Pre-K grant is right for your child care business when you review this checklist.
- Grant Eligibility Requirements: Criteria for applying for State-funded Pre-K grant funding.
- Grant Information Guide: Find details about the application and requirements needed to participate in the Pre-K Expansion Grant Program in this guide.
- Maryland EXCELS Child Care Center Quick Guide to Quality Ratings [Spanish]: Learn the requirements needed to achieve each quality rating within the Maryland EXCELS program for child care centers.
- Maryland EXCELS Family Child Care Quick Guide to Quality Ratings [Spanish]: Learn the requirements needed to achieve each quality rating within the Maryland EXCELS program for family child care facilities.
- Educator Licensure: Find information about P-3 certifications to meet the highly qualified teaching staff requirement for the grant and other licensure details for educators.
- Early Childhood Curriculum: Obtain guidance regarding Pre-K curriculum development that aligns with the Maryland Early Learning Standards and Maryland College and Career Readiness Standards.
- Definition of High-Quality Pre-K: Discover what a high-quality Pre-K program means and looks like so that you can apply it to your own program development.