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Division of Early Childhood Development
The Division of Early Childhood Development at the Maryland State Department of Education is responsible for early care and education in Maryland. The main mission of the Division is to improve early education in Maryland so that young children are well prepared for school. The Division is composed of the Office of Child Care, the Early Learning Branch, and the Collaboration and Program Improvement Branch.
The Office of Child Care comprises the:
· Licensing Branch, which licenses and monitors child care centers and family child care providers,
· Credentialing Branch, which administers the Maryland Child Care Credential Program and the Child Care Accreditation Support Fund, and
· Child Care Subsidy Branch (formerly Purchase of Care, or "POC"), which regulates and administers Maryland's child care subsidy voucher system for TANF and income-eligible families.
The Early Learning Branch is responsible for the Judith P. Hoyer Programs (i.e., Judy Centers and Enhancement Grants for Private Providers), the Maryland Model for School Readiness (MMSR), Early Childhood Accreditation, Public Pre-K and Kindergarten, and the Early Childhood Curriculum Project, as well as curriculum development and policy and programmatic issues related to prekindergarten and kindergarten.
The Collaboration and Program Improvement Branch issues and administers early care contracts and grants, including the Family Child Care Provider Grant and the Quality Improvement Grant. It also houses the:
- Head Start State Collaboration Project, which coordinates early learning and comprehensive services between local Head Start programs and state and local agencies,
- Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH) Project, which helps identify and address child behavioral issues in early learning environments, and
- Program Administration Scale (PAS) Project, which promotes development of leadership and management skills in early childhood programs.
NEW! The DECD main page has been re-organized into the following topic portals to make it easier for site visitors to find the information they're looking for:
· Strategic Planning portal – Planning documents that guide DECD operations and initiatives.
· Publications and Reports portal – MSDE/DECD reports, studies, and other publications concerning early care and education topics, including statistical reports and the Partners newsletter.
· School Readiness portal – School readiness assessments and initiatives to promote school readiness.
· Child Health and Safety portal – Issues related to child health and safety in early care settings, including child care licensing inspection findings.
· Community Resources portal – Community-based early care and education resources for families with young children.
· Grant Funding Announcements portal – Notice of funding opportunities for the expansion of enhancement of services related to early care and education.
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