April 23rd, 2024 by WCBC Radio
The Maryland Department of Education has extended accreditation for licensed childcare centers and pubic early childhood education programs to five years instead of three. The extension affects almost 1,000 childcare, Head Start, and public pre-kindergarten programs.
Accreditation comes through implementing best practices, identifying needs for improvement, and validation through observation and evaluation. Maryland’s Education Blueprint requires public Pre-K programs to achieve the Maryland Excels Quality Rating of 5, only possible through accreditation.