Department of Early Childhood, Federal and Special programs

The mission of the Department of Early Childhood, Federal and Special Programs is to provide customized support to identified schools impacted by poverty for the purpose of implementing and monitoring the requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and to provide comprehensive, research-based services to young children, ensuring their school success through partnerships with families, schools and the community.

We accomplish this by providing technical assistance to support:

Instructional programs, school improvement, and student achievement;
Parent, family, and community involvement; and
Program administration and fiscal compliance.

Early Childhood Programs and Services

Prekindergarten and Head Start - Low-income families with children who will be four years old by September 1, 2022 can apply.
Kindergarten Information - Your child must be five years old by September 1, 2022, to attend kindergarten in 2022-2023.
Judy Centers - Early childhood programs promoting school readiness
Our Mission and Vision

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Title I Programs

In Montgomery County Public Schools, Title I is one of several grants supervised by the Department of Early Childhood, Federal and Special Programs (DECFSP). This department is a part of the Division of School Leadership and Improvement. Responsibilities include providing coordination and a common focus for additional grant programs such as the School Improvement grant.

This unit is charged with implementing Title I, Part A under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB Act) and serves as a catalyst to connect programs and assist with systematic school improvement. These improvement efforts call for self-evaluation, strategic planning, and effective use of research-based practices and resources to increase student performance and close the achievement gap and are in full alignment with the Baldrige school improvement process.

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