Primary and Secondary Schools - Petitions for Emergency Evaluation - Requirement for Tracking and Reporting and Study

HB 1060 requires Maryland public and nonpublic schools to track and report petitions for emergency student evaluations (e.g., for mental health crises) using a standardized system. Schools must collect specific data including student demographics (age, race, gender), whether the student has an IEP or 504 plan, the reason for the petition, if handcuffs were used, and outcomes like hospitalization. County boards and certain schools must submit these reports to the State Department of Education by monthly or annual deadlines, which the Department will verify and compile. The Department must then annually report disaggregated data (by school, student characteristics, and petition reasons) to the legislature and post it publicly, while also convening a workgroup to study these petitions. This bill directly affects all Maryland primary and secondary schools and their staff who initiate such evaluations.