State Department of Education - Sexual Abuse and Sexual Misconduct Model Response Policy - Requirements

HB 1168 requires Maryland's State Department of Education to create a model response policy for schools handling sexual abuse and misconduct allegations. Local school systems must adopt this policy by July 2027, notify parents within 3 school days of credible allegations (without naming the accused employee), maintain related electronic records for 3 years, and post nonidentifying incident updates on public webpages. Schools must also conduct an after-action review within 45 days of resolving serious incidents - defined as events like credible abuse allegations requiring removal from student contact, physical assault, or weapon offenses - to analyze systemic issues and improve procedures. The bill directly affects all Maryland public school systems and their handling of student safety incidents.