The Prekindergarten Expansion Grant is a competitive grant program administered by the Division of Early Childhood at the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). It provides funding for local education agencies (LEAs) and private providers to administer high-quality prekindergarten and school readiness services throughout the State for children and their families in coordination with the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.
The Blueprint granted all three- and four-year-old children from families earning incomes at or below 300% Federal Poverty Level access to high-quality full-day Pre-K at no cost. The Prekindergarten Expansion Grant is part of Maryland’s plan for expanding access to high-quality prekindergarten. The grant, previously funded through a combination of federal preschool grant funds and funds provided by the Maryland Prekindergarten Expansion Act of 2014, is now sustained through state funding as a result of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.
The MSDE will hold customer service support sessions for interested applicants. During these sessions, MSDE personnel will review what applicants need to get started, the program requirements, as well as a walk-through of the application. To attend a virtual session, please see the dates, times, and registration links below:
Tuesday, April 18, 2023, (registration required)6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 19, 2023, (registration required)1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 20, 2023, (Office Hours) - Modified Short Form Application (open link, no registration required)1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Monday, April 24, 2023, (Office Hours) - Private Providers (open link, no registration required)1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 25, 2023, (Office Hours) LEAs (open link, no registration required)1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 2, 2023, (registration required)6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 4, 2023, (registration required)1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 9, 2023, (Office Hours)- Open to all applicants (open link, no registration required)1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.