Child Care Centers - Teacher Qualifications - Alterations

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0539*

HOUSE BILL 539
F5 6lr2210
HB 1303/25 – W&M
By: Delegates Mireku–North, Coley, Feldmark, Kaiser, Palakovich Carr, Pasteur,
Ruff, Taveras, and Wolek
Introduced and read first time: January 27, 2026
Assigned to: Ways and Means

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Child Care Centers – Teacher Qualifications – Alterations 2

FOR the purpose of requiring the State Board of Education to provide a pathway for certain 3
individuals to attest to qualifying educational credentials to be a child care teacher 4
teaching in a child care center; and generally relating to the qualifications of a child 5
care teacher. 6

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 7
Article – Education 8
Section 9.5–404(a) 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
Article – Education 13
Section 9.5–404(b)(13) and (c) 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 16

BY adding to 17
Article – Education 18
Section 9.5–404(c) 19
Annotated Code of Maryland 20
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 21

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 22
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 23

Article – Education 24

2 HOUSE BILL 539

9.5–404. 1

(a) The State Board shall adopt rules and regulations for licensing and operating 2
child care centers. 3

(b) These rules and regulations shall: 4

(13) Subject to subsection [(c)] (D) of this section, establish probationary 5
employment qualifications for an individual who is applying for the first time to be a child 6
care teacher in a child care center in the State that serves preschool or school–age children 7
who are at least 3 years old. 8

(C) (1) THESE RULES AND REGUL ATIONS SHALL PROVIDE A PATHWAY 9
FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS QUALIFIED TO BE A CHILD CARE TEACHER, BUT LACKS 10
PROOF OF NECESSARY EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, TO ATTEST TO THE QUALIFYING 11
EDUCATIONAL CREDENTIALS HELD BY THE INDIVIDUAL. 12

(2) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH A PROCESS TO CARRY OUT 13
THIS SUBSECTION. 14

[(c)] (D) (1) The probationary employment qualifications established under 15
subsection (b)(13) of this section shall allow an individual to be employed as a child care 16
teacher during a probationary period if the individual: 17

(i) 1. Is enrolled in approved pre–service training; 18

2. Successfully completes the required 90 hours of the 19
approved pre–service training within 6 months after being hired; and 20

3. Holds an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree in: 21

A. Early childhood education; 22

B. Elementary education; 23

C. Child development; 24

D. Home economics; 25

E. Nursing; 26

F. Social work; 27

G. Special education; or 28

H. A related field approved by the Department; or 29
HOUSE BILL 539 3

(ii) 1. Is enrolled in approved pre–service training; 1

2. Has successfully completed at least 45 hours of the 2
approved pre–service training at the time the child care center hires the individual; 3

3. Successfully completes the remaining hours of the 4
pre–service training within 6 months after being hired; and 5

4. Holds an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree in a field 6
other than a field listed under item (i)3 of this paragraph. 7

(2) If, at the end of the 6–month probationary period, an individual 8
described in paragraph (1) of this subsection has not completed the required pre –service 9
training, the child care center shall, with no further cause, terminate the individual or 10
reassign the individual to a nonteaching position. 11

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 12
1, 2026. 13