The Accreditation Process

Order Form - Request for Program Accreditation Materials - Use this form to request a copy of the "Accreditation Standards Documents."

The Early Childhood Accreditation / Validation Application Form - Complete and send the accreditation Project application to MSDE to advise us of your program's initiation of the self-appraisal phase.

Guide to Self-Appraisal and Accreditation / Validation - This document outlines the self-appraisal process and the process for non-public programs to seek accreditation and public programs to seek validation from MSDE.

Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Instrument for Self-Appraisal and Validation - Participating teachers and other members of the local school systems use this document to rate the quality of individual public prekindergarten and kindergarten programs.

Center-based Child Care and Head Start Instrument for Self-Appraisal and Validation - This document is used to rate the quality of center-based child care and Head Start programs occurring in classroom environments by participating staff and agency administrators.

Required Documentation Dividers - Prekindergarten
Download, print, and use these dividers to organize the required documentation – for Prekindergarten and kindergarten programs.

Required Documentation Dividers - Center-Based Child Care / Head Start - Download, print, and use these dividers to organize the required documentation - for Center-based Child Care and Head Start programs.

FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions about the accreditation program and process.

Contact Information

Bonita Winchester-Bey, Accreditation Project Assistant

Division of Early Childhood Development
Maryland State Department of Education

200 West Baltimore Street

Baltimore, MD 21201

Phone:

(410) 767-0660

Email:

bwinchester@msde.state.md.us

Valerie Kaufmann, Chief, Early Learning Branch

Division of Early Childhood Development
Maryland State Department of Education

200 West Baltimore Street

Baltimore, MD 21201

Phone:

(410) 767-6549

Email:

valeriek@msde.state.md.us

Early Learning Branch

	Early Learning Branch - Home Page
	Early Childhood Accreditation Project
	Maryland Model for School Readiness (MMSR)
	Public Pre-K Program
	Judith P. Hoyer Program
	Voluntary State Curriculum (VSC)
	Early Childhood Curriculum Project

Division of Early Childhood Development

	DECD Home Page
	Office of Child Care
	Licensing Branch
	Child Care Subsidy Branch (Purchase of Care Program)
	Credentialing Branch
	Collaboration and Program Improvement Branch
	Operational Reports and Data
	Internet Links
	Issues / Complaints