The number of child care providers in Frederick County fell 10.09% between Jan. 1, 2020, and Jan. 1, 2024. That’s the fourth smallest decrease in the state.
Meanwhile, the number of child care slots in Frederick County decreased from 10,352 on Jan. 1, 2020, to 9,485 on Jan. 1, 2024. That’s an 8.38% decrease — the 10th smallest in the state.
The number of top-rated child care facilities -- those with a rating of 5 on the state's EXCELS rating system -- actually grew in Frederick County from 19 in 2020 to 31 early this year.
Here’s what Bambi Blackwell, preschool director at Brook Hill Weekday Preschool in Frederick, had to say about the child care situation in Frederick County:
“I know the kids are there. I just don’t have the teachers to teach it. So that's a huge challenge: finding teachers who want to still teach.”
– Madi Eades