Maryland requires teachers to potty train students as pre-K enrollment surges

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Maryland’s four largest school districts have implemented a state policy requiring teachers to provide potty training assistance to children up to age 5 as taxpayer-funded pre-kindergarten programs expand to serve more low-income families, according to the Washington Times.

Maryland is the only state that directs teachers — rather than aides or nurses — to assist students with toilet training. The policy took effect in Anne Arundel County Public Schools, the state’s fourth-largest district with roughly 84,000 students, in May. Montgomery County, Baltimore County and Prince George’s County had already adopted similar policies following a 2021 state law that expanded full-day early education to more low-income, immigrant and minority families.

The mandate stems from the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a 2021 law that included an $84.8 million increase for the state’s Prekindergarten Grant Program. The funding provides free full-day preschool to 3- and 4-year-olds from families living at up to 300% of the federal poverty level. As enrollment in the state’s pre-K programs surged from 23,616 children in 2021 to a record 47,811 last year, the state issued guidance formally extending a requirement for “individualized accommodations and supports for all students” to include “toileting supports.”

Spokespeople for the affected districts said they are following state law and guidance, with Montgomery County emphasizing that bathroom assistance is conducted legally and safely under established protocols. The Maryland State Education Association’s website urges teachers to document every toilet accident, ensure two adults are present when assisting a student and use praise rather than chastisement when addressing accidents.

The policy has drawn mixed reactions from education experts and advocacy groups. Erin O’Connor, director of NYU’s early childhood education program, said Maryland’s approach could benefit children who might otherwise fall behind in school, but warned that a blanket policy without trained staff and strong family partnerships risks shaming students, burdening teachers and creating conditions for child abuse with lasting psychological effects.

Conservative voices were more critical. Sheri Few, president of United States Parents Involved in Education, argued the policies reflect a system that increasingly treats children as belonging to the state rather than their parents. Officials at Focus on the Family said the trend signals a broader breakdown in family care standards across the country.

New York became the second state to adopt a statewide diapering and toileting requirement in April, though it directs aides or nurses rather than teachers to provide the assistance.

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Read more: Maryland school districts require teachers to potty-train toddlers as ’pre-K for all’ expands

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