Prekindergarten Calculator Glossary of Terms

The age of the child by September 1st of the upcoming school year.

A child is considered experiencing homelessness if they:

1. live in shared housing due to housing loss or economic hardship;
2. stay in hotels, trailer parks, or campgrounds without adequate housing alternatives;
3. use shelters or transitional programs; or
4. sleep in cars, substandard housing, or areas not meant for sleeping.

Students with an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or an Individualized Education Program (IEP).

The total cost of full-day Prekindergarten services.

The amount to be paid by the child’s family for each child enrolled in prekindergarten.

A yearly updated guideline that helps determine eligibility for programs such as Medicaid, CHIP, and the Affordable Cares Act. The Federal Poverty Level is adjusted annually for inflation and standardized to account for differences in family size.

Total annual income before taxes. This number should include all sources of income, such as wages, salaries, social security benefits, and any other income received by household members.

The total number of people living in your household, including yourself. This number should include everyone who shares your current residence.

Children whose primary or home language is not English and are currently learning English. This includes students born in or outside of the U.S. who speak - or whose families speak - a non-English language at home.

The three-level structure for Maryland’s pre-kindergarten program determines the cost of childcare for families.

• Tier 1 is for families earning ≤ 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) or homeless youth, with full-day Pre-K offered at no charge.
• Tier 2 includes families earning > 300% to ≤ 360% of the FPL and provides Pre-K at a subsidized sliding scale cost.
• Tier 3 is for families earning > 360% of the FPL, with Pre-K available at full program cost.