EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW. [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law. Underlining indicates amendments to bill. Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by amendment. *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 Committee Report: Favorable with amendments House action: Adopted Read second time: March 1, 2024 CHAPTER ______ 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 2 HOUSE BILL 1082 BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 1 Chapter 36 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2021 2 Section 16(d) through (f) 3 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 4 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 5 Article – Education 6 5–404. 7 (b) (2) State and local government units responsible for implementing an 8 element of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future shall develop implementation plans 9 consistent with the Comprehensive Implementation Plan that describe the goals, 10 objectives, and strategies that will be used to improve student achievement and meet the 11 Blueprint for Maryland’s Future recommendations for each segment of the student 12 population. 13 (h) (1) For each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026 FISCAL YEAR, the governing 14 body of a county and the local school system jointly shall appoint a single implementation 15 coordinator responsible for the implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future by 16 all government units operating in the county. 17 (2) FOR EACH OF FISCAL YEARS 2026 AND 2027 FISCAL YEAR, EACH 18 COUNTY BOARD SHALL P ROVIDE $150,000 FOR THE SALARY AND B ENEFITS OF THE 19 IMPLEMENTATION COORDINAT OR APPOINTED IN ACCO RDANCE WITH PARAGRAP H 20 (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION . 21 (3) FUNDING FOR THE SALAR Y AND BENEFITS OF TH E 22 IMPLEMENTATION COORD INATOR PROVIDED BY T HE COUNTY BOARD IN 23 ACCORDANCE WITH PARA GRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION S HALL BE PAID BY THE 24 STATE AND THE COUNTY IN THE SAME PROPORTI ON AS THE FOUNDATION PROGRAM 25 UNDER § 5–213 OF THIS TITLE. 26 5–410. 27 (a) In addition to its own assessments and tracking of progress, required under § 28 5–406 of this subtitle, the Board shall contract with a public or private entity to conduct an 29 independent evaluation of the State’s progress in implementing the Blueprint for 30 Maryland’s Future and achieving the expected outcomes during the implementation period. 31 (b) The independent evaluation shall include an assessment of: 32 (1) The use of additional funding to meet the goals of the Blueprint for 33 Maryland’s Future; 34 HOUSE BILL 1082 3 (2) Progress toward the goals of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and 1 whether the goals have been achieved; and 2 (3) Any recommendations to alter the goals or strategies employed to reach 3 the goals, including new uses for existing funds or additional funding. 4 (c) (1) An entity with which the Board contracts for an independent evaluation 5 shall report its results to the Board on or before: 6 (i) [October 1, 2024] DECEMBER 1, 2026; and 7 (ii) October 1, 2030. 8 (2) The Board shall contract for each independent evaluation as soon as 9 practicable. 10 (d) (1) (i) On or before [December 1, 2024] JANUARY 15, 2027, the Board 11 shall, using the first independent evaluation and its own judgment, report to the Governor 12 and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly 13 on whether the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is being implemented as intended and 14 achieving the expected outcomes. 15 (ii) The Board’s report shall include an assessment of the State’s 16 progress towards: 17 1. Increasing the number of teachers achieving National 18 Board Certification; 19 2. Providing full–day prekindergarten programs for 3– and 20 4–year–olds in accordance with Title 7, Subtitle 1A of this article; 21 3. Improving behavioral health services in accordance with § 22 7–447 of this article; and 23 4. Ensuring that students enrolled in public schools meet 24 college and career standards in accordance with § 7–205.1 of this article. 25 (iii) The Board’s report shall include any legislative or structural 26 corrections necessary to fully implement the Blueprint. 27 (2) On or before December 1, 2030, the Board shall report on the results of 28 the final independent evaluation to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the 29 State Government Article, the General Assembly. 30 (3) The Board’s reports under this subsection shall include: 31 4 HOUSE BILL 1082 (i) Practices being used to close achievement gaps between students 1 of different groups listed in § 5–408(a)(2)(i) of this subtitle; 2 (ii) Progress made in closing the achievement gaps listed under item 3 (i) of this paragraph; and 4 (iii) Assessments of student outcomes listed under § 5–408(a)(2)(ii) of 5 this subtitle, disaggregated by race, income, ethnicity, and gender. 6 Chapter 36 of the Acts of 2021 7 SECTION 16. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 8 (d) In the independent evaluation and report to be submitted to the Governor and 9 the General Assembly on or before [December 1, 2024] JANUARY 15, 2027, as required 10 under § 5–410(d)(1) of the Education Article as enacted by this Act, the Accountability and 11 Implementation Board shall report whether the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is being 12 implemented as intended and is achieving expected outcomes. 13 (e) (1) If the Accountability and Implementation Board does not report that 14 the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is being implemented as intended and is achieving 15 expected outcomes in accordance with subsection (d) of this section, then: 16 (i) notwithstanding any other provision of law, per pupil increases 17 in major education aid required under this Act for the fiscal year [2026] 2028 and each 18 year thereafter shall be limited to the rate of inflation, as defined by § 5–201(h) of the 19 Education Article as enacted by this Act; 20 (ii) notwithstanding any other provision of law, any additional 21 funding increases required under this Act shall be limited to the rate of inflation as defined 22 in § 5–201(h) of the Education Article as enacted by this Act; and 23 (iii) subject to subsection (f) of this section and notwithstanding any 24 other provision of law, local school systems are not required to meet the additional 25 requirements of this Act that begin in fiscal year [2026] 2028 and each fiscal year 26 thereafter. 27 (2) If the Accountability and Implementation Board reports that the 28 Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is not being implemented as intended and is not achieving 29 expected outcomes, it is the intent of the General Assembly that the General Assembly 30 shall take immediate action to adjust the formula and policies under this Act to achieve the 31 goals of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future in order to fulfill the General Assembly’s 32 commitment to provide the resources, supports, and funding to fully implement the 33 Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. 34 (f) A local school system shall continue to fund the requirements of this Act in 35 effect prior to fiscal year [2026] 2028. 36 HOUSE BILL 1082 5 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 1 1, 2024. 2 Approved: ________________________________________________________________________________ Governor. ________________________________________________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Delegates. ________________________________________________________________________________ President of the Senate.