EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0457*
HOUSE BILL 457
F1 5lr1224
CF SB 350
By: Delegate Wolek
Introduced and read first time: January 20, 2025
Assigned to: Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Primary and Secondary Education – Educator Professional Development – 2
Course on Student Well–Being and Flourishing 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the State Department of Education to develop and offer a 4
continuing professional development course on student well–being and flourishing 5
to school personnel and administrators on or before a certain date; and generally 6
relating to an educator professional development course on student well–being and 7
flourishing. 8
BY adding to 9
Article – Education 10
Section 6–130 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – Education 16
6–130. 17
(A) (1) ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2026, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP 18
AND OFFER A CONTINUING PROFESS IONAL DEVELOPMENT CO URSE ON STUDENT 19
WELL–BEING AND FLOURISHING . 20
(2) THE COURSE SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE : 21
(I) TO ALL SCHOOL PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATORS ; AND 22
2 HOUSE BILL 457
(II) THROUGH ASYNCHRONOUS INSTRUC TION. 1
(B) THE COURSE UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL B E OFFERED AT A 2
COMPARABLE RATE TO C ONTINUING PROFESSION AL DEVELOPMENT COURSES FOR 3
LICENSED PERSONNEL THAT CONTAIN THE SAM E NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL 4
DEVELOPMENT POINTS . 5
(C) (1) THE COURSE DEVELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT UNDER THIS 6
SECTION SHALL CONSIST OF INSTRUCTION ON UNDER STANDING THE EIGHT 7
DIMENSIONS OF WELL–BEING IDENTIFIED BY THE FEDERAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND 8
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION AND APPLYING THOSE LESSONS TO 9
INCREASING STUDENT WELL–BEING THROUGH PEDAGOGY. 10
(2) THE COURSE SHALL INCL UDE INSTRUCTION ON : 11
(I) SOCIAL WELL–BEING, INCLUDING THE IMPORTANCE OF 12
DIFFERENT TYPES OF R ELATIONSHIPS FOR A STUDENT , AND A PEDAGOGICAL 13
APPROACH THAT HELPS STUDENTS BUILD FRIENDSHIPS AND A SE NSE OF 14
BELONGING AND COMMUN ITY IN THE CLASSROOM ; 15
(II) ENVIRONMENTAL WELL–BEING, INCLUDING: 16
1. THE IMPORTANCE OF A S TUDENT’S CONNECTION TO 17
NATURE AND THE OUTDO ORS, AND TEACHING THAT SU PPORTS LEARNING 18
OUTDOORS; AND 19
2. THE IMPORTANCE OF A STUDEN T FEELING SAFE TO 20
THE STUDENT ’S OVERALL WELL–BEING, AND A PEDAGOGY THAT SUPPORTS THAT 21
FEELING; 22
(III) PHYSICAL WELL–BEING, INCLUDING THE IMPORTANCE OF A 23
HEALTHY BODY TO A ST UDENT’S OVERALL WELL–BEING, AND A PEDAGOGY THAT 24
ENHANCES GOOD PHYSIC AL HEALTH HABITS ; 25
(IV) EMOTIONAL WELL–BEING, INCLUDING THE IMPORTANCE 26
OF A STUDENT ’S ABILITY TO EXPRESS FEELINGS, ADJUST TO EMOTIONAL 27
CHALLENGES , COPE WITH LIFE ’S STRESSORS, AND ENJOY LIFE, AND A PEDAGOGY 28
THAT SUPPORTS THESE SKILLS , INCLUDING THROUGH TH E USE OF CONTEMPLATI VE 29
SCIENCE; 30
(V) SPIRITUAL WELL–BEING, INCLUDING THE IMPORT ANCE OF 31
A STUDENT’S SENSE OF MEANING , PURPOSE, AND CHARACTER , AND A PEDAGOGY 32
FOCUSED ON ENHANCING THOSE SENS ES; 33 HOUSE BILL 457 3
(VI) OCCUPATIONAL WELL–BEING, INCLUDING THE 1
IMPORTANCE OF WORK T O A STUDENT ’S WELL–BEING, AND A PEDAGOGY THAT 2
ENHANCES A STUDENT ’S UNDERSTANDING OF A PROFESSIONAL LIFE ; 3
(VII) INTELLECTUAL WELL–BEING, INCLUDING THE 4
IMPORTANCE OF A STUD ENT’S ABILITY TO KEEP A N ACTIVE BRAIN , CULTIVATE 5
PERSONAL INTERESTS , AND PURSUE LIFELONG LEARNING, AND A PEDAGOGY THAT 6
ENHANCES A STUDENT ’S UNDERSTANDING AND DEVELOPMENT OF A WHOLE SELF; 7
AND 8
(VIII) FINANCIAL WELL–BEING, INCLUDING THE IMPORT ANCE OF 9
A STUDE NT’S UNDERSTANDING O F FINANCIAL PROCESSE S AND FINANCIAL 10
RESOURCES, AND A PEDAGOGY THAT SUPPORTS THAT UNDERS TANDING. 11
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 12
1, 2025. 13