Maryland's Preschool Special Education Services

Maryland's Preschool Special Education Services include special instruction and related services provided to young children, ages three through five, who qualify under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA, Part B, Section 619). Through its twenty-four local school systems (23 counties and Baltimore City), and Maryland School for the Deaf and Maryland School for the Blind, Maryland's Preschool Services program ensures the provision of a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to all eligible children at no cost to their families, and in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). LRE ensures that young children with disabilities should receive services in typical community-based early childhood settings and programs whenever possible, and only go to more restrictive or specialized settings when individual needs require it.