Prekindergarten - 3-Year-Olds - Private Providers (Parental Choice for Prekindergarten Act)
The bill is set to influence prekindergarten enrollment strategies across Maryland, mandating that starting in the 2024-2025 school year, eligible private prekindergarten slots account for at least 10% of the total slots available. This percentage is intended to increase annually until it reaches a minimum of 50% by the 2028-2029 school year. The inclusion of private providers aims to create a mixed delivery system of prekindergarten services that will ensure greater accessibility and parental choice. Additionally, local departments of health and social services will be tasked with notifying parents about available programs.
Senate Bill 780, known as the Parental Choice for Prekindergarten Act, aims to broaden access to publicly funded prekindergarten programs by allowing eligible private providers to enroll 3-year-old children under certain conditions. The bill amends the current definition of 'Tier I child' to include only certain 4-year-olds, thereby enabling private providers to serve 3-year-olds, providing they enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the State Department of Education and the local county board of education. This legislation seeks to enhance early childhood education options for families and increase parental choice in selecting prekindergarten services.
While the bill is positioned as a means to improve access to early childhood education, some concerns have been raised regarding the implications for public prekindergarten standards and potential disparities in quality between public and private programs. Critics worry that the expansion of private prekindergarten could lead to a lack of regulatory oversight and inconsistent educational quality. Furthermore, there are apprehensions that focusing on parental choice could disadvantage families who may struggle to navigate the private educational landscape, thereby exacerbating inequalities in early childhood education access.