Child care providers hope enrollment freeze melts

Malyka Myada represents one of the 45,000 Maryland state child care scholarship recipients who not only pay for a protected space for their children, but also education programs and before- or after-school care.

Thanks to the scholarship, Myada pays about $540 a month for her two children, ages 3 and 1. Without it, she said Friday, it would be at least $2,000. Because her two children are already in the scholarship program at Greenway Learning Center in Greenbelt, Myada’s third child, who’s a month old, will also be able to receive full-time child care at eight weeks.

“The scholarship helps, but it’s like paying rent,” said Myada, a 24-year-old single mother of Greenbelt. “My children have a safe space. It’s a nice place.”

But for the moment, access to that safe space has been put on hold by the state.

Faced with a sharp rise in children in the program — and costs for it — the state imposed a freeze on new enrollments May 1. New parents can still apply for a child care scholarship, but will be placed on a waiting list until enrollment declines. Officials hope to lift the freeze by September, when the number of recipients is expected to decrease to 40,000.

Child care providers and early childhood advocates such as Patti Smith hope that happens. If not, centers such as the one in Greenbelt could have empty seats as children leave to enroll in prekindergarten or kindergarten in the public schools.

“We hope that the freeze is melted through the summer,” said Smith, director of the center in Greenbelt, where 20 of the 44 infants, toddlers and preschoolers are on scholarship. “Education starts when children are infants. When they crawl, they work their muscles. That is all helping with fine motor skills.”

State officials also saw the importance of early childhood education, expanding income eligibility to allow more families to qualify for the scholarships. For instance, a family of four can earn up to $112,000 per year and qualify for assistance.

Sarah Neville-Morgan, assistant state superintendent in the state Department of Education’s Division of Early Childhood, said in an interview Thursday that scholarships have jumped from 21,000 in 2023 to more than 45,000 today.

Because of its popularity and growth, officials worried the program could exceed its $270 million budget this fiscal year. But Neville-Morgan notes that, even in a tight budget year and an uncertain future under the Trump administration, the state added another $100 million to the program budget next year

“That needs to be celebrated. It shows how Maryland is investing in its children,” Neville-Morgan, who began her position in the department last month, said about the growth of the program.

“You’ve seen a current, proposed budget from the federal level that doesn’t fully support children and families,” she said. “We are lucky enough to live in a state that does prioritize children and families.”

She continued: “We’ll have to continue to look at what are those resources, and where are we getting them, and then how do we prioritize as we move forward.”

Even though current parents and providers will continue to receive funding, incorporating an enrollment freeze still doesn’t sit well with longtime early childhood educator Evelyn Owens.

“I think it’s terrible,” said Owens, a mentor teacher at Downtown Baltimore Child Care, who’s worked there for four decades. “What about those parents who could use that scholarship now? Early childhood education is necessary.”

Early learning

On Thursday, Owens and another teacher, Keonna Akoma, worked with a prekindergarten class of about 15 students.

Akoma sat on the carpet with Anthony Johnson, 5, to help connect magnetic tiles that resembled a large box. When Akoma was about to place a red tile on top, Johnson tucked underneath and curled up.

Four students in blue aprons were dipping cups, bowls and other utensils inside a large sink with water and suds.

Three girls played upstairs in a play area that included a poster of fruits and vegetables, dolls, a highchair, a bench with a doughnut pillow and other toys.

Zane Romero and Kaia Downs, both age 5, used real hammers to bang on real nails in the wood working area.

When all the children were asked to come to the carpet and sing a song, Emmeline Calahan Montanez, 5, tugged on Owens’ shirt.

“I never got a turn,” Emmeline said to Owens.

“Let me correct you on that. You did a get turn,” Owens said.

“Oh yeah, I forgot,” Emmeline said with a smile and walked to the carpet.

Nikeiha Wallace, director of the center, said the prekindergartners who began in August represent the first pre-K class at the center.

The expansion of prekindergarten services in public schools and child care providers is part of the “mixed-delivery system” in the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education reform plan.

A total of 67 children are at the center, two of whom receive a child care scholarship.

According to the center’s website, monthly tuition ranges from nearly $2,400 full-time for a parent with a child at 12 weeks, to $1,800 for children 37 months and older.

“That $1,800 a month is one of the lowest ones [tuition], so with that scholarship it helps parents receive high-quality education,” Wallace said.

Myada from Greenbelt wants to go back to school and get a cosmetology license. In the meantime, and with three children, she’s looking for at least part-time work to fit her schedule. To earn some money, she will do delivery service for Door Dash and Stub Hub.

“I want to build a career and become more stable for my kids,” she said. “Having that scholarship will help me build toward that.”