Funding for Maryland Providers

The $26 million Prekindergarten Expansion Grants program is now available to both private child care providers and Local Education Agencies, providing $13,000 in funding to each eligible child. The goal of the grant program is to broaden availability and expand access to high-quality, full-day prekindergarten for three-year-old and four-year-old students from families with incomes at or below 300% Federal Poverty Level (FPL), defined as $79,500 for a family of four in 2022, as well as students with disabilities, homeless students, and children from homes in which English is not the primary spoken language.

MSDE also released applications for private providers who seek to participate in the Maryland State Prekindergarten Program, a new Blueprint for Maryland’s Future initiative. This program provides State and local funding to private providers who enroll three-year-old and four-year-old students from families with incomes at or below 300% FPL in full-day prekindergarten. Total funding for the Maryland State Prekindergarten Program is $10,094 per student in FY 2023 and increases each year thereafter. 

The Grant Information Guide, Frequently Asked Questions, and other information about the two grants programs, including customer service support sessions, can be found on the MSDE website: "https://earlychildhood.marylandpublicschools.org/maryland-prek-grant-programs". Program funding is contingent on final budget legislation for Fiscal Year 2023. Grant applications are now being accepted and are due by April 8, 2022.

Carry on...

Maryln Appelbaum and Marty Appelbaum