What’s next for pre-K expansion? Lawmakers respond to concerns from private providers

At Downtown Baltimore Child Care, 3-year-old Jaylen Robinson emphatically pronounces the letter “O” four times, waving a black-and-white alphabet tile in the air and placing it to spell the word “octopus.” His classmate Layla, also 3, marches down the stairs from the dramatic play area in a bright red fire hat. Normally, the center charges $1,800 a month, but Jaylen attends for free through a state-funded prekindergarten expansion grant and a separate, state-funded child care scholarship, in addition to a teacher’s discount that his mom earns for working at the school.