On December 16, 2011, Maryland received a four-year, $50 million grant award from the US Department of Education under the national Race To the Top - Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant competition.  Maryland was one of only nine states receiving an award; a total of 35 states submitted grant applications.


NEW!  Click here for a PowerPoint overview of Maryland's RTT-ELC grant and the initiatives being pursued under the grant.

NEW!  Click here for the RTT-ELC Year 1 Status Report (January 1 - December 31, 2012), as included in a report to the Maryland State Board of Education.

NEW!  Click here for full text of the RTT-ELC Annual Performance Report 2012 – Year 1, submitted to the US Department of Education on February 15, 2013.

RTT-ELC Monthly Progress Updates – click on the links below for progress reports on the 10 projects comprising Maryland’s RTT-ELC State Plan:
    September 2012 Progress Update
    October 2012 Progress Update
    December 2012 Progress Update
    January 2013 Progress Update
    February 2013 Progress Update
    March 2013 Progress Update
    April 2013 Progress Report

Click here for a webinar presentation describing the purpose and projects of the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge grant.  To post questions and comments regarding the webinar, click here to go to our RTT-ELC “We’d Like to Hear from You” blog site.

Join the MSDE Division of Early Childhood Development’s ListServe to receive updates on the Early Learning Challenge grant and related activities.  Click on listsrv.msde.state.md.us, then select EARLY CHILDHOOD from the list and follow the instructions to subscribe.

Click here for information on how Maryland’s Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant supports children and families of Hispanic origin and children learning English.

NOTE:  Click here for Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge Grant Employment Opportunities!


·  Click here for the MSDE press release announcing Maryland's award.

·  Click here for a brief description of the ten projects included in Maryland’s Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant.

·  Click here for the full text of Maryland's application.

·  Click here for the complete set of appendix material submitted with Maryland’s application.  (NOTE: This is a very large file – 180.2 MB – so it may take several moments to display.)

·  Click here to go to the US Department of Education (USDE) website page that contains links to all 35 states’ grant applications and scores, along with comments on those applications made by USDE reviewers.