Written By: Richie Huffman, CEO and Founder of Celebree School
What benefits do you see in the pre-k expansion grant program partnership with private providers like Celebree School?
At the end of the day, our mission and vision at Celebree School is to provide high quality childcare to every child. Not only in the state of Maryland, but across the country. Through the pre-k expansion grant program here in the state of Maryland, Celebree is able to do this one preschool classroom at a time. We have invested countless time as a state into raising the level of education provided to families, and this is just one more way to do so.
As always, Early Childhood Education in Maryland puts quality first. This PKEG program is no different. MSDE in partnership with their providers, has ensured that these programs are of the highest quality and cut zero corners when it comes to the quality of a preschool classroom that we as a state have come to expect.
What roadmap has the state of Maryland created for all families to have access to high-quality childcare programs?
It has really been a gradual but necessary investment in early childcare education across the state of Maryland. Families with children of all ages have the option of accessing the Childcare Scholarship program. This program was even given a 20 million dollar increase this past legislative session because the Governor and the members of the Maryland General Assembly know the importance of high-quality programs for children, starting at six weeks old. This was something that Celebree and the Maryland State Child Care Association (MSCCA) were focused on and made sure to raise awareness about how crucial the program is to not only provide high-quality childcare to families, but to allow working parents in Maryland to remain or enter into the workforce who may have had to stay at home due to the freeze in the scholarship program
For three and four-year-olds, the state also has pre-k expansion grant programs where private providers like Celebree can partner with the state and host public pre-k classrooms, but in an environment like a Celebree School classroom. As a company that has focused on quality and safety for over 30 years, these classrooms will be no different to the high-quality programs we offer and that our communities have come to rely on.
What impact do you see the PKEG program having on the state of Maryland?
This program is going to allow more children to access high-quality childcare that they would not otherwise.
The most important aspect of the Pre-K Expansion Grant (PKEG) program is that its focus is on the quality of the program. From the teachers and classroom environment to the furniture and overall curriculum, the program’s mission of preparing children for kindergarten is exactly what we strive for at Celebree School.
We know how important early childhood education is for shaping the success of young minds and preparing them for the future. So, in terms of lasting impacts, my hope would be that this program fuels the future generation of talented and high-level thinkers in the state of Maryland. The first step in improving areas of our state that need attention, such as housing, affordability, and tax rates, is improving education. Education at all levels is important, but early childhood education is especially critical because it serves as the foundation for future learning and long-term outcomes.