Let’s say “happy new year” for children, families, and early childhood programs in Maryland!
In December, Congress approved the Fiscal Year 2020 funding legislation.
Congress continues to build on their historic investment in FY 2018, when they nearly doubled the funding for the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG), and then increased funding again in FY 2019.
For FY 2020, CCDBG will receive $5.8 billion dollars which is an increase of $550 million. Head Start also received an increase of $550 million with specific set asides, such as expanding Early Head Start and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships as well as quality improvement for trauma informed care, in an effort to address adverse childhood experiences. The Preschool Development Birth through Five Grants (PDG) also got an increase of $25 million.
Speaking of PDG, Maryland received good news for 2020! The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has been awarded a Preschool Development Birth through Five (PDG B-5) Renewal Grant. This will enable MSDE to “continue the strategic planning and system development of the state’s mixed-delivery early childhood system. Maryland’s earliest learners start their education in a variety of settings, including center and family childcare providers, Head Start, schools, and other early learning centers and programs. The three-year renewal grant will allow MSDE, state/local partners, and stakeholders to enhance, expand, and build upon activities in the state’s PDG B-5 initial one-year grant.”
Happy New Year, Prince George’s County. The early childhood community is off to a positive start in 2020 and we’re going to keep working together to ensure, not only it stays that way, but gets even better.
The federal investments over the last two years in the Child Care and Development Block Grant, Head Start, and the Birth-to-Five Preschool Development Grant are all welcome opportunities that are making a real-life difference.
Let’s work together and recognize the role that Child Care Scholarship and child care licensing play in ensuring that the child care workforce and our families can thrive, and ensure that efforts to expand early education opportunities reach our communities.
For more information regarding FY2020 funding and the Maryland PDG check out the following:
- Congress Passes FY2020 Funding Bill with More Than $1 Billion Increase for Early Learning and Child Care
- Appropriations Bill Brings a Holiday Gift for Federal Education Programs
- MSDE Preschool Development Grant Website
- Resource Center blog: Time for Action, September 2019
