The mission of the Judy Center is to provide comprehensive, integrated, full-day, full-year services that promote school readiness for children birth through age five.

This mission requires the development of collaborative, integrated programs and approaches that support the young children’s development in social and emotional, language and literacy, cognitive and general knowledge, approaches toward learning, and physical well-being and motor areas enhancing readiness for school while supporting families in their abilities to support their children’s early learning.

The Judy Center’s purpose is to ensure school readiness for all students entering school.

Judy Hoyer’s vision and life achievements were devoted to improving the lives of young children. She succeeded in shaping and enhancing the futures of thousands of students throughout Maryland. After her death, her husband, Congressman Steny Hoyer continued her efforts by making funding possible for the establishment of Judy Centers throughout Maryland.

 The Judith P. Hoyer Early Child Care and Education Enhancement Program was established in July 2000 through Senate Bill 793. As a result of this legislation, the Maryland General assembly allocated $7 million to establish the Judith P Hoyer Early Child Care and Education Enhancement Centers (hereafter, the Judy Centers), provide Enhancement Grants for private providers , and track progress in school readiness using Ready 4 Kindergarten – Maryland’s Early Childhood Comprehensive Assessment System (KRA). The Maryland State Judy Centers were designed to provide a comprehensive set of services for at-risk children birth through age five and their families. Judy Centers are located in or affiliated with elementary schools and provide full-day, full-year services. Services were designed to foster a child’s readiness for school. Each county across Maryland has been awarded grants to establish Judy Centers.