EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW .
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0350*
SENATE BILL 350
F1 5lr2716
CF 5lr1224
By: Senator Lam
Introduced and read first time: January 16, 2025
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
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 DEVE LOP 18
AND OFFER A CONTINUI NG PROFESSIONAL DEVE LOPMENT COURSE ON ST UDENT 19
WELL–BEING AND FLOURISHIN G. 20
(2) THE COURSE SHALL BE M ADE AVAILABLE : 21
(I) TO ALL SCHOOL PERSONN EL AND ADMINISTRATOR S; AND 22
2 SENATE BILL 350
(II) THROUGH ASYNCHRONOUS INSTRUCTION. 1
(B) THE COURSE UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE OFF ERED AT A 2
COMPARABLE RATE TO C ONTINUING PROFESSION AL DEVELOPMENT COURS ES FOR 3
LICENSED PERSONNEL T HAT CONTAIN THE SAME NUMBER OF PROFESSION AL 4
DEVELOPMENT POINTS . 5
(C) (1) THE COURSE DEVELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT UNDER THIS 6
SECTION SHALL CONSIS T OF INSTRUCTION ON UNDERSTANDING THE EI GHT 7
DIMENSIONS OF WELL –BEING IDENTIFIED BY THE FEDERAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND 8
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION AND AP PLYING THOSE LESSONS TO 9
INCREASING STUDENT W ELL–BEING THROUGH PEDAGO GY. 10
(2) THE COURSE SHALL INCL UDE INSTRUCTION ON : 11
(I) SOCIAL WELL–BEING, INCLUDING THE IMPORT ANCE OF 12
DIFFERENT TYPES OF R ELATIONSHIPS FOR A S TUDENT, 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 IMPORT ANCE OF A 23
HEALTHY BODY TO A ST UDENT’S OVERALL WELL –BEING, AND A PEDAGOGY THAT 24
ENHANCES GOO D PHYSICAL HEALTH HA BITS; 25
(IV) EMOTIONAL WELL –BEING, INCLUDING THE IMPORT ANCE 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 THE USE OF CO NTEMPLATIVE 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 SENSES ; 33 SENATE BILL 350 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 AN ACTIVE BRAIN, CULTIVATE 5
PERSONAL INTE RESTS, AND PURSUE LIFELONG LEARNING, AND A PEDAGOGY THAT 6
ENHANCES A STUDENT ’S UNDERSTANDING AND DEVELOPMENT OF A WHO LE SELF; 7
AND 8
(VIII) FINANCIAL WELL –BEING, INCLUDING THE IMPORT ANCE OF 9
A STUDENT ’S UNDERSTANDING OF F INANCIAL PROCESSES A ND 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