Maryland EXCELS promotes quality by awarding ratings that are based on nationally recognized quality standards and best practices to child care centers, school-age child care programs, family child care homes, and public prekindergarten programs.

Programs earn ratings on five progressive quality rating levels. A rating of ‘1’ is awarded to providers and programs that successfully meet initial requirements, while a rating of ‘5’ is awarded to those that have achieved the highest level of quality.

Maryland families can search for child care and early education programs participating in Maryland EXCELS near them using the Maryland EXCELS Find a Program tool. Each program’s quality rating is available to families to help them make informed choices in the care of their children.

When families choose a program that participates in Maryland EXCELS, they can be confident that:

1. The program has achieved a quality rating based on nationally recognized standards and best practices that exceed state licensing requirements.
2. The program is committed to continuous quality improvement and is supported by Maryland EXCELS.