Maryland EXCELS reports that in July 2024, the program awarded bonuses to 154 licensed child care centers and registered family child care homes. The bonus amounts range from $1,000 to $13,500 and are awarded to child care programs that publish any quality ratings for the first time, raise their quality ratings, or republish a quality rating of 4 or 5.

The transition from middle school to high school can be challenging for many students, but Caroline County Public Schools has taken innovative steps to make this transition smoother. Leveraging the Maryland Leads grant program and partnering with BARR (Building Assets, Reducing Risk), they have created an innovative 9th Grade Academy at North Caroline High School.

This workgroup discusses and provides recommendations on instruction and services for students with disabilities. MSDE is deeply invested in the success of students with disabilities and ensuring that all Blueprint-related programming occurs based on the best-in-class evidence-based research and strategies.

With 700 enrolled students representing a diverse student body of 72% Hispanic and 17.8% African-American students in Montgomery County, Gaithersburg Elementary is a community school that provides services and support for students and their families that go beyond the classroom.

The Maryland Community Health Resources Commission (CHRC) is responsible for providing staff support for the Consortium. The CHRC will be working closely with the Administration, Maryland State Department of Education, Maryland Department of Health, Maryland General Assembly, and other key stakeholders to help recruit qualified individuals to serve on the Consortium.

This workgroup is charged with accelerating the academic achievement of more than 98,800 multilingual students. The purpose of the workgroup is to collect data, study national and international best-in-class practices and make recommendations for implementing and scaling those practices in Maryland public schools.

Under the More Resources for Students to be Successful pillar, a new Concentration of Poverty Grant was established to support schools with a high percentage of students living in poverty. The Blueprint also charges the Maryland State Department of Education to study and explore the application of more nuanced and sophisticated measures of poverty to better meet students' needs. 

Community schools are schools that develop and utilize partnerships that connect the school, students, families, and surrounding community to the resources needed in order to thrive. They highlight the assets in traditionally underserved communities and provide students and families with essential wraparound services and supports.