Maine’s Departments of Education (DOE) and Health and Human Services (DHHS) successfully applied for a Preschool Development Grant (PDG-Birth to 5) to address quality, accessibility, and affordability of services for Maine’s children birth to age five and their families. The grant, awarded in January 2019, has five goals: 

1. Determine the current state of early care and education quality and access for Maine families 

2. Develop a Strategic Plan to address gaps in the birth-age 5 mixed delivery system 

3. Maximize parental knowledge and choice 

4. Share practices that are evidence-based 

5. Improve overall quality of programming for children birth-age five 

This report addresses the results of the first goal, conducting an assessment of the needs and strengths of early care and education quality and access for Maine’s vulnerable children ages birth-5 and their families. The report’s information about needs will be used to develop the strategic plan (presented as a separate report). (author abstract)