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Ch. 566
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2000 LAWS OF MARYLAND
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studying the financing of early child care and education in the State.
Preamble
WHEREAS, Maryland's greatest resource is its children; and
WHEREAS, Maryland's youngest children must receive an early child care
and education that provide a safe, nurturing, educational, and culturally affirming
environment, in order to ensure that they enter the school system prepared to
succeed; and
WHEREAS, In 1999, the State annual average cost for full-time child care for
a child 5 years or younger was $6,112; and
WHEREAS, Nationally, approximately 60% of the $40 billion spent annually
on early child care and education is paid by the families of those children; and
WHEREAS, The vast majority of the money spent goes to pay for direct
services to children, with only a small percentage supporting infrastructure, such as
quality assurance and capital costs for facilities; and
WHEREAS, A growing body of research has revealed the critical importance of
early child care and education to later achievement and learning; and
WHEREAS, While the State and federal governments support public
education and provide substantial support to public colleges, and State and federal
governments make substantial contributions targeted to early child care and
education for low-income families, public funding of early child care and education for
middle-income families is minimal; and
WHEREAS, Nationally, experts in financing are reviewing new approaches to
funding early child care and education services, including approaches modeled after
the funding mechanisms used for higher education; and
WHEREAS, A blue ribbon commission created by the State would make
possible an intensive review of innovative approaches to funding early child care and
education, including approaches modeled after methods used in financing higher
education, transportation, and housing; now, therefore,
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That:
(a) There is a Judith P. Hoyer Blue Ribbon Commission on the Financing of
Early Child Care and Education.
(b) The purpose of the Commission is to examine the costs and availability of
funding for early child care and education.
(c) The Commission shall:
(1) determine the total costs of early child care and education;
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- 3006 -
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