Education

This bill requires Maryland county school boards to submit detailed justifications and cost comparisons before entering into service contracts, including proof that they explored alternatives and a plan to assist employees who might lose their jobs. It mandates that contracts demonstrate at least 20% savings compared to using school employees, while accounting for all direct and indirect costs, and subjects contracts to public audits for compliance. Additionally, the bill directs the State Department of Education to create a new professional development system for paraeducators and support staff by July 2027, requiring paid training during school hours that includes collaboration with teachers, crisis prevention, and job skills training. County boards must then implement this system for all support professionals in their districts, with the department providing guidance on the program's specifics.

HB 222 requires Maryland public schools and colleges to update policies and education programs to address opioid overdoses. It mandates schools to store naloxone, allow authorized staff and students to possess it, and provide liability protection for good-faith use during overdoses. The bill also adds naloxone's life-saving role to K-12 drug prevention curricula (starting in third grade) and requires annual parent notifications about school naloxone policies. Additionally, schools must report overdose incidents requiring naloxone use to the State Department. This affects all public K-12 schools and state-funded colleges.

SB 84 would grant graduate assistants at Maryland's public universities (including the University System of Maryland, Morgan State University, and St. Mary’s College of Maryland) the right to form a separate collective bargaining unit. The bill amends state law to explicitly include "all eligible graduate assistants" as a distinct bargaining group, meaning they would negotiate contracts separately from other university employees like faculty or staff. This change takes effect on July 1, 2026, and directly affects graduate students working as teaching, research, or administrative assistants in these institutions. The policy creates a formal structure for graduate assistants to collectively address employment terms like pay, benefits, and working conditions.

SB 764 establishes a minimum wage of $25.00 per hour for education support professionals in Maryland public schools, effective July 1, 2028. It directly affects county boards of education (which must pay this wage) and noncertificated school staff in non-supervisory bargaining units, such as aides, secretaries, and maintenance workers. The bill requires the State Department of Education to report by December 1, 2026, on the cost of implementing this wage, broken down by school system. It does not change current wages but mandates a new hourly rate for these positions starting in 2028.