Maryland board adopts updated early learning standards emphasizing neuroscience, inclusion

The Maryland State Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt updated early learning standards intended to align the state's birth-to-prekindergarten guidance with current brain‑science and classroom practice. The board approved the standards after a presentation from MSDE officials, who said the documents replace decade-old guidelines that were not written as enforceable state standards.

MSDE Deputy Superintendent Dan Collins and Dr. Shana Cook of the Division of Early Childhood said the revision reshapes age bands by months rather than years, adds a single early cognition/STEAM domain, and embeds teacher actions and child examples designed to be culturally responsive and developmentally appropriate. The standards include specific callouts and examples for children experiencing homelessness, children with disabilities and those who speak a home language other than English.

Dr. Cook said WestEd partnered with MSDE and that the department solicited feedback from roughly 75 stakeholders via focus groups and interviews, then benchmarked the draft against other states. "We centered neuroscience of brain development," she said, noting the role of play, executive function and quality adult–child interactions in early learning.

Supporters from the field joined the meeting in person and on video. Charo Torres, executive director of the Latino Child Care Association, told the board the standards will help close early gaps by making instruction and family engagement more equitable for children from diverse backgrounds.

Board members said the work was long overdue and praised the emphasis on equity and arts integration in STEAM. The Board's Education Policy Committee had recommended adoption at its February meeting; the full board approved the standards during the session and asked MSDE to follow with professional‑learning and public‑communication plans to help implementation.

MSDE said next steps include stakeholder briefings, professional learning for early childhood teachers, and development of a pre‑K science standard for the gap year (pre‑K4) to align with K–12 science standards. The department also plans an early learning symposium in April to support rollout and invited board members to attend.

The new standards take effect per MSDE implementation timelines; local districts and private providers will be given guidance and training windows so curricula and materials can be aligned before broader administration.