LEONARDTOWN, Md. — St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) will begin to accept 2026-2027 Pre-Kindergarten 4 Applications on Monday, April 13, 2026. The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future aims to expand high-quality, full-day Pre-kindergarten to economically disadvantaged families with children who are 4 years old on or before September 1, 2026.
All families are welcome to apply; however, income is the primary qualifier for eligibility and acceptance. Families with an annual income at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) or families that are experiencing homelessness are deemed income eligible and will be accepted first. The Maryland State Department of Education has provided a Federal Poverty Level calculator to assist in determining income eligibility.
All applications will be screened and assigned a Tier Status based on income.
Families with an annual income that exceeds 301% FPL will be placed on the over-income threshold and waitlisted. Families are advised to seek alternate options to meet their childcare needs should seat capacity be filled. After October 1, 2026, depending upon available seats and school location, waitlisted families may be contacted in rank order and offered a space where seats and locations are available. The Early Childhood Education Team will notify families of their acceptance or waitlist status, beginning May 15, 2026.
Families must submit all required documents with the applications in order for the application to be screened for eligibility. Required documents:
• Proof of Birth (Birth Certificate, valid and unexpired Passport/Visa, Physician’s Certificate, Baptismal/Church Certificate, or Birth Registration)
• Proof of Residency (Deed, Mortgage, Rental Agreement/Lease, Current Property Tax Bill, or Current Utility Bill with 911 address)
• Income Verification (2025 W-2/1040/1099 or three recent consecutive pay stubs). Households that receive additional income from Child Support, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA), Social Security Benefits (SSA), Social Security Insurance (SSI), or Medicaid must disclose those income sources
The 2026-2027 Pre-Kindergarten Application guidance is located on the SMCPS website at www.smcps.org. You may also submit questions via the Helpdesk form, call 301-475-5511 ext. 32136, or contact Mrs. Charlottis Woodley, Director of Title I and Family Engagement, at cmwoodley@smcps.org.