Maryland State Department of Education

What Maryland State Department of Education does

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) is the state government agency responsible for administering public education across Maryland, headquartered at 200 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore. The agency oversees 24 local education agencies serving all 23 Maryland counties plus Baltimore City, coordinating instruction across 1,400+ public schools, 7,000+ licensed child care providers, and 889,000+ public school students from pre-K through grade 12. MSDE operates a portfolio of programs including the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP), Child Care Scholarship Program, Special Education services (Maryland Infants and Toddlers, Preschool Special Education, Maryland Elevates), Career and Technical Education, the Judy Center Early Learning Hubs, the Community Schools Initiative, and the Pathmakers podcast. Technology infrastructure is described as standard government IT: web-based public records center, educator licensing portal, school data systems, and the Maryland School Report Card public reporting platform.

MSDE's revenue model is fundamentally governmental: the agency receives annual state budget appropriations from the Maryland General Assembly and federal education grants including ESSER ($3.2 billion cumulative), Title I-IV, IDEA, and Perkins funding, which it largely passes through to 24 local education agencies and grantees. Services to Maryland public school students are delivered free of charge through taxpayer funding; targeted programs such as the Child Care Scholarship use income-tested eligibility (e.g., family of four earning up to $90,033 annually). The agency does not generate commercial revenue and is not a private corporation. Go-to-market is statutory distribution through mandated LEAs, school systems, and credentialed providers, supplemented by direct-to-family public engagement channels (news releases, social media, GovDelivery newsletter, public State Board meetings). The defining commercial/operational model is the Blueprint for Maryland's Future (enacted 2021), which commits $3.8 billion in annual incremental education funding over 10 years, prioritizing early childhood, diverse-teacher recruitment, college/career readiness, and accountability.

Name

Maryland State Department of Education

Legal name

Maryland State Department of Education

Website

https://marylandpublicschools.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1916

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The Maryland State Department of Education is the state government agency administering Maryland's public K-12 system across 24 local education agencies, 1,400+ schools, and 7,000+ child care providers serving 889,000+ students, funded by state appropriations and federal grants through the Blueprint for Maryland's Future.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Education Administration

NAICS

Administration of Education Programs (92311)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial Education Department Administration (BPAIABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Title I & Compensatory Education Programs (EDAJAGAJ), Special Education (IEP/504) & Student Support Case Management (EDAFAEAI), Funding, Finance & Grants Reporting (Allocations, Claims, Reconciliation) (EDADAIAG)

Keywords

• Public education administration
• Educator certification services
• Statewide student assessment
• K-12 education funding
• Special education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. State Education Funding: State-funded education department receiving appropriations from Maryland state budget for public education administration, distributed to 24 local education agencies
2. Federal Education Funding: Federal grants including ESSER funds ($3.2 billion total), Title I, Title II, Title III, Title IV, IDEA, and Perkins funding distributed to local education agencies

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) is the state education agency that administers public education policy, distributes state and federal funding, oversees educator certification, conducts statewide student assessments, and provides program support to 24 local education agencies serving more than 1,400 public schools and 889,000 students across Maryland. The department operates grant programs for early childhood education, career and technical education, and special education, and implements the Blueprint for Maryland's Future education reform agenda.

Product overview

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) operates as a unified portfolio of educational programs and services rather than a traditional product company. The core offerings include child care scholarship programs, the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) for statewide student assessments, the Instructional Coaching Program for teacher development, and Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. MSDE administers extensive grant programs including Pre-K Expansion Grants, Maryland Robotics Grant, CTE Programs, Fine Arts Grants, and the Judy Center Early Learning Hub. Special education services include Maryland's Infants and Toddlers Program, Preschool Special Education, and the Maryland Elevates online resource platform. The Community Schools Initiative provides wraparound services through Concentration of Poverty Grants. Additional programs include the National Board Certification Support, Science of Reading Initiative, Principal Apprenticeship Cohorts, Farm to School Program, and various career/college readiness pathways through P-TECH and CTE programs. MSDE also operates digital platforms including the Maryland School Report Card, Public Records Center, State Board Public Comment Platform, and the Pathmakers podcast series. The department oversees 24 local education agencies serving over 889,000 public school students across Maryland's 1,400+ public schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Child Care Scholarship Program Financial assistance program that subsidizes child care costs for eligible working families in Maryland, covering children from birth through age 12. A family of four can earn up to $90,033 per year and still qualify for assistance.
• Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) Statewide student assessment program measuring proficiency in English language arts and mathematics, used to evaluate educational outcomes and progress across Maryland public schools.
• Maryland School Report Card Public reporting platform providing enrollment data, MCAP performance metrics, graduation rates, attendance data, and student services information for all Maryland schools.
• Educator Certification and Licensure Program State-run program for applying, renewing, and managing Maryland educator certification, including National Board Certification fee support with salary incentives up to $17,000 annually.
• Public Records Center Online portal for Maryland Public Information Act requests, enabling public access to MSDE government records in compliance with state transparency requirements.
• Maryland Elevates Comprehensive online resource platform for special education leaders, families, and providers, featuring resources for early childhood, specially designed instruction, and secondary transition.
• Maryland's Infants and Toddlers Program Early intervention program providing services to children with disabilities from birth through age 3 and their families across Maryland.
• State Board Public Comment Platform Online registration system allowing Maryland residents to submit public comments at State Board of Education meetings on educational policy matters.
• Prekindergarten Expansion Grant Program State grant program that expands access to high-quality, free pre-K education for qualifying Maryland families through authorized providers.
• Pathmakers Podcast Podcast series featuring MSDE leadership discussing Maryland's college, career, and post-secondary advancement pathways for students.

Quantifiable outcome

• Third consecutive year of performance increases for Maryland students
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Celebree SchoolcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 June 2026Nine Celebree School Maryland locations authorized as largest provider of Maryland's Pre-K Expansion Grant Program, enabling qualifying families to access free, high-quality Pre-K education
• National AquariummajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026Partnership providing no-cost visits for 52,000 students and free/reduced admission for over 109,000 guests through MSDE collaboration
• Maryland Department of the EnvironmentmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026Collaborating on Schoolyard Forests Program expansion during Earth Week 2026, planting 30 native trees at Northview Elementary in Prince George's County
• Maryland Department of Natural ResourcesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026Collaborating on Schoolyard Forests Program expansion as part of Maryland's 5 Million Trees initiative (1.5 million trees planted toward goal of 5 million by 2031)
• Child TrendsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 April 2026Research partnership producing interactive map showing how approximately 30,000 Maryland families used the state Child Care Scholarship subsidy program, funded by federal Administration for Children and Families
• Pathways AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 March 2026Launching inaugural Principal Apprenticeship Cohorts to develop Registered Principal Apprenticeship Programs nationwide, with selected state education agencies including Maryland receiving 10 months of intensive technical assistance
• Prepared to TeachmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 March 2026Partner in Principal Apprenticeship Cohorts initiative to expand Registered Principal Apprenticeship Programs nationwide
• Educator Workforce InitiativesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 March 2026Partner in Principal Apprenticeship Cohorts initiative to develop principal apprenticeship programs
• NYS Educator Workforce Development HubmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 March 2026Partner in Principal Apprenticeship Cohorts initiative to develop principal apprenticeship programs
• CASH Campaign of MarylandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026Co-hosting the 13th annual Maryland Financial Education and Capability Awards recognizing educators and organizations for financial education programs statewide
• Maryland Council on Economic EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026Co-hosting the 13th annual Maryland Financial Education and Capability Awards recognizing educators and organizations for financial education programs statewide
• Bowie State UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 December 2025Received $586,000 in MSDE grants for Ujima SAGE Peer Consultation Project (statewide peer consultation model for school counselors) and Child Care Career and Professional Development Fund (higher education access for child care providers)
• Public Consulting Group (PCG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 October 2025MSDE partnered with PCG and Johns Hopkins University to expand the Special Education Director and Aspiring Leaders Academy for 2025-26 school year, developing leadership capacity among special education leaders and supporting early childhood programs in Maryland
• Johns Hopkins UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 October 2025Collaborating with MSDE and Public Consulting Group on the Special Education Director and Aspiring Leaders Academy to develop leadership capacity among special education leaders

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Education Trust: National nonprofit focused on equity and achievement gap closure in K-12, frequently partnering with state agencies like MSDE on accountability and improvement initiatives.
• Council of Chief State School Officers: National association representing state education chiefs that convenes agencies like MSDE for policy development, peer learning, and federal advocacy; not a competitor but a close ecosystem partner.

Direct peers

• Illinois State Board of Education: State education governance body overseeing school funding, educator preparation, and accountability; comparable regulatory scope and stakeholder engagement model to MSDE.
• Pennsylvania Department of Education: State-level education authority administering certification, special education, and federal program distribution across 500+ school districts; structurally analogous to MSDE.
• Virginia Department of Education: Neighboring mid-Atlantic state education agency with similar LEAs, federal Title programs, and statewide assessment infrastructure; closely comparable operating model to MSDE.
• Texas Education Agency: Texas's state education agency overseeing funding distribution, accountability, and standards for over 1,000 districts; mirrors MSDE's role as Blueprint-style reform driver at massive scale.
• Florida Department of Education: Florida's K-12 governing authority with comparable functions in statewide assessment, school accountability, educator certification, and federal fund pass-through.
• North Carolina Department of Public Instruction: North Carolina's state education agency operating with similar K-12 oversight, federal pass-through administration, and statewide assessment programs to MSDE.
• New York State Education Department: State education agency that administers standards, certification, Title programs, and federal pass-through funding analogous to MSDE's responsibilities in Maryland.
• California Department of Education: State education agency administering K-12 policy, funding, and accountability for the largest US public school system; directly comparable to MSDE in scope, structure, and statewide regulatory authority.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MdPublicSchools
• Xx.com/MdPublicSchools
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maryland-state-department-of-education

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Maryland State Department of Education