Child Care Subsidies & Assistance in Maryland
Maryland's Child Care Scholarship serves families up to 75% SMI at entry (~$90,000 family of 4), but enrollment froze May 2025 with ~5,000 waitlisted. State CDCC is refundable for low-income filers; refundable $500 Child Tax Credit phases out by $24K AGI.
Data current as of May 21, 2026
Child care subsidy (CCDF) in Maryland
- Program name
- Child Care Scholarship (CCS) Program
- Administered by
- Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), Division of Early Childhood
- Income ceiling
- Initial eligibility up to 75% State Median Income (~$90,033 for a family of four); continuing eligibility up to 85% SMI (~$108,675 for a family of four).
- Family fee / copay
- Sliding-scale family share, reduced under Blueprint for Maryland's Future reforms. Many low-income families pay $0.
- Waitlist status
- Currently closed to new applications — MSDE froze new Child Care Scholarship enrollments effective May 1, 2025. Approximately 5,000 families were on the waitlist as of February 2026. A FY2027 appropriation of $20 million aims to clear about half. Families receiving Temporary Cash Assistance or SSI bypass the freeze.
Priority groups (served first)
- Families receiving Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA)
- Families receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
State pre-K in Maryland
- Program name
- Maryland Prekindergarten Program (Blueprint for Maryland's Future)
- Administered by
- Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE); mixed-delivery via public schools and private providers
- Access
- Income-targeted
- Eligibility
- Free for 3- and 4-year-olds in families at or below 300% of the federal poverty level. Sliding-scale tuition between 300% and 600% FPL; full pay above 600% FPL. 4-year-olds are the universal target; 3-year-olds are income-limited during the phase-in.
- Coverage
- Phasing toward universal pre-K. Full implementation target is fiscal year 2032 under the Blueprint.
State tax credits & extras in Maryland
- State CDCC
- Refundable. Percentage of the federal CDCTC, varies by income of the federal CDCC. Refundable for single filers with AGI under $50,000 and joint filers with AGI under $75,000. Non-refundable above those thresholds. Filed with the Maryland Comptroller.
Other state programs and credits
- Maryland Child Tax Credit — refundable $500 per childRefundable state credit of $500 per qualifying child under age 6 (or any child under 17 with a documented disability). Full credit for AGI up to $15,000; phases out to zero by $24,000 AGI under the 2026 expansion. Filed with the Maryland Comptroller.
Where to apply or get help in Maryland
- Find a licensed daycare in MarylandChildery directory — quality ratings, ZIP & city search
- Maryland child care portalearlychildhood.marylandpublicschools.org/child-care-scholarship-ccs-program
- Eligibility screenerfamily.childcareportals.org/
- Combined benefits applicationmymdthink.maryland.gov/
- Maryland 211 (dial 2-1-1)211md.org/
- Money 4 Child Care — Fast Track scholarship intakemoney4childcare.com/
- Child Care Scholarship Enrollment Freeze status (MSDE)earlychildhood.marylandpublicschools.org/ccsenrollmentfreeze
- Blueprint Prekindergarten Expansionblueprint.marylandpublicschools.org/prekindergarten-expansion-and-improvements/
- Maryland Comptroller — tax creditswww.marylandtaxes.gov/tax-credits.php
- Federal childcare.gov — Maryland resourceschildcare.gov/state-resources/maryland/financial-assistance-resources-for-families
Find a daycare in Maryland
Once you know what you qualify for, Childery's directory helps you pick a provider. Browse Maryland's licensed daycares with independent Process and Structural quality ratings, or search by ZIP code or city.
Browse Maryland daycaresSources
- MSDE Child Care Scholarship Program
- CCS Enrollment Freeze — MSDE (2025)
- Maryland Matters — Nine months later, CCS freeze remains (February 2026) (2026)
- CCS Income Eligibility Scale (MSDE PDF)
- Maryland Comptroller — Tax Credits
- Blueprint — Prekindergarten Expansion
- ITEP — State Child Tax Credits 2025 (Maryland CTC) (2025)
- Federal childcare.gov — Maryland resources
Every state layers its own program on top of a federal floor — CCDF (the federal block grant), Head Start, the federal DCFSA (employer pre-tax benefit), and the federal Child and Dependent Care Credit. See the federal overview for what the floor looks like before any state adds.