Near-universal pre-K is on the horizon in Maryland. Baltimore knows the challenges.

Free pre-K is on the table for every 4-year-old in Baltimore City, giving parents a reprieve as the price of child care soars — even if it sometimes means accepting an open spot outside of a family’s neighborhood school. Baltimore City Public Schools is ahead of the curve in offering what effectively amounts to universal prekindergarten for 4-year-olds, as the district has done for at least a decade.