Welcome to Maryland's Early Childhood Gateway

This resource is developed and maintained through a partnership between the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services and the Johns Hopkins University Center for Technology in Education, and supports the work of the Maryland Infants and Toddlers Program/Preschool Services Branch.

Through the Gateway you are able to access sections with resources dedicated to improving services for families with young children with disabilities.

There are four sections available through the Gateway:

Early Intervention: In this section you will learn more about Maryland's system of identifying needs and providing early intervention services to children with disabilities from birth to age three. Families, administrators, service providers, healthcare providers, staff of community-based early care and education programs, and other interested parties are invited to explore the site to locate information that can help inform programs and practices as well as individual child decision-making.


Preschool Special Education: The Preschool Special Education section of the Gateway is a clearinghouse for information about special education and services for preschool children with disabilities ages three through five.  Families, administrators, special educators, service providers, and other interested parties are invited to explore this site.


Early Childhood Tutorial: The Early Childhood Tutorial is an online educational tool that was developed to provide a clear and up-to-date training resource for early intervention and special education administrators, providers, and families.

The tutorial is designed to provide opportunities for users to learn essential information, apply the information individually or in groups, and to explore additional resources through reading lists and web links. We invite you to use the tutorial to increase your understanding of the framework and practices that guide Maryland's system for young children with disabilities and their families.
Early Childhood Community: The Early Childhood Community is a growing network of early childhood professionals and parents in Maryland. The community is supported by a Web-based tool called the Electronic Learning Community (ELC), a password-protected environment that promotes ongoing collaborative exchange and provides convenient channels for synchronous and asynchronous communication. The purpose of the community is to exchange knowledge and strategies to improve services for young children with disabilities and their families. The community also supports several professional development initiatives offered by the Maryland Infants and Toddlers Program/Preschool Services Branch.