Montgomery County committee adds $1 million for Working Parents Assistance, puts $125,000 advocacy post on reconciliation list

Montgomery County officials on the joint Early Care & Education and DHHS committee advanced a set of FY27 budget recommendations on early childhood services on a vote that added funding to the county�s Working Parents Assistance (WPA) program and put a state advocacy position on the reconciliation list.

The committee agreed to add the County Executive�s recommended $500,000 for WPA and, by motion and without objection, add a second $500,000 tranche to the reconciliation list to expand capacity. Committee members later moved and unanimously approved adding $125,000 to the reconciliation list for a state‑level advocacy position to support coalition building and efforts to secure dedicated funding for early childhood services.

Why it matters: County staff said the department consolidated Head Start, the county WPA subsidy and other programs into a unified Early Childhood Services unit to create a single entry point and more nimble budgeting. Officials said the realignment let DHHS clear the county WPA birth‑to‑5 waitlist and begin accepting applicants previously on the state child care scholarship waitlist. The…