Education (Data Reporting)

This Maryland bill requires the State Department of Education to collect and publish discipline-related data for all public and nonpublic schools, including charter schools, special education programs, and specialized schools for students with visual or hearing impairments. The law mandates that schools with high suspension rates for specific student subgroups - defined by race, ethnicity, gender, disability, socioeconomic status, grade level, or English language proficiency - create action plans to address disproportional disciplinary practices. Schools are considered high-suspending if they suspend 10% or more of elementary students or 25% or more of secondary students within any subgroup, and the Department will use a risk ratio threshold of 2.0 to identify schools where removal rates for certain groups are disproportionately high compared to the state average. All discipline data will be made publicly available in a searchable, usable format on the Department's website, allowing parents and communities to review suspension statistics by school level and subgroup.