Education

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 26, 2026

SB 726: Primary and Secondary Education - Educator Professional Development - Course on Well-Being and Flourishing

SB 726 requires Maryland's State Department of Education to provide a free, mandatory professional development course on educator well-being to all school staff and administrators by July 1, 2027. The course must cover eight well-being dimensions - social, environmental, physical, emotional, spiritual, occupational, intellectual, and financial - based on federal guidelines. Schools can deliver the course through existing materials or new content, at rates matching standard professional development. This policy directly affects educators across Maryland's public schools, aiming to support their personal and professional health.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates free, mandatory well-being training for all educators, directly supporting teacher professional development and well-being within K-12 education.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health Teachers

Track

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 934: Education - Public School Construction - Funding

SB 934 increases Maryland's annual funding goal for public school construction from $450 million to $550 million, effective starting in fiscal year 2027. This change applies directly to public school construction projects funded through the state's Capital Improvement Program, aiming to maintain a stable number of funded projects. The bill clarifies that the $550 million annual goal does not include funds provided via the Built to Learn Program. It also requires the funding level to be recalculated before the Public School Facilities Priority Fund is funded.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases annual state funding for public school construction from $450M to $550M, directly advancing public service funding within budget allocation.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationIncreases public school construction funding from $450M to $550M annually, directly advancing school infrastructure investment per bill summary.95% confidence

Track

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 11, 2026

HB 836: County Boards of Education - College Preparatory Programs - Fees

HB 836 prohibits Maryland county school boards from charging students or their parents/guardians any fees related to enrollment in or completion of Advanced Placement (AP) programs approved by the College Board. The bill amends Maryland law to explicitly state that county boards "may not charge" such fees for AP-based college preparatory programs. This directly affects students enrolled in AP courses and their families, removing financial barriers to these programs. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies to all county boards of education offering AP courses as part of approved college preparatory pathways.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves financial barriers for AP programs, enhancing access to college preparatory courses for all students without cost to families.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

Track

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 26, 2026

HB 1463: Anne Arundel County Board of Education - Constituent Services Liaison - Establishment

HB 1463 requires Anne Arundel County to hire a constituent services liaison for its school board by the start of the 2026-2027 school year. The position must have special education experience and will connect community members to school services, help access education resources, and partner with local organizations to support school goals. The county board president negotiates the liaison’s employment terms, salary (set by the board), and removal process. This directly affects Anne Arundel County Public Schools’ operations and community engagement efforts.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates liaison to improve community access to education resources and services, directly enhancing educational access as defined in the topic description.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education

Track

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 748: Publicly Funded Prekindergarten - Early Childhood Educator Career Ladder for Private Providers - New Pathways

HB 748 repeals specific deadline requirements for private prekindergarten providers participating in Maryland's publicly funded prekindergarten program. The bill removes time limits (like "within 3 years of hire" or "by July 1, 2027") that educators needed to meet certain educational or credentialing qualifications to advance through the state's early childhood educator career ladder. Private providers who receive public funding for prekindergarten services are directly affected, as they will no longer face strict deadlines to ensure staff meet these qualifications. The career ladder structure itself - including its three levels (teaching assistant, lead teacher, consulting teacher) and core goals of improving pay, professional development, and retention - remains unchanged. This is a procedural adjustment to the existing framework, not a substantive policy shift.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRepeals deadlines for educator career advancement, removing barriers to professional development in publicly funded prekindergarten programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood Teachers

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 11, 2026

HB 807: Education - Teacher Preparation Programs - English Language Learner Teacher Competency Requirements

HB 807 requires all Maryland teacher preparation programs to integrate specific training in teaching English language learners (ELLs) into their curricula. This includes adding dedicated instruction on ELL competencies - such as language development, equitable literacy opportunities, and working with linguistically diverse students - starting in the 2028-2029 academic year, along with a mandatory three-credit course focused on ELL teaching methods. The bill directly affects all undergraduate and graduate teacher preparation programs in Maryland, mandating they incorporate these competencies throughout their coursework, not just in a single course. It aims to ensure future teachers gain practical skills to support ELL students in classrooms across the state.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationHB 807 mandates ELL teacher competency training in preparation programs, strengthening educator readiness for linguistically diverse students and advancing equitable literacy opportunities per bill summary.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Teachers

Track

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 982: Higher Education - Tuition Exemption for Foster Care Recipients - Eligibility

HB 982 modifies Maryland's tuition exemption program for foster care recipients by changing the eligibility age requirement. It lowers the required age from 13 to 8 for youth who were in out-of-home placement and later adopted or placed under guardianship. This change expands eligibility to include more foster youth who transitioned to permanent families after age 8. The bill affects current and future foster care recipients seeking tuition-free public college education, maintaining existing requirements like enrollment by age 25 and filing for financial aid. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands higher education tuition exemption eligibility for foster youth by lowering age requirement, increasing access to free public college education for more vulnerable students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

Track

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 26, 2026

HB 1059: State Department of Education - Asian American History - Accurate Instruction

HB 1059 requires Maryland's State Department of Education to evaluate specific Asian American history training programs from seven approved organizations (including the Smithsonian and Asian American Education Project) for inclusion in its teacher professional development program. It creates a grant program providing up to $2,000 per teacher to cover costs for these trainings and up to $1,000 annually per school library to purchase age-appropriate books and resources on Asian American and Pacific Islander history. The bill mandates annual state funding of $500,000 starting in fiscal year 2028 to support these grants. The bill directly affects Maryland public school educators and school libraries by expanding access to culturally specific professional development and learning materials.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates grant program allocating state funds for teacher training and library resources, directly funding educational programs within budget framework.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill allocates grants for teacher training and library resources on Asian American history, directly enhancing curriculum content and educator support in K-12 education.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Libraries Teachers

Track

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 885: Internet Gaming and Online Bingo - Authorization and Implementation

SB 885 authorizes Maryland's State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission to issue licenses for online gaming and bingo operations, while establishing new regulations for these activities. It directly affects former video lottery facility employees through a new "Video Lottery Facility Employee Displacement Fund" to support them, and impacts school funding by requiring counties to use revenue from online gaming to offset local education tax calculations starting in fiscal year 2028. Key provisions include mandating that counties subtract gaming revenue from their education funding calculations and instead appropriate that revenue directly to school budgets, as specified in revised sections of Maryland law. The bill also requires the Commission to regulate online gaming operations and submit the law to a voter referendum.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates gaming revenue offset local education taxes (2028), directly funding public schools via new revenue stream, aligning with fiscal responsibility and public service funding indicators.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates counties use online gaming revenue to offset education taxes starting 2028, creating new school funding stream per summary.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates a dedicated fund for displaced video lottery employees, directly supporting affected workers' transition and aligning with worker protection indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding

Track

passed · Maryland · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 957: Education - Career Ladder - National Board Certification Associated Salary Increases

SB 957 clarifies that Maryland public school teachers holding a National Board Certification (NBC) with a 10-year award period are eligible for specific salary increases tied to their career ladder status. It establishes a $8,000 salary increase for renewing a 10-year NBC, plus $7,000 for a first maintenance renewal after 5 years, and $6,000 for a second maintenance renewal. The bill applies retroactively to teachers with eligible 10-year certifications and ensures these salary increases are separate from other career ladder benefits like the $10,000 increase for initially becoming an NBC teacher. It directly affects certified classroom teachers in Maryland public schools who hold or renew this specific type of National Board Certification.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill provides $8k-$7k salary increases for National Board Certified teachers, directly supporting educator compensation and retention in K-12 education.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill provides $6,000-$8,000 salary increases for certified teachers, directly advancing wage standards and career progression for educators within Labor & Employment.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers Professional Licensing

Track