*sj0004* SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 4 F5 4lr3340 By: Senator Carter Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2024 Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION A Senate Joint Resolution concerning 1 Division of Children and Youth – Student Truancy From School – Unit, Policies, 2 and Report 3 FOR the purpose of encouraging the State Department of Education to add a section or unit 4 dedicated to addressing student truancy from school to further the purposes and 5 goals of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future; requiring the Division of Children and 6 Youth in the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services to 7 develop certain strategies relating to student truancy from school; and generally 8 relating to student truancy from school. 9 WHEREAS, The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future has laid out a comprehensive plan 10 to improve education in the State; and 11 WHEREAS, It is crucial to address the issue of student truancy from school to ensure 12 that all children have equal opportunities to access high quality education; and 13 WHEREAS, The Division of Children and Youth in the Governor’s Office of Crime 14 Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services is a key unit in State government responsible for 15 overseeing policies and programs that impact the well–being of Maryland’s children; now, 16 therefore, be it 17 RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL A SSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That to further the 18 purposes and goals of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a section or unit should be 19 added to the State Department of Education dedicated to addressing student truancy from 20 school; and be it further 21 RESOLVED, That the Division of Children and Youth in the Governor’s Office of 22 Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services is directed to develop comprehensive 23 strategies, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, to effectively address student 24 truancy from school in Maryland; and be it further 25 2 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 4 RESOLVED, That the strategies developed by the Division of Children and Youth 1 shall encompass prevention, intervention, and support measures to ensure that every child 2 has access to a quality education in the State; and be it further 3 RESOLVED, That the Division of Children and Youth shall submit a report, in 4 accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, to the General Assembly 5 regarding the strategies developed to address student truancy from school and any 6 proposed legislative changes, on or before January 1, 2026; and be it further 7 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Department of 8 Legislative Services to Jennifer Krabill, Director of the Division of Children and Youth in 9 the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services; and be it further 10 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Department of 11 Legislative Services to the Honorable Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland; the Honorable 12 William C. Ferguson, IV, President of the Senate of Maryland; and the Honorable Adrienne 13 A. Jones, Speaker of the House of Delegates. 14