Last week, the U.S. Department of Defense launched a pilot program, MCCYN-PLUS, aimed at expanding the availability of child care options for eligible military families through its fee assistance program, Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood (MCCYN). The pilot program will include child care programs that are participating in Maryland EXCELS (Excellence Counts in Early Learning and School Age Care) and meet the eligibility requirements for MCCYN. With over 4,600 participants, Maryland EXCELS is the state’s quality rating and improvement system for early education and child care programs.
From MSDE’s Release:
“Maryland is honored to be part of this vital pilot program that helps to support military families, and we are glad that this initiative benefits our dedicated child care providers as well,” said Dr. Karen Salmon, State Superintendent of Schools.
The MCCYN-PLUS pilot provides military families greater access to high quality, early education experiences for their children. The pilot also offers opportunities for Maryland’s child care programs to grow their businesses, while supporting military families in their neighborhoods.
Families throughout Maryland count on Maryland EXCELS to provide guidance when searching for excellent child care. The rating system builds on the state’s rigorous child care licensing requirements, and informs families about the additional standards met by the early care program of their choice.
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