EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1441*
HOUSE BILL 1441
F5, F1 4lr2732
By: Delegate Atterbeary
Introduced and read first time: February 9, 2024
Assigned to: Ways and Means and Appropriations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Early Childhood Education – Publicly Funded Prekindergarten Programs – 2
Alterations 3
FOR the purpose of establishing certain requirements for a teacher’s certificate in early 4
childhood education; altering the teaching credentials required for staff of qualified 5
providers for prekindergarten services for purposes of the Prekindergarten Grant 6
Program; repealing certain requirements for county boards of education to ensure 7
that a certain percentage of publicly funded prekindergarten slots are provided by 8
eligible private providers; providing for the goal of the State regarding the proportion 9
of prekindergarten slots offered in each county; altering staff qualifications in 10
eligible prekindergarten programs; requiring county boards to establish an 11
experience–based educator professional development program; requiring the State 12
Department of Education to create a model memorandum of understanding for use 13
by county boards for a certain purpose; altering the minimum criteria for a certain 14
memorandum of understanding; authorizing a county board to lease space to provide 15
prekindergarten programs; requiring the Department to establish a program to aid 16
eligible prekindergarten providers in meeting certain requirements; requiring the 17
Department to publicize and distribute a certain list of eligible private 18
prekindergarten providers; requiring certain local business agencies to assist private 19
prekindergarten providers in a certain manner; altering certain funding timelines 20
for the Child Care Incentive Grant Program and the Maryland Child Care Credential 21
Program to align with certain timelines for prekindergarten programs; and generally 22
relating to publicly funded prekindergarten programs in the State. 23
BY adding to 24
Article – Education 25
Section 6–129, 7–1A–03, 7–1A–04.1, and 7–1A–09 26
Annotated Code of Maryland 27
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 28
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 29 2 HOUSE BILL 1441
Article – Education 1
Section 7–101.2(b)(1) 2
Annotated Code of Maryland 3
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 4
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 5
Article – Education 6
Section 7–101.2(c) and (d), 7–1A–04, 7–1A–05, 7–1A–07, 7–1A–09, 9.5–903, 9.5–904, 7
and 9.5–906 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 10
BY repealing 11
Article – Education 12
Section 7–1A–03 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 15
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
Article – Education 18
6–129. 19
(A) (1) A TEACHER’S CERTIFICATE IN EAR LY CHILDHOOD EDUCATI ON 20
SHALL BE OF TWO CLAS SES. 21
(2) A FIRST–CLASS CERTIFICATE SH ALL REQUIRE AN INDIV IDUAL TO 22
HOLD A BACHELOR ’S DEGREE. 23
(3) A SECOND–CLASS CERTIFICATE SHALL RE QUIRE AN INDIVIDUAL 24
TO HOLD AN ASSOCIATE ’S DEGREE IN EARLY CH ILDHOOD EDUCATION OR CHILD 25
DEVELOPMENT . 26
(B) A TEACHER WHO HOLDS A FIRST–CLASS TEACHER CERTIF ICATE IN 27
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUC ATION SHALL BE COMPE NSATED AT A HIGHER R ATE OF 28
PAY. 29
(C) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN § 7–1A–04 OF THIS ARTICLE, AN INDIVIDUAL 30
SHALL HOLD A TEACHER ’S CERTIFICATE IN EAR LY CHILDHOOD EDUCATI ON TO 31
TEACH FOR AN ELIGIBL E PREKINDERGARTEN PR OVIDER UNDER TITLE 7, SUBTITLE 32
1A OF THIS ARTICLE. 33
7–101.2. 34 HOUSE BILL 1441 3
(b) (1) There is a grant program known as the Prekindergarten Expansion 1
Grant Program in the State. 2
(c) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, before approving 3
qualified providers for prekindergarten services to receive a grant under this section, a 4
qualified provider shall certify to the Department that for each classroom funded under 5
this section the provider will: 6
(i) Maintain a student–to–classroom personnel ratio of no more 7
than 10 to 1 with a maximum of 20 children per classroom; 8
(ii) Provide in each classroom at least one teacher [certified in early 9
childhood education by the State] WHO HOLDS AT LEAST AN ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE IN 10
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUC ATION OR CHILD DEVEL OPMENT and at least one teacher’s 11
aide who has at least a high school degree; 12
(iii) Operate an educational program for: 13
1. 5 days per week; 14
2. 180 days per year, in accordance with the public school 15
calendar established by the local school board; and 16
3. A. For half–day programs, at least 2.5 hours per day; 17
or 18
B. For full–day programs, at least 6.5 hours per day; and 19
(iv) To receive a grant under this section, meet the requirements of § 20
7–1A–04 of this title. 21
(2) Before approving qualified providers who are Montessori schools or 22
Montessori programs for prekindergarten services to receive a grant under this section, a 23
qualified provider shall certify to the Department that for each classroom funded under 24
this section the provider will: 25
(i) Meet the requirements under paragraph (1)(iii) of this 26
subsection; 27
(ii) Maintain a student–to–classroom personnel ratio of no more 28
than 10 to 1, with a maximum of 20 students per classroom if all of the students are under 29
the age of 5 years; 30
(iii) Maintain a student–to–classroom personnel ratio of no more 31
than 14 to 1, with a maximum of 28 students per classroom if some of the students are at 32
least 5 years old; and 33 4 HOUSE BILL 1441
(iv) Require a classroom teacher to: 1
1. Hold a bachelor’s degree in any field; and 2
2. Hold a Montessori credential issued by: 3
A. The Association Montessori Internationale; 4
B. The American Montessori Society; or 5
C. A program accredited by the Montessori Accreditation 6
Council for Teacher Education. 7
(d) (1) (i) Beginning in fiscal year 2020 through fiscal year 2025, the 8
Governor shall annually appropriate to the Fund an amount that is at least equal to the 9
total amount of all funds received by the Program in the prior fiscal year. 10
(ii) Beginning in fiscal year [2026] 2028, the funds appropriated to 11
the Fund shall be consolidated into the publicly funded full–day prekindergarten program 12
established in Subtitle 1A of this title. 13
(2) The Governor may provide funds to the Department to administer the 14
Program. 15
[7–1A–03. 16
(a) Except as provided under subsection (b) of this section, a county board shall 17
ensure that: 18
(1) Beginning in the 2022–2023 school year, prekindergarten slots 19
provided by eligible private providers shall account for at least 30% of the total 20
prekindergarten slots provided by eligible prekindergarten providers in each county; 21
(2) The proportion of eligible private provider prekindergarten slots in each 22
county increases by 5 percentage points every school year, until, in the 2026–2027 school 23
year, eligible private provider prekindergarten slots account for at least 50% of eligible 24
prekindergarten provider prekindergarten slots in each county; and 25
(3) In each year after the 2026–2027 school year, the proportion of eligible 26
private provider prekindergarten slots in each county shall continue to constitute at least 27
50% of eligible prekindergarten provider prekindergarten slots in each county. 28
(b) (1) The Department shall issue a waiver from the requirements of this 29
section to a county board if: 30
HOUSE BILL 1441 5
(i) All families in the county who desire to enroll their eligible 1
children with eligible prekindergarten providers are able to do so; or 2
(ii) After reasonable cross–jurisdictional or regional efforts, there 3
are too few eligible private providers to meet the minimum requirements of this section. 4
(2) The Department may exclude by annual waiver Tier I children who are 5
3 years old in a county from the calculation under subsection (a) of this section until the 6
2029–2030 school year. 7
(3) The Department may exclude by annual waiver Tier I children who are 8
4 years old in a county from the calculation under subsection (a) of this section until the 9
2026–2027 school year. 10
(4) The Department shall establish waiver application procedures to carry 11
out the provisions of this subsection.] 12
7–1A–03. 13
IT IS THE GOAL OF THE STATE THAT AT LEAST 50% OF THE 14
PREKINDERGARTEN SLOT S PROVIDED IN EACH C OUNTY BE PROVIDED BY ELIGIBLE 15
PRIVATE PROVIDERS BE GINNING IN THE 2027–2028 SCHOOL YEAR . 16
7–1A–04. 17
(a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, all eligible 18
prekindergarten providers shall include structural elements that are evidence–based and 19
nationally recognized as important for ensuring program quality, including: 20
(i) Beginning in the [2027–2028] 2025–2026 school year: 21
1. [High staff] STAFF qualifications[, including teachers 22
who, at a minimum, hold: 23
A. State certification for teaching in early childhood 24
education; or 25
B. A bachelor’s degree in any field and are pursuing 26
residency through the Maryland Approved Alternative Preparation Program, which 27
includes early childhood coursework, clinical practice, and evidence of pedagogical content 28
knowledge; and 29
2. Teaching assistants who have at least: 30
A. A Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate; or 31
6 HOUSE BILL 1441
B. An associate’s degree] FOR TEACHERS AND TEA CHING 1
ASSISTANTS AS REQUIR ED UNDER § 7–1A–04.1 OF THIS SUBTITLE ; 2
(ii) Professional development for all staff; 3
(iii) A student–to–classroom personnel ratio of no more than 10 to 1 4
in each class; 5
(iv) Class sizes of no more than 20 students per classroom; 6
(v) A full–day prekindergarten program; 7
(vi) Inclusion of students with disabilities to ensure access to and full 8
participation in all program opportunities; 9
(vii) For at least 1 year before a student’s enrollment in kindergarten, 10
learning environments that: 11
1. Are aligned with State Early Learning and Development 12
Standards; 13
2. Use evidence–based curricula; and 14
3. Use instruction methods that are: 15
A. Developmentally appropriate; and 16
B. Culturally and linguistically responsive; 17
(viii) Individualized accommodations and supports for all students; 18
(ix) Instructional staff salaries and benefits that are comparable to 19
the salaries and benefits of instructional staff employed by the county board of the county 20
in which the early learning program is located; 21
(x) Program evaluation to ensure continuous program improvement; 22
(xi) On–site or accessible comprehensive services for students; 23
(xii) Community partnerships that promote access to comprehensive 24
services for families of students; and 25
(xiii) Evidence–based health and safety standards. 26
(2) An eligible prekindergarten provider that is a Montessori school or 27
Montessori program shall include all of the structural elements listed in paragraph (1) of 28
this subsection except the following: 29 HOUSE BILL 1441 7
(i) For staff qualifications, the eligible prekindergarten provider 1
shall employ teachers who: 2
1. Hold a bachelor’s degree in any field; and 3
2. Hold a Montessori credential issued by: 4
A. The Association Montessori Internationale; 5
B. The American Montessori Society; or 6
C. A program accredited by the Montessori Accreditation 7
Council for Teacher Education; and 8
(ii) For the student –to–classroom personnel r atio, the 9
prekindergarten provider shall maintain a student–to–classroom personnel ratio of: 10
1. No more than 10 to 1, with a maximum of 20 students per 11
classroom if all of the students are under the age of 5 years; and 12
2. No more than 14 to 1, with a maximum of 28 students per 13
classroom if some of the students are at least 5 years old. 14
(b) In addition to the requirements listed in subsection (a) of this section, an 15
eligible prekindergarten provider shall: 16
(1) If the provider is an eligible private provider, achieve a quality rating 17
level of 3 in the Maryland EXCELS program and publish that quality rating in a publicly 18
available manner, determined by the Department; 19
(2) If the provider is an eligible public provider, achieve a quality rating 20
level of 4 in the Maryland EXCELS program and publish that quality rating in a publicly 21
available manner, determined by the Department; 22
(3) Submit to the Department a plan to achieve a quality rating level 5 in 23
the Maryland EXCELS program within 5 years after becoming an eligible prekindergarten 24
provider; 25
(4) Achieve in accordance with the plan a quality rating level 5 in the 26
Maryland EXCELS program within 5 years after becoming an eligible prekindergarten 27
provider and publish that quality rating in a publicly available manner, determined by the 28
Department; and 29
(5) Except as otherwise provided in § 7–1A–07 of this subtitle, be open for 30
pupil attendance in accordance with § 7–103 of this title. 31
8 HOUSE BILL 1441
(c) (1) An eligible prekindergarten provider may not engage in explicitly 1
religious activities during school hours. 2
(2) If an eligible prekindergarten provider engages in an explicitly religious 3
activity, the activity shall be: 4
(i) Separate in time and location from any instruction offered by the 5
eligible prekindergarten provider; and 6
(ii) Voluntary. 7
(3) (i) An eligible prekindergarten provider shall make reasonable 8
efforts to make the areas where prekindergarten children spend time during school hours 9
as nonsectarian as possible. 10
(ii) An eligible prekindergarten provider may not be required to 11
adopt any rule, regulation, or policy that conflicts with its religious or moral teachings. 12
(4) (i) An eligible prekindergarten provider shall comply with Title VI 13
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Title 20, Subtitle 6 of the State Government 14
Article, and not discriminate in student admissions, retention, or expulsion or otherwise 15
discriminate against any student or parent of a student on the basis of race, color, national 16
origin, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. 17
(ii) If a student has a disability, placement of the student shall be 18
based on where the student will be best served. 19
(iii) An eligible prekindergarten provider found to have violated the 20
nondiscrimination requirements under this section: 21
1. May not continue to be an eligible prekindergarten 22
provider; and 23
2. Shall reimburse the Department all public funds provided 24
under this subtitle minus any amount received from the child care scholarship program. 25
(5) Except as provided in § 7–305.1 of this title, an eligible prekindergarten 26
provider may not suspend or expel a child who is enrolled in a prekindergarten program. 27
7–1A–04.1. 28
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 29
INDICATED. 30
HOUSE BILL 1441 9
(2) “CDA CERTIFICATE” MEANS A CHILD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE 1
CERTIFICATE WITH A PRESCHOOL DESIGNATIO N ISSUED BY THE COUNCIL FOR 2
PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION. 3
(3) “EXPERIENCE–BASED EDUCATOR ” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO : 4
(I) HAS DOCUMENTED EXPERIENC E ACTIVELY PROVIDING 5
SERVICES IN EARLY CH ILDHOOD EDUCATION ; AND 6
(II) DOES NOT HOLD A TEACHING CREDENTIAL ISSUED BY THE 7
DEPARTMENT OR CREDENTIAL ISSUED BY AN APPROPRIATE ORGAN IZATION. 8
(4) “PROGRAM” MEANS AN EXPERIENCE –BASED EDUC ATOR 9
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOP MENT PROGRAM . 10
(B) (1) TO QUALIFY AS A TEACH ER IN A PREKINDERGAR TEN CLASSROOM 11
PROVIDED BY AN ELIGI BLE PREKINDERGARTEN PROVIDER, AN INDIVIDUAL SHALL : 12
(I) HOLD, AT MINIMUM , AN ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE IN EARLY 13
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION OR CHILD DEVELOPMENT ; OR 14
(II) 1. FROM JULY 1, 2025, THROUGH JUNE 30, 2027: 15
A. HAVE 9,000 HOURS OF DOCUMENTED EXPERIENCE 16
ACTIVELY PROVIDING SERVICES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD E DUCATION; AND 17
B. ENROLL IN A PROGRAM ; AND 18
2. DEMONSTRATE CONSISTEN T PROGRESS TOWARD 19
COMPLETION OF A CDA CERTIFICATE WITHIN 3 YEARS AFTER ENROLLIN G IN A 20
PROGRAM. 21
(2) TO QUALIFY AS A TEACH ING ASSISTANT IN A P REKINDERGARTEN 22
CLASSROOM PROVIDED B Y AN ELIGIBLE PREKIN DERGARTEN PROVIDER , AN 23
INDIVIDUAL SHALL : 24
(I) HOLD A CDA CERTIFICATE; OR 25
(II) 1. FROM JULY 1, 2025, THROUGH JUNE 30, 2027: 26
A. HAVE 1,500 HOURS OF DOCUMENTED EXPERI ENCE 27
ACTIVELY PROVIDING S ERVICES IN EARLY CHI LDHOOD EDUCATION ; AND 28
10 HOUSE BILL 1441
B. ENROLL IN A PROGRAM; AND 1
2. DEMONSTRATE CONSISTEN T PROGRESS TOWARD 2
COMPLETION OF A CDA CERTIFICATE WITHIN 3 YEARS AFTER ENROLLIN G IN A 3
PROGRAM. 4
(C) (1) (I) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHA LL ESTABLISH AN 5
EXPERIENCE–BASED EDUCATOR PROFE SSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. 6
(II) THE PURPOSE OF THE PR OGRAM UNDER THIS SUB SECTION 7
IS TO ASSIST EXPERIE NCE–BASED EDUCATORS IN O BTAINING A CDA CERTIFICATE 8
WITHIN A 3–YEAR PERIOD. 9
(III) A PROGRAM ESTABLISHED UNDER THIS SUBSECTIO N SHALL 10
OPERATE FROM JULY 1, 2025, THROUGH JUNE 30, 2030. 11
(2) TO QUALIFY FOR A PROGRAM UNDER THIS SUBSECTIO N, AN 12
EXPERIENCE–BASED EDUCAT OR SHALL: 13
(I) APPLY TO THE PROGRAM BETWEEN JULY 1, 2025, AND 14
JUNE 30, 2027, BOTH INCLUSIVE ; 15
(II) MEET THE WORK EXPERIE NCE REQUIREMENTS FOR A 16
TEACHER OR TEACHING ASSISTANT DESCRIBED UNDER SUBSECTION (B)(1)(II)1 OR 17
(2)(II)1 OF THIS SECTION; AND 18
(III) BE EMPLOYED AS A TEAC HER OR TEACHING ASSI STANT BY: 19
1. AN ELIGIBLE PUBLIC PROVIDER; OR 20
2. AN ELIGIBLE PRIVATE P ROVIDER LOCATED IN T HE 21
COUNTY UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE COUNTY BOARD OPERATING THE 22
PROGRAM. 23
(3) A PROGRAM ESTABLISHED UNDER THIS SUBSECTION SHALL, AT 24
MINIMUM: 25
(I) PROVIDE A PARTICIPANT WITH INFORMATION REGARDING 26
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOP MENT OPPORTUNITIES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD E DUCATION; 27
(II) PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN WORKIN G TOWARD 28
THE CDA CERTIFICATE, INCLUDING ASSISTANCE FILLING OUT FORMS , OBTAINING 29
REQUIRED MATERIALS , AND FINDING A TRAINING LOCATION ; AND 30 HOUSE BILL 1441 11
(III) PAIR EACH PARTICIPANT WITH A MENTOR TEACHER . 1
(4) A MENTOR TEACHER WHO PARTICIPATES IN A PROGRAM UNDER 2
PARAGRAPH (3)(III) OF THIS SUBSECTION SHALL RECEIVE COMPEN SATION. 3
7–1A–05. 4
(a) (1) Each county board shall enter into a memorandum of understanding 5
with the Department, each eligible private provider participating in publicly funded 6
prekindergarten in the county, and other applicable government agencies. 7
(2) Before executing a memorandum of understanding under this section, 8
each county board shall submit an implementation plan of the proposed memorandum of 9
understanding to the Accountability and Implementation Board in accordance with § 10
5–404 of this article. 11
(B) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP A MODEL MEMORANDUM O F 12
UNDERSTANDING FOR USE BY COUNTY BO ARDS OF EDUCATION IN FULFILLING THE 13
REQUIREMENTS UNDER THIS SECTION. 14
[(b)] (C) [The] EACH memorandum of understanding shall, AT A MINIMUM , 15
provide for: 16
(1) Services for children with disabilities; 17
(2) A process by which a parent is able to indicate a preference for eligible 18
prekindergarten providers; 19
(3) The manner for processing the payment of the State share, local share, 20
and family share for each child who is enrolled with an eligible prekindergarten provider; 21
(4) Any agreed upon administrative costs to be retained by an agency that 22
is party to the agreement; 23
(5) The manner in which the parties will meet the requirements of this 24
subtitle; 25
(6) A plan to address racial and socioeconomic integration in 26
prekindergarten classrooms; [and] 27
(7) A METHOD FOR THE COUNT Y BOARD TO DISTRIBUT E A LIST OF 28
ELIGIBLE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROVIDERS IN THE SAME AREA WITH A PARENT 29
INTERESTED IN ENROLL ING THE PARENT ’S CHILD IN A PREKIND ERGARTEN 30
PROGRAM; 31
12 HOUSE BILL 1441
(8) FACILITATION OF PEER –TO–PEER ELIGIBLE PREKIN DERGARTEN 1
PROVIDER MEETINGS , IN WHICH ELIGIBLE PR EKINDERGARTE N PROVIDERS ARE 2
ABLE TO SHARE BEST P RACTICES IN THE FIEL D; AND 3
[(7)] (9) Any other provisions necessary to carry out this subtitle. 4
[(c)] (D) A memorandum of understanding under this section shall seek to avoid, 5
to the extent practicable, a disproportionate concentration of students of the same race, 6
ethnicity, disability status, and income within an eligible provider. 7
7–1A–07. 8
(a) (1) The Interagency Commission on School Construction shall prioritize 9
public school construction funding requests for high quality prekindergarten classrooms. 10
(2) The Interagency Commission on School Construction shall consider the 11
availability of private eligible prekindergarten providers when determining priorities 12
under paragraph (1) of this subsection. 13
(b) A county board may partner with the State or the county government to 14
address physical space constraints for eligible prekindergarten providers by utilizing 15
existing available space at a location that is not an eligible prekindergarten provider 16
including: 17
(1) Senior care facilities; or 18
(2) Community centers. 19
(C) A COUNTY BOARD MAY LEASE SPACE FROM THE COUNT Y TO PROVIDE 20
PREKINDERGARTEN PROG RAMS IN ACCORDANCE W ITH THIS SUBTITLE. 21
7–1A–09. 22
(A) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH A PROGRAM TO AID 23
ELIGIBLE PREKINDERGARTEN PROV IDERS IN MEETING THE REQUIREM ENTS OF 24
THIS SUBTITLE. 25
(2) THE PROGRAM SHALL PRO VIDE TO ELIGIBLE PRIVATE 26
PROVIDERS: 27
(I) INFORMATION ON PROFES SIONAL DEVELOPMENT 28
OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS AND TEA CHING ASSISTANTS ; 29
(II) TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR MEETING REQUIREM ENTS TO 30
ENROLL IN CHILD CARE SUPPOR T PROGRAMS; AND 31 HOUSE BILL 1441 13
(III) ASSISTANCE WITH IMPLE MENTING EARLY CHILDHOOD 1
CURRICULUM STANDARDS . 2
(B) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PUBL ISH A LIST OF ELIGIB LE PRIVATE 3
PROVIDERS IN EACH L OCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM O N ITS WEBSITE AND DI STRIBUTE THE 4
LIST TO THE FOLLOWIN G ENTITIES AND ORGAN IZATIONS LOCATED WIT HIN THE 5
AREAS IN WHICH THE E LIGIBLE PRIVATE PROV IDERS ARE LOCATED : 6
(I) A LOCAL OFFICE OF ECON OMIC DEVELOPMENT ; 7
(II) THE MARYLAND SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 8
CENTER; 9
(III) A LOCAL MANAGEMENT BOARD; 10
(IV) A LOCAL WORKFORCE DEVE LOPMENT BOARD ; AND 11
(V) A LOCAL OFFICE SUPPORTING MINORITY AND 12
WOMEN–OWNED BUSINESSES . 13
(2) AN ENTITY OR ORGANIZA TION LISTED UNDER PA RAGRAPH (1) OF 14
THIS SUBSECTION SHAL L, IF APPLICABLE, ASSIST A PRIVATE PRE KINDERGARTEN 15
PROVIDER IN ITS JURI SDICTION WITH: 16
(I) ENROLLING IN BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVICES FOR WHICH 17
THE PROVIDER QUALIFI ES; AND 18
(II) ADOPTING A BUSINESS P LAN TO HELP THE PROV IDER MEET 19
THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SUBTITLE. 20
(C) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PUBL ICIZE THE AVAILABILITY OF PUBL ICLY 21
FUNDED PREKINDERGART EN PROGRAMS TO THE P UBLIC. 22
[7–1A–09.] 7–1A–10. 23
The Department shall adopt regulations to carry out the provisions of this subtitle. 24
9.5–903. 25
(a) There is a Child Care Incentive Grant Program. 26
14 HOUSE BILL 1441
(b) The Office may award funding to a child care provider through the program 1
for the purpose of improving the child care provider’s quality of care through the purchase 2
of Office–approved: 3
(1) Materials; 4
(2) Equipment; or 5
(3) Supplies. 6
(c) For each of fiscal years 2022 through [2030] 2032, funding for the program 7
shall increase by 10% over the prior fiscal year. 8
9.5–904. 9
(a) There is a Maryland Child Care Credential Program. 10
(b) An individual may apply to the Office for a staff credential, including a child 11
development associate credential, or an administrator credential under this subsection. 12
(c) If a person pursues, obtains, or already holds an Office–approved credential, 13
the Office may award to the individual: 14
(1) An achievement bonus; 15
(2) A training reimbursement; or 16
(3) A training voucher. 17
(d) (1) The Governor shall appropriate $4,000,000 for the program for fiscal 18
year 2021. 19
(2) For each of fiscal years 2022 through [2024] 2026, funding for the 20
program shall increase by 10% over the prior fiscal year. 21
9.5–906. 22
(a) The Office shall award a program that participates in the Maryland EXCELS 23
Program a bonus: 24
(1) On initial publication of a quality rating level 1, 2, 3, or 4; 25
(2) On each publication of a higher quality rating level after the initial 26
publication; 27
(3) On initial publication of a quality rating level 5; and 28
HOUSE BILL 1441 15
(4) Annually on renewal and republication of a quality rating level 5. 1
(b) (1) The Governor shall appropriate in fiscal year 2023 $5,000,000. 2
(2) For each of fiscal years 2024 through [2028] 2030, funding for the 3
program shall increase by 10% over the prior fiscal year. 4
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, Tha t this Act shall take effect July 5
1, 2024. 6