County Executive Marc Elrich Request for Child Care Provider Teacher-Child Ratio Waiver Approved by the Maryland State Department of Education

For Immediate Release: Thursday, November 19, 2020

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich announced today that the Maryland State Department of Education granted Montgomery County an important waiver to allow the County to maintain its relaxed teacher-child ratios for child care providers to above what is required in the Code of Maryland Regulations or COMAR. This is a significant development for child care providers and the safety of children in the County. Montgomery County has remained in Phase 2 which included a relaxed teacher-child ratio; these relaxed ratios were scheduled to end on Nov. 30, 2020 across the State.  This Montgomery County specific waiver will enable child care programs to maintain the Phase 2 staffing ratios as COVID-19 cases continue to increase in Montgomery County and across the State. 

The waiver permits licensed child care centers serving preschool age children (three to five-year-olds) and school age children (five to 12-year-olds) to maintain a 14:1 ratio, with a maximum classroom size of 15. Family child care homes may not have more than 15 people in the residence while operating their program. 

“I want to thank Superintendent Karen Salmon for her consideration and approving this very important waiver,” said County Executive Elrich.  “We pushed for this waiver because we wanted to ensure that child care facilities for teachers, children and their families are safe.  In addition, we wanted to make sure that the providers have teacher-child ratios that make operating economically viable for them.  I understand how important child care is to all families with young children and especially to frontline and essential workers who are required to work outside their homes every day.  Today’s decision is really a victory for them.” 

The provisions of the waiver go into effect immediately.  Child care providers can contact the County’s Child Care Resource and Referral Center at 240-777-3110 for additional information or visit the County’s COVID-19 website. 

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Media Contact, Mary Anderson, mary.anderson@montgomerycountymd.gov

Release ID: 20-720
Media Contact: Mary Anderson 240-777-6507