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. Italics indicate opposite chamber/conference committee amendments. *hb1082* HOUSE BILL 1082 F1 (4lr2581) ENROLLED BILL — Appropriations/Budget and Taxation — Introduced by Delegates Smith and Toles Read and Examined by Proofreaders: _______________________________________________ Proofreader. _______________________________________________ Proofreader. Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this _______ day of _______________ at _________________ _______ o’clock, ________M. ______________________________________________ Speaker. CHAPTER ______ AN ACT concerning 1 Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Implementation – Funding and Independent 2 Evaluation – Alterations for Implementation Coordinators 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 2 HOUSE BILL 1082 Article – Education 1 Section 5–404(b)(2) and 5–410(a) and (b) 2 Annotated Code of Maryland 3 (2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 4 BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 5 Article – Education 6 Section 5–404(h) and 5–410(c) and (d) 7 Annotated Code of Maryland 8 (2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 9 BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10 Chapter 36 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2021 11 Section 16(d) through (f) 12 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14 Article – Education 15 5–404. 16 (b) (2) State and local government units responsible for implementing an 17 element of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future shall develop implementation plans 18 consistent with the Comprehensive Implementation Plan that describe the goals, 19 objectives, and strategies that will be used to improve student achievement and meet the 20 Blueprint for Maryland’s Future recommendations for each segment of the student 21 population. 22 (h) (1) For each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026 FISCAL YEAR, the governing 23 body of a county and the local school system jointly shall appoint a single implementation 24 coordinator responsible for the implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future by 25 all government units operating in the county. 26 (2) FOR EACH OF FISCAL YEARS 2026 AND 2027 FISCAL YEAR, EACH 27 COUNTY BOARD SHALL P ROVIDE $150,000 FOR THE SALARY AND B ENEFITS OF THE 28 IMPLEMENTATION COORD INATOR APPOINTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARA GRAPH 29 (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION . 30 (3) FUNDING FOR THE SALAR Y AND BENEFITS OF TH E 31 IMPLEMENTATION COORD INATOR PROVIDED BY T HE COUNTY BOARD IN 32 ACCORDANCE WITH PARA GRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSE CTION SHALL BE PAID BY THE 33 STATE AND THE COUNTY IN THE SAME PROPORTI ON AS THE FOUNDATION PROGRAM 34 UNDER § 5–213 OF THIS TITLE. 35 5–410. 36 HOUSE BILL 1082 3 (a) In addition to its own assessments and tracking of progress, required under § 1 5–406 of this subtitle, the Board shall contract with a public or private entity to conduct an 2 independent evaluation of the State’s progress in implementing the Blueprint for 3 Maryland’s Future and achieving the expected outcomes during the implementation period. 4 (b) The independent evaluation shall include an assessment of: 5 (1) The use of additional funding to meet the goals of the Blueprint for 6 Maryland’s Future; 7 (2) Progress toward the goals of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and 8 whether the goals have been achieved; and 9 (3) Any recommendations to alter the goals or strategies employed to reach 10 the goals, including new uses for existing funds or additional funding. 11 (c) (1) An entity with which the Board contracts for an independent evaluation 12 shall report its results to the Board on or before: 13 (i) [October 1, 2024] DECEMBER 1, 2026; and 14 (ii) October 1, 2030. 15 (2) The Board shall contract for each independent evaluation as soon as 16 practicable. 17 (d) (1) (i) On or before [December 1, 2024] JANUARY 15, 2027, the Board 18 shall, using the first independent evaluation and its own judgment, report to the Governor 19 and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly 20 on whether the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is being implemented as intended and 21 achieving the expected outcomes. 22 (ii) The Board’s report shall include an assessment of the State’s 23 progress towards: 24 1. Increasing the number of teachers achieving National 25 Board Certification; 26 2. Providing full–day prekindergarten programs for 3– and 27 4–year–olds in accordance with Title 7, Subtitle 1A of this article; 28 3. Improving behavioral health services in accordance with § 29 7–447 of this article; and 30 4. Ensuring that students enrolled in public schools meet 31 college and career standards in accordance with § 7–205.1 of this article. 32 4 HOUSE BILL 1082 (iii) The Board’s report shall include any legislative or structural 1 corrections necessary to fully implement the Blueprint. 2 (2) On or before December 1, 2030, the Board shall report on the results of 3 the final independent evaluation to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the 4 State Government Article, the General Assembly. 5 (3) The Board’s reports under this subsection shall include: 6 (i) Practices being used to close achievement gaps between students 7 of different groups listed in § 5–408(a)(2)(i) of this subtitle; 8 (ii) Progress made in closing the achievement gaps listed under item 9 (i) of this paragraph; and 10 (iii) Assessments of student outcomes listed under § 5–408(a)(2)(ii) of 11 this subtitle, disaggregated by race, income, ethnicity, and gender. 12 Chapter 36 of the Acts of 2021 13 SECTION 16. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 14 (d) In the independent evaluation and report to be submitted to the Governor and 15 the General Assembly on or before [December 1, 2024] JANUARY 15, 2027, as required 16 under § 5–410(d)(1) of the Education Article as enacted by this Act, the Accountability and 17 Implementation Board shall report whether the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is being 18 implemented as intended and is achieving expected outcomes. 19 (e) (1) If the Accountability and Implementation Board does not report that 20 the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is being implemented as intended and is achieving 21 expected outcomes in accordance with subsection (d) of this section, then: 22 (i) notwithstanding any other provision of law, per pupil increases 23 in major education aid required under this Act for the fiscal year [2026] 2028 and each 24 year thereafter shall be limited to the rate of inflation, as defined by § 5–201(h) of the 25 Education Article as enacted by this Act; 26 (ii) notwithstanding any other provision of law, any additional 27 funding increases required under this Act shall be limited to the rate of inflation as defined 28 in § 5–201(h) of the Education Article as enacted by this Act; and 29 (iii) subject to subsection (f) of this section and notwithstanding any 30 other provision of law, local school systems are not required to meet the additional 31 requirements of this Act that begin in fiscal year [2026] 2028 and each fiscal year 32 thereafter. 33 HOUSE BILL 1082 5 (2) If the Accountability and Implementation Board reports that the 1 Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is not being implemented as intended and is not achieving 2 expected outcomes, it is the intent of the General Assembly that the General Assembly 3 shall take immediate action to adjust the formula and policies under this Act to achieve the 4 goals of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future in order to fulfill the General Assembly’s 5 commitment to provide the resources, supports, and funding to fully implement the 6 Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. 7 (f) A local school system shall continue to fund the requirements of this Act in 8 effect prior to fiscal year [2026] 2028. 9 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 10 1, 2024. 11 Approved: ________________________________________________________________________________ Governor. ________________________________________________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Delegates. ________________________________________________________________________________ President of the Senate.