October 2026 Newsletter
The Sandbox: Montgomery County’s WPA Proposal Is Progress, but Families Need More
Montgomery County is fortunate to have State and County leaders who recognize the importance of supporting children, families, employees, and employers. But as child care costs continue to rise, our programs and policies must keep pace with families’ needs. Read more about proposed changes and a chance to make your voice heard in this month’s Sandbox.
Changes Coming to Maryland Child Care Scholarship (CCS) Program
During this year’s legislative session, Maryland leaders allocated an additional $20 million to the CCS program and made several changes to provide guidance on managing the waitlist and serving as many families as possible. Changes to co-pays will begin in 2027. Read more about the upcoming changes for families and child care providers.
Learning and Leading at the Early Childhood Funders Collaborative
This month, the Alliance’s Kimberly Rusnak and Steffi Benjamin participated in the Early Childhood Funders Collaborative (ECEFC) learning session with Nat Kendall-Taylor of the FrameWorks Institute. As part of the Washington Area Women’s Foundation’s ECEFC convening, the event brought together nonprofit leaders in early childhood education to learn how narrative and framing can support systems change in early child care and education.
Early Head Start Expands to 75 More Seats
The Alliance is excited to see Early Head Start expand into community-based programs. This new initiative adds 75 seats for infants and toddlers, improving access to early childhood education throughout Montgomery County.
“This investment strengthens our community by giving more of our youngest residents the opportunity to thrive and helping parents work toward their own goals, knowing their children are receiving quality care and early education.”
– County Executive Marc Elrich
Congratulations to the participating programs; we know many more were interested, and we hope future funding will allow even more spots for families and more programs.
ECE in the News
Early Childhood Funding Is Increasingly in Voters’ Hands via The 74
A recent essay on The 74 blog examines early childhood education ballot initiatives across the country.