Education Legislation

Here's a list of relevant education-related legislation that's been proposed this year. For each bill, below I've listed the number, a link to the text, a summary, and my stance on it.

HB1: Education - Youth Athletes - Concussions

- http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/hb/hb0001f.pdf

- Summary: Requires county Boards of Education and the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association to provide education regarding concussions and take appropriate action related to such injuries.

- Stance: Support with amendment (the school system can't be held accountable for educating all people involved in non-school related youth activities)

HB38/SB489: Nonpublic Schools Accepting State Funds – Bullying, Harassment, and Intimidation – Policies

- http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/hb/hb0038f.pdf
- Summary: Nonpublic schools that accept state funds must adopt an anti-bullying/harassment policy.

- Stance: Support

HB44/SB53: Education - Waiver from Maintenance of Effort Requirement - Process and Factors
- http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/hb/hb0044f.pdf
- Summary: Changes certain factors regarding the Maintenance of Effort requirement and waiver process.
- Stance: Support with amendment (allowing a county's history of exceeding MOE to be evaluated in the context of the MSDE Education Effort Index)

HB73: Vehicle Laws - School Buses - Prohibition on Permitting Sitting on Floor or Standing

- http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/hb/hb0073f.pdf

- Summary: Prohibits a person responsible for students on a school bus from permitting said students from standing or sitting on the floor.

- Stance: Oppose (Issue is already addressed in COMAR - penalizing transportation staff is unnecessary)

HB127/SB262: State Board of Education - Financial Literacy Curriculum - Graduation Requirement
- http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/hb/hb0127f.pdf

- Summary: Requires the State Board of Education to develop a financial literacy course, each county to implement it, and students to complete it as a required graduation credit.

- Stance: Oppose

SB41: Education - Age for Compulsory Public School Attendance - Exemptions
- http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/sb/sb0041f.pdf

- Summary: Raises compulsory age of school attendance to 17.

- Stance: Support

SB109: Public Institutions of Higher Education - Course Credit - Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Examinations

- http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/sb/sb0109f.pdf

- Summary: Requires public institutions of higher education to grant the same credit for AP and IB.

- Stance: Support

SB167: Higher Education - Tuition Charges - Maryland High School Students

- http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/sb/sb0167f.pdf

- Summary: Allows individuals who graduated from Maryland high schools to pay resident tuition at public institutions of higher education (excluding documented immigrants). Similar to the federal Dream Act.

- Stance: Support