Pillar 1: Early Childhood Education
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Every child has access to a high-quality early childhood program.
Pillar 1 of the Blueprint and the Strategic Plan - PDF - 3.06 MB focuses on strengthening early childhood education by expanding access to high-quality prekindergarten programs and increasing support for families and young children. It aims to ensure that all children, regardless of income, race, or background, enter kindergarten with a strong foundation for lifelong learning and success.
Outcomes
| Outcome ID | Outcome | Baseline Data | Annual Data Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.A | Increase student readiness for kindergarten annually as measured by the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA). | Anticipated December 2025 | December |
| 1.B | Increase kindergarten readiness proficiency rates for each student group.* | Anticipated December 2025 | December |
| 1.C | Decrease gaps in kindergarten readiness between student groups*. | Anticipated December 2025 | December |
| 1.D | Increase the count of 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds from Tier 1 households (low-income, children with disabilities, homeless, or children from homes in which English is not the primary spoken language) who are enrolled in high-quality (EXCELS rating of 3+) full-day Pre-K. | 1,410 students (2024–2025: 621 3-year-olds, 789 4-year-olds) | January |
| 1.E | Increase the count of 4-year-olds who are enrolled in high-quality (EXCELS rating of 3+) full-day Pre-K. | 826 (2024–2025) | January |
* Student groups include: students with disabilities, multilingual learners, students attending Community Schools, economically disadvantaged students, race/ethnicity, and gender groups.
The Strategic Plan Data Dashboard offers an interactive view of our department's progress toward achieving the goals in MSDE’s Strategic Plan. Explore baseline and trend data for each outcome, organized by the five pillars of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.