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Judy Centers are named after the late Judith P. Hoyer, an early childhood advocate and Supervisor of Early Childhood Education for Prince George's County, Maryland Public Schools. In 1993, with the opening of the Early Childhood and Family Learning Center in Adelphi, Maryland, Mrs. Hoyer brought to life an innovative vision for housing educational and other community services in one building. This unique approach provided collaboration among specialists in various programs to better serve children and their families.

After her untimely death in 1997, "Judy Centers" began opening across the state with grant funds provided by the Maryland State Department of Education to carry out her legacy. Thousands of young children and their families are benefiting from Mrs. Hoyer's expertise and foresight. Today, the programs and activities offered through the Judy Centers reflect her vision of how professionals must collaborate to integrate a wide spectrum of early childhood education programs and family support services for children age birth through kindergarten.

Judy Centers were written into Maryland law in May 2000 (Annotated Code of Maryland, Education Article, §5-215) and are important components of the act entitled, "Judith P. Hoyer Early Child Care and Education Enhancement Program." Since that time, additional funding streams, including federal, private, and local, have resulted in expansion of the number of Judy Centers from 24 in 2002 to 52 today.

Through collaborative partnerships with community agencies, organizations and businesses, Judy Center services are comprehensive with strong links to schools and community programs.

Judy Centers Partnerships must include:

  • Pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and preschool special education
  • The local Maryland Infants and Toddlers Program
  • Collaboration with Family Support Network
  • Child care providers to ensure the availability of high quality full-time child care and before and after school programs
  • The Family Support Networks serving the birth-21 population with special needs at the public school system

Judy Centers must also integrate into their activities at least five of the following community partners:

  • Public libraries
  • Child Care Resource Centers
  • Head Start
  • Healthy Families
  • Family Support Centers
  • Early childhood programs associated with colleges or universities
  • Other home visiting, community health, and family support services partners

Judy Centers are monitored on a regular basis and are required to meet the following 12 Component Standards:

I. Full Day/Full Year Programming

II. Provision of Breakfast/Lunch

III. Service Coordination and Family Support

IV. Integration of Early Education Services

V. Family Involvement

VI. Early Identification/Intervention 

VII. Inclusion of Young Children with Disabilities

VIII. Health Services

IX. Professional Development

X. Adult Education/Family Literacy

XI. Maryland EXCELS/Accreditation/Validation

XII. Judy Center Partnership/Leadership

A list of the 12 Component Standards is available here (PDF).

Research confirms that high quality care and education are critical to a child's future school success. A child's early experiences set the stage for future learning. Judy Centers work with all the environments children may be in before entering school, including Head Start, child care, nursery schools, and children at home with a parent or other relative. If all caregivers are knowledgeable of child development and engage in appropriate activities with young children, the children will be better prepared for school. Working with children birth to 3 years of age also allows Judy Centers to identify children with developmental delays or other special needs. This is extremely important because early intervention can give a child and his family the services and support necessary to ensure that by the time he or she enters school, the child can develop to his or her potential.

Judy Centers are located in all of Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City. There are currently 51 Judy Centers. They are serving approximately 18,000 young children who live in 59 elementary school zones.