In Howard County, landing a spot in before- or after-care feels like winning the lottery—and most parents lose. Families sign up at 8 a.m. sharp, only to hit the dreaded waitlist. The issue isn’t classrooms; it’s people. Strict state credentialing and unattractive split-shifts make hiring tough, leaving programs capped. Parents are scrambling—some pay triple for private care, others cut hours, and one mom even brought her mother from Ohio to cover pickup.
New kindergarteners are often last in line, and kids with disabilities rarely have suitable options. Parents move here for strong schools but are stunned by the lack of wraparound care. For all the focus on academics, the real math problem is how families juggle work without reliable before- and after-care. Until staffing catches up, too many Howard County families will keep doing their own math—juggling jobs, kids, and care with no good answers.
