Maryland State Department of Education

The Division of Early Childhood Development at the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) is responsible for early care and education in Maryland.  The main mission of the Division is to improve early education in Maryland so that young children are well prepared for school. The Division is composed of the Office of Child Care, the Early Learning Branch, and the Collaboration and Program Improvement Branch.

MSDE employs Quality Assurance Specialists who are located in every Regional Licensing Office throughout the state. Their responsibilities include:

  • Providing information to programs and groups about Maryland EXCELS
  • Engaging local organizations – Judy Centers, Resource and Referral Centers, other local groups and key people
  • Identifying programs that may be ready to move into EXCELS, including accredited programs, and helping to familiarize them with the standards and the online process
  • Providing technical assistance, on-site consultation, and support
  • Conducting monitoring visits to Maryland EXCELS programs
     

Contact the Maryland EXCELS Branch of the Office of Child Care.
Contact your Quality Assurance Specialist.


Johns Hopkins University, Center for Technology in Education

The Center for Technology in Education (CTE) strives to improve the quality of life of all children and youth through teaching, research and leadership in the uses of technology. CTE represents a unique partnership that combines the research, teaching and technology resources of the Johns Hopkins University and the leadership and policy support of the Maryland State Department of Education.

Every program participating in Maryland EXCELS is assigned a Program Coordinator. These Coordinators, employed by CTE,

  • provide support to programs participating in EXCELS
  • help programs navigate the EXCELS website and system
  • review and rate Maryland EXCELS documentation, uploaded my Maryland EXCELS participants
  • facilitate the progress of assigned programs as they move through the EXCELS check levels
     

Contact the Center for Technology in Education.
Contact your Maryland EXCELS Program Coordinator.


Maryland Family Network and Maryland Child Care Resource Network

Maryland Family Network (MFN) works with parents, child care providers, advocates, employers, and policymakers to expand and enhance the early childhood education and child care available to Maryland’s children.
 

Every community in Maryland is served by one of twelve regional child care resource and referral centers (CCR&Rs). Together, these CCR&Rs make up the Maryland Child Care Resource Network, which provides leadership and services designed to improve the quality, availability, and affordability of child care in communities across the state. This innovative public-private partnership was initiated in 1989 and is administered by Maryland Family Network under a contract with the Maryland State Department of Education.

Contact Maryland Family Network.
Contact your local Resource and Referral Agency.