Full Day Program Guidance

Full-Day Pre-K and co-taught MINC-PK are available at select locations to four-year-olds who meet first-priority criteria or who have an IEP, as determined by the IEP team. Schools who have Full Day Pre-K and co-taught MINC-PK should not enroll Learning Together Program peers in these programs.

In alignment with the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, HCPSS Full-Day Pre-K and co-taught MINC-PK programs include the following structural elements:

• Student-to-instructional staff of no more than 10:1, at all times
• Class sizes of no more than 20 students per classroom
• A full-day, 6.5 hour program Evidence-based curriculum (Connect4Learning)
• Developmentally appropriate instructional methods
• Inclusion of students with disabilities to ensure access and participation in all program opportunities
• Individualized accommodations and supports for all students
• Professional development for all staff

Additional structural elements will be met by the following date:

• Continuous improvement and quality monitoring (2025-2026)
  • Maryland Accreditation
  • Maryland EXCELS
• Teacher and paraprofessional qualifications (2027-2028)

Please contact your assigned ECP Point of ContactLinks to an external site. with any questions.

At the following sites, Pre-K and MINC-PK will be full day, 5-days a week programs and will offer slots to income eligible students and students with IEPs. Please note that all 5-day, full-day programs (i.e., Full Day Pre-K, MINC-PK) participate in related arts. Programs vary by site; not all sites will have MINC-PK.

• Atholton
• Bellows Spring
• Bollman Bridge
• Bushy Park
• Bryant Woods
• Centennial Lane
• Cradlerock
• Deep Run*
• Ducketts Lane*
• Elkridge
• Forest Ridge
• Gorman Crossing*
• Guilford
• Hanover Hills*
• Jeffers Hill
• Laurel Woods
• Longfellow
• Phelps Luck
• Rockburn*
• Running Brook
• Stevens Forest
• Swansfield
• Talbott Springs
• Triadelphia Ridge
• Waterloo
• Waverly

*New full-day sites, 2024-2025.

All full-day programs (Pre-K, MINC-PK) have the following scheduling requirements:

• Evidence-based, interdisciplinary curriculum (Connect4Learning, Heggerty)
• Supplementary Curriculum Materials
• Targeted Instruction Options (20 minutes)
• Individualized Structured Teaching (ISTs) - MINC-PK Only
• Lunch (30 min)
• Recess (30 min)
• Related Arts (30 min)
• Nap/Rest (45 min)

Teams are required to incorporate all scheduling requirements daily, but the placement in the schedule can be left to the discretion of school administration and the grade level team. 

Sample schedules that align to scheduling requirements can be found in the Full-Day Program Scheduling GuidelinesLinks to an external site.. An optional Back to School Night slideLinks to an external site. is available for use; this slide can be downloaded and adapted for specific school schedules.

Please see the Curriculum Requirement tab for more details about instructional resources.

Tier I Curriculum Requirements

Use of all Tier I materials is required for all students enrolled in full-day prekindergarten (Pre-K, MINC-PK). Teams must use these resources as the primary instructional resource. Materials may be further adapted or scaffolded to support student learning needs, but cannot be eliminated or replaced.

The following curricular materials are required:

• Connect4Learning
  • Welcome/Read Aloud
  • C4L Centers (see Unit Guides)
  • Connect
  • Small Group
  • Fast Focus
• Heggerty Phonological Awareness Curriculum
  
  • Daily, beginning Quarter II
• Supplementary Lessons and Instructional Resources
  
  • Health
  • Mathematics Links to an external site.
  • Social Studies
• Individualized Structured Teaching (ISTs) - MINC-PK Only
  • 2 ISTs/day are required for each MINC -PK Student with an IEP

Teachers may develop or use their supplemental materials IN ADDITION TO Tier I requirements to meet the needs of students and address specific standards with greater specificity. These materials may include teacher-developed lessons, games, and centers.

Targeted Instructional Options

Approximately 20 minutes are included in the Full Day schedule for Targeted Instructional Options, which are at the team or teacher's descretion.

Targeted Instructional Options will vary by time of year and needs of the students. Teams should use data to plan and implement options that meet the needs of their students. Options include but are not limited to:

• High Impact Early Literacy Practices Links to an external site.
• Reread of Story
• Interactive Read Aloud
• Pre-Teaching/Re-Teaching any content or subject area
• Oral Language/Speaking and Listening
• Social Emotional Learning

The 20 minutes allocated for these options do not have to be consecutive and can be placed according to scheduling needs.

Note: High Impact Literacy Practices Links to an external site. describes several evidence-based practices that can be used to support early literacy development in complement to the approved curriculum materials.  

Lee & Low Classroom Libraries

The Office of Early Childhood Programs provides each classroom with a collection of multicultural books. The books affirm the windows and mirrors mindset and provide all children with the opportunity to see themselves and others in pictures, text and themes, and directly links to the instructional goals of the PreK classroom.

Each book was carefully selected by Early Childhood Programs to enhance the C4L units, highlighting a wide range of diverse characters and themes by award-winning authors and illustrators from diverse backgrounds. The supplemental resource is aligned with the C4L units and can be used at any point throughout the day and year. See the Lee and Low Classroom Libraries Canvas page for more information.

Assessment Requirements

Ongoing progress monitoring is required for all Pre-K students. Progress of mastery towards 4-year-old standards are assessed and/or reported through the following resources:

• HCPSS Beginning of the Year Parent Conferences and Questionnaire
• HCPSS Early Reading Behavior Checklist
• HCPSS Learning Progress Form
• HCPSS Quarterly Report Cards
• C4L Pre-K Formative Assessments
• Teacher-developed assessment, performance tasks, student portfolios, and anecdotal notes.

See Prekindergarten Progress Monitoring Requirements for more information and Grading Tools Links to an external site. for resources.

Class Size

The following are class size caps and average seat ratios for students from income eligibile householdsLinks to an external site. and those who have an IEP.

• Pre-K: 20 students/class (14:6)
• MINC-PK: 14 students/class (8:6)

Every effort is made to prioritize student enrollment at their home school, so some program ratios may vary based on countywide needs, program locations, staffing, and transportatoin availability (e.g., MINC-PK: 7:7; Pre-K, 12:8; Pre-K, 16:4).

Ratios

Pre-K and co-taught MINC-PK teams should review their staffing and work with their administrators to develop a schedule for student support and coverage at all times during the school day. Coverage must meet COMAR requirements (i.e., 1:10 instructional staff to student ratio) and consider the needs of all students in order to support meaningful engagement, participation, and learning. 

Instructional staff to student ratios may be higher at the beginning of the year, but transition to less direct support or fewer adults in specific settings (e.g., Related Arts) to support increasing independence and the transition to kindergarten. For example, a team may have 4 adults (1 teacher, 2 paras, 1 related arts teacher) join students for Related Arts at the beginning of the year as routines and expectations are established. As the year progresses, the ratio transitions to the 1:10 requirement (e.g., 1 para, 1 related arts teacher). 

Family Connection

Full-day Pre-K and co-taught MINC-PK program teachers will engage families in monthly check-ins called "Family Connection." The purpose of the Family Connection session is to develop a positive educational relationship between the family and the school community.

Family Connection is a process where families engage in a session with instructional staff for the purpose of:

• increasing awareness;
• providing differentiated support;
• addressing concerns and discussing solutions; and,
• developing school readiness skills in all domains of learning.

Additionally, the Family Connection values parents for their role as their child's first teacher. Family Connection may take place in the small group so families can build a support network and discuss shared concerns and solutions with each other (e.g., families with similar needs such as interpreters, instructional supports, etc.).

For more information about Family Connection, including scheduling requirements, please visit the Family Connection Canvas page.

Instructional Materials

Each year, Early Childhood Programs allocates per pupil funds as “Pre-K” or 1302. School teams may use these funds for additional purchases; other requests may be made to ECP and EIS and will be considered based on available budget, but are not guaranteed.

All programs going through Accreditation will receive an additional allocation to support additional purchases, as identified through the Program Improvement Planning process.

For brand-new classrooms, Early Childhood Programs and Early Intervention Services will coordinate the purchase and/or delivery of classroom materials and furniture. This includes items on the Early Childhood Pre-K Classroom Inventory, Office of Purchasing Pre-K Inventory, and MINC-PK Inventories. Schools will receive updates on the purchase of materials via email.

Rest Mats

Rest mats must be cleaned daily using approved cleaning materials; please see your building services staff for more informaton.

To the greatest extent possible, it is recommended that programs request a fitted crib sheet from each family. These should be sent home each Friday for cleaning and returning on Monday. Programs can discuss alternative options with administrators, as desired.

Beginning in SY24-25, all replacement and new rest mats will include a 5-year-warranty. Please contact the Office of Early Childhood Programs for next steps if you need replacement rest mats.

Staffing

The number of Full Day PK classrooms (Pre-K, MINC-PK) assigned to schools are included in the total class count/overall staffing allocations for Related Arts. PK classes (Full Day Pre-K and MINC-PK) should not be sprinkled for Related Arts.

Pre-K and co-taught MINC-PK teams should review their staffing and develop a schedule for student support and coverage during Related Arts. Coverage must meet COMAR requirements (i.e., 1:10 instructional staff to student ratio) and consider the needs of all students in order to support meaningful engagement. Considerations should also be given for staff coverage based on the need for close adult supervision (CAS) for individual students with IEPs as specified in their Supplemental Aids & Services.

Scheduling Requirements and Considerations

Each full-day program has 30-minutes of Related Arts each day, with each subject included once a week. 

At the beginning of the year, instruction in each setting should focus on building community, routines, and procedures so students can participate meaningfully in more content-specific instruction once these important foundational components are established. This takes time and should occur throughout September, and may need to be revisited throughout the year, based on student needs. 

Grading and Reporting

Related Arts grades are reported quarterly. Related Arts teachers should provide prekindergarten teachers (Pre-K, MINC-PK) with feedback to inform Related Arts report card grades. The classroom teachers are responsible for determining and entering the final grade based upon additional evidence gathered during centers and other learning opportunities related to the Maryland Early Learning Standards. For more information, please see Guidance for Related Arts and Full-Day Prekindergarten Programs

Students with IEPs will be assigned to a prekindergarten class with general education students. Each student’s IEP services will be provided within general education unless otherwise dictated by their IEP. Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) may occur inside or outside of the general education setting as dictated by their IEP. General education and special education staff are expected to co-plan and co-implement SDI to meet the needs of students with IEPs. General education teachers, paraeducators and student assistants may also implement IEP services under the guidance and supervision of the special education teacher and/or Related Service Provider.

All students with IEPs will receive quarterly progress updates which will include a grade-level report card as well as an IEP Progress Report. These progress updates should be completed collaboratively between the general educator, the special educator, and related services providers, as appropriate. The general education teacher MUST be a participant in all IEP meetings for the FD Pre-K and co-Taught MINC-PK students with IEPs.

As part of the daily requirements, all Full Day Pre-K and co-taught MINC-PK classrooms will also have Targeted Instruction Options (20 minutes). For students with IEPs, this may also include pre-teaching, re-teaching or Individualized Structured Teaching (IST) sessions. These individualized options can be within a whole group, small group, or individually based on the needs of the student. Additional Family Connection sessions may be offered for students with IEPs (up to weekly) based on family-identified topics. These additional sessions would be individualized to help support the student’s IEP needs at home and/or the community (Tier 3). For more information about the Family Connection Tiers of Implementation, please visit the  Family Connection Canvas page.

MINC-PK ONLY

All students with IEPs will have Individualized Structured Teaching (ISTs) on their IEP (Supplemental Aids & Services). For these students, thoughtful consideration should be given to time of day, location, and what may be missed from the general education curriculum during this time period. These sessions will follow the IST guidelines shared by Early Intervention Services.

• Time of Day: ISTs may occur at any time throughout the school day, depending on the needs of the individual student. Suggested times include, but are not limited to: Student Choice Centers, Teacher-Selected Centers, Small Groups, Heggerty, and Project Time.
• Locations: The locations should be planned and intentional based on the skill being addressed, the concurrent classroom activities, and the learning style of the student. They may include: alternate location within the classroom, selected area of the classroom, or outside of the classroom. If ISTs are routinely outside of the classroom, please consult with your EIS Resource Teacher to determine if IEP changes are warranted.
• Frequency: 2-3 ISTs/day (using the least to most prompting hierarchy) should be a component of each day for every student with an IEP in the co-taught MINC-PK.

INFORMATION AND APPLICATION FOR FREE AND REDUCED MEALS (FARMS)

HCPSS participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, which provide families with significant benefits to help save money. Qualification is based on family size and income, and enrollment is confidential. All children in households receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can get free meals regardless of income, and students from households that meet federal income guidelines are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. Those eligible for reduced-price lunch pay $0.10 and breakfast is free.

Families may apply online via the HCPSS websiteLinks to an external site. or submit paper applications, which are available at school front offices. Families sould submit only one application per household. Families that need computer or language assistance to apply online, should contact their child’s school. For more information regarding the FARMs program, please visit the HCPSS websiteLinks to an external site..

Quick Links

   Full-Day Program Scheduling GuidelinesLinks to an external site.

   Guidance for Full-Day Prekindergarten ProgramsLinks to an external site.

   Guidance for Related Arts and Full-Day Prekindergarten ProgramsLinks to an external site.

   Full Day Pre-K Program Information Session for Administrators

   Co-Taught Classroom Roles and Responsibilities Links to an external site.

  Optional Back to School Night Slide

  Early Childhood Enrollment and Registration (Canvas)

  2024-2025 Pre-K Application Links to an external site.

Links to an external site.