EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDE D TO EXISTING LAW .
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1082*
HOUSE BILL 1082
F1 4lr2581
HB 1196/23 – APP
By: Delegates Smith and Toles
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2024
Assigned to: Appropriations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Implementation – Funding and Independent 2
Evaluation – Alterations 3
FOR the purpose of requiring, for certain fiscal years, each county board of education to 4
provide for the salary and benefits of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future 5
implementation coordinator in the county; requiring the funding for the salary and 6
benefits of the implementation coordinator to be paid for by the State and the county 7
in a certain proportion; altering the dates by which the entity contracted by the 8
Accountability and Implementation Board to perform an independent evaluation of 9
the implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is required to report to 10
the Board and the Board is required to report to the Governor and the General 11
Assembly; altering certain funding requirements under certain circumstances; and 12
generally relating to the implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. 13
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 14
Article – Education 15
Section 5–404(b)(2) and 5–410(a) and (b) 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 18
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 19
Article – Education 20
Section 5–404(h) and 5–410(c) and (d) 21
Annotated Code of Maryland 22
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 23
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 24
Chapter 36 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2021 25
Section 16(d) through (f) 26
2 HOUSE BILL 1082
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Education 3
5–404. 4
(b) (2) State and local government units responsible for implementing an 5
element of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future shall develop implementation plans 6
consistent with the Comprehensive Implemen tation Plan that describe the goals, 7
objectives, and strategies that will be used to improve student achievement and meet the 8
Blueprint for Maryland’s Future recommendations for each segment of the student 9
population. 10
(h) (1) For each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026, the governing body of a 11
county and the local school system jointly shall appoint a single implementation 12
coordinator responsible for the implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future by 13
all government units operating in the county. 14
(2) FOR EACH OF FISCAL YE ARS 2026 AND 2027, EACH COUNTY 15
BOARD SHALL PROVIDE $150,000 FOR THE SALARY AND BENEFITS OF THE 16
IMPLEMENTATION COORD INATOR APPOINTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARA GRAPH 17
(1) OF THIS SUBSECTION . 18
(3) FUNDING FOR THE SALAR Y AND BENEFITS OF THE 19
IMPLEMENTATION COORD INATOR PROVIDED BY T HE COUNTY BOARD IN 20
ACCORDANCE WITH PARA GRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION S HALL BE PAID BY THE 21
STATE AND THE COUNTY IN THE SAME PROPORTI ON AS THE FOUNDATION PROGRAM 22
UNDER § 5–213 OF THIS TITLE. 23
5–410. 24
(a) In addition to its own assessments and tracking of progress, required under § 25
5–406 of this subtitle, the Board shall contract with a public or private entity to conduct an 26
independent evaluation of the State’s progress in implementing the Blueprint for 27
Maryland’s Future and achieving the expected outcomes during the implementation period. 28
(b) The independent evaluation shall include an assessment of: 29
(1) The use of additional funding to meet the goals of the Blueprint for 30
Maryland’s Future; 31
(2) Progress toward the goals of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and 32
whether the goals have been achieved; and 33
HOUSE BILL 1082 3
(3) Any recommendations to alter the goals or strategies employed to reach 1
the goals, including new uses for existing funds or additional funding. 2
(c) (1) An entity with which the Board contracts for an independent evaluation 3
shall report its results to the Board on or before: 4
(i) [October 1, 2024] DECEMBER 1, 2026; and 5
(ii) October 1, 2030. 6
(2) The Board shall contract for each independent evaluation as soon as 7
practicable. 8
(d) (1) (i) On or before [December 1, 2024] JANUARY 15, 2027, the Board 9
shall, using the first independent evaluation and its own judgment, report to the Governor 10
and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly 11
on whether the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is being implemented as intended and 12
achieving the expected outcomes. 13
(ii) The Board’s report shall include an assessment of the State’s 14
progress towards: 15
1. Increasing the number of teachers achieving National 16
Board Certification; 17
2. Providing full–day prekindergarten programs for 3– and 18
4–year–olds in accordance with Title 7, Subtitle 1A of this article; 19
3. Improving behavioral health services in accordance with § 20
7–447 of this article; and 21
4. Ensuring that students enrolled in public schools meet 22
college and career standards in accordance with § 7–205.1 of this article. 23
(iii) The Board’s report shall include any legislative or structural 24
corrections necessary to fully implement the Blueprint. 25
(2) On or before December 1, 2030, the Board shall report on the results of 26
the final independent evaluation to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the 27
State Government Article, the General Assembly. 28
(3) The Board’s reports under this subsection shall include: 29
(i) Practices being used to close achievement gaps between students 30
of different groups listed in § 5–408(a)(2)(i) of this subtitle; 31
4 HOUSE BILL 1082
(ii) Progress made in closing the achievement gaps listed under item 1
(i) of this paragraph; and 2
(iii) Assessments of student outcomes listed under § 5–408(a)(2)(ii) of 3
this subtitle, disaggregated by race, income, ethnicity, and gender. 4
Chapter 36 of the Acts of 2021 5
SECTION 16. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 6
(d) In the independent evaluation and report to be submitted to the Governor and 7
the General Assembly on or before [December 1, 2024] JANUARY 15, 2027, as required 8
under § 5–410(d)(1) of the Education Article as enacted by this Act, the Accountability and 9
Implementation Board shall report whether the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is being 10
implemented as intended and is achieving expected outcomes. 11
(e) (1) If the Accountability and Implementation Board does not report that 12
the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is being implemented as intended and is achieving 13
expected outcomes in accordance with subsection (d) of this section, then: 14
(i) notwithstanding any other provision of law, per pupil increases 15
in major education aid required under this Act for the fiscal year [2026] 2028 and each 16
year thereafter shall be limited to the rate of inflation, as defined by § 5–201(h) of the 17
Education Article as enacted by this Act; 18
(ii) notwithstanding any other provision of law, any additional 19
funding increases required under this Act shall be limited to the rate of inflation as defined 20
in § 5–201(h) of the Education Article as enacted by this Act; and 21
(iii) subject to subsection (f) of this section and notwithstanding any 22
other provision of law, local school systems are not required to meet the additional 23
requirements of this Act that begin in fiscal year [2026] 2028 and each fiscal year 24
thereafter. 25
(2) If the Accountability and Implementation Board reports that the 26
Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is not being implemented as intended and is not achieving 27
expected outcomes, it is the intent of the General Assembly that the General Assembly 28
shall take immediate action to adjust the formula and policies under this Act to achieve the 29
goals of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future in order to fulfill the General Assembly’s 30
commitment to provide the resources, supports, and funding to fully implement the 31
Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. 32
(f) A local school system shall continue to fund the requirements of this Act in 33
effect prior to fiscal year [2026] 2028. 34
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 35
1, 2024. 36 HOUSE BILL 1082 5