The Maryland State Budget

Every January, Maryland’s Governor proposes a budget. A budget proposal is a statement of priorities, and child care is here! Check out pages 18 and 22 of this summary: https://dbm.maryland.gov/budget/Documents/operbudget/2024/proposed/FY2024MarylandStateBudgetHighlights.pdf

The details of the final state budget each year are up to the Delegates and Senators in the General Assembly. Delegates and Senators will hold hearings in committees, consider testimony, and make line-by-line decisions about whether and how to invest in child care – and lots of services that help keep Maryland running!

There is a recommendation going around the General Assembly to cut child care.

We encourage you to contact your Delegate and Senator and help them and their staff understand your program, your families, and our community.

Here’s a suggested message for you to share about the state budget:

• The child care crisis is not over in Maryland. The Child Care Scholarship Program (CCSP) details have seen important improvements thanks to your leadership. There’s more to do and we can do it together.
• CCSP is currently the State’s largest single investment in early childhood education.
• We must ensure that the State remains committed to protecting recent progress.
• We hear the General Assembly leaders are already thinking about a big cut to child care – this is the wrong direction! A cut to CCSP would pose a great risk to families, children, child care providers, and the economy as a whole.

Find names and contact info for the Delegate and Senator that represent your home neighborhood here: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Members/District

There were initial hearings on the budget for the MSDE Division of Early Childhood on February 10 and February 13. That’s just the beginning, though!

There will be more chances to educate Delegates and Senators on the investments needed to solve child care in Maryland. Thank you for your teamwork!