Priority Issue: The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future

The Bridge to Excellence Act of 2002 required that, by the 2007-2008 school year, every school system provide full-day kindergarten for all eligible students and access to half-day pre-kindergarten programs for all economically disadvantaged four year old children (based on 185% of the federal poverty level). Since that time, prekindergarten grant programs have been expanded to assist school systems and private providers in providing half-day and full-day prekindergarten for income-eligible three and four year olds whose parents or guardians voluntarily enroll in these programs. This was a major facet of the preliminary Blueprint legislation (SB 1030, Ch. 771, 2019 Laws of Maryland).

The Blueprint law adopts the Kirwan Commission's recommendations to require local school systems to expand full-day programs to ensure access to all income eligible families to full-day PreK for their three and four year olds, either in public schools or through partnerships with private providers who must meet rising quality standards. In addition, the law increases the number of Judy Centers and Family Support Centers.

The Blueprint establishes the Publicly Funded Full-Day Prekindergarten Program to guarantee the availability of slots in public schools or private facilities at no cost for three-year-olds and four-year-olds from families with incomes up to 300% of the federal poverty level (FPL) ($79,500 for a family of four in 2021) and for four-year-olds from families with incomes between 300% and 600% FPL using a sliding scale (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 7-1A-01).

All three and four year old children from families with incomes of 300% or less of the federal poverty level (FPL) are defined as Tier I children who are eligible for access to free public or private full-day prekindergarten programs. For funding purposes, the law defines these students as enrolled students beginning in FY 2023 (2022-2023 school year).

Beginning in FY 2025 (2024-2025 school year) Tier II children, from families with incomes between 300% and 600%, also become eligible for funding as enrolled students (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 5-229). However, the availability of slots for eligible children is a function of the availability of slots in public and private programs that meet eligibility criteria and thereby qualify for approval and funding.

The Blueprint includes the goal of "Expanding access to high-quality, full-day prekindergarten programs for 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds through a mixed delivery system" (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 1-303). High quality is defined in the law through provisions that condition eligibility for funding for both public and private providers on quality standards pertaining to educational programs, class size, educator qualifications, and educator pay (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 7-1A-04). The funding formula is, in fact, referred to as the "cost of quality" (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 7-1A-01).

The law specifies that, beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, "All eligible prekindergarten providers shall include structural elements that are evidence-based and nationally recognized as important for ensuring program quality." Teachers must at a minimum hold state certification for teaching in early education or have a bachelor's degree in any field and pursuing residency through an approved alternative program. Teaching assistants must have at least a child development associate certificate or an associates degree (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 7-1A-04).

In addition, program eligibility is based on continuous improvement measured by the EXCELS quality rating system. Eligible private providers must achieve a rating of 3 and public providers must receive a rating of 4. All programs must submit a plan to achieve rating of 5 within 5 years.

The law establishes a "cost of quality" calculation of state, local, and family shares of the per pupil costs of public and private prekindergarten (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 5-229). Total per pupil amounts are specified in the statute and for Tier I students the entire cost is split between the state and local government. The law requires a calculation of state, local, and family share of the total per pupil cost Once Tier II students become eligible for funded slots.

In addition, the prekindergarten expansion grants provided under section 7-101.2 of the Education Article will continue through FY 2026 for programs serving Tier I children.

By November 1, 2021, MSDE must develop and report to the AIB its plan for an income verification process to determine eligibility for Tier I, Tier II, or Tier III status of a child (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 5-229).

Yes. Tier I students from families with incomes of 300% or less of the FPL are guaranteed free access to public or private prekindergarten programs. However, for Tier II students from families with incomes between 300% and 600% of the FPL, the law allocates the responsibility to fund the per pupil cost among the state, local government, and family. This "family share" is essentially the amount of tuition a family would be charged. The law provides that "beginning in FY 2025 the family shall pay the family share to the publicly funded prekindergarten provider" (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 5-229). The law also allows a local school system to pay up to 100% of the family share.

The law requires that MSDE report to the AIB by November 1, 2021 with "recommendations for the methodology the Department will use to calculate the State, local, and family share for Tier II children under the sliding scale" for families with household incomes between 300% and 600% of the federal poverty level (FPL) (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 5-229). By July 1, 2022, MSDE must develop the sliding scale to calculate the family share required for Tier II children. The lower limit is 0% for families with an income that is 300% of FPL and increase on a linear basis to the upper limit for families with an income of less than 600% of FPL (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 5-229).

The law requires MSDE, local school systems, and eligible providers to "work together to address the transportation needs of children enrolled in eligible prekindergarten providers" (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 5-229).

The law requires that MSDE report to the AIB by November 1, 2021 on its plans for "providing families with the ability to indicate a preference for the public or private prekindergarten program in which to enroll their child" (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 5-229).

Generally, no. Eligible prekindergarten providers, including private providers, are prohibited from suspending or expelling a child who is enrolled in a prekindergarten program except as provided in § 7-305.1 of the Education Article, under which a prekindergarten, kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2 student:

"[M]ay only be: (i) Expelled from school if required by federal law; or (ii) Suspended for not more than 5 school days if the school administration, in consultation with a school psychologist or other mental health professional, determines that there is an imminent threat of serious harm to other students or staff that cannot be reduced or eliminated through interventions and supports."

Must private providers comply with anti-discrimination laws?

Yes. The law includes antidiscrimination conditions prohibiting providers from engaging in explicitly religious activity during school hours. Specifically, the law requires that "an eligible prekindergarten provider shall comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Title 20, Subtitle 6 of the State Government Article, and not discriminate in student admissions, retention, or expulsion or otherwise discriminate against any student or parent of a student on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression" (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 7-1A-04).

Yes. School systems must enter into memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with private providers, including several mandated elements (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 7-1A-05). Before executing an MOU, the local board must submit its proposed MOU(s) to AIB as part of their local implementation plans in accordance with § 5-404.

The Blueprint law adopts the Commission's recommendation to transform high schools by mandating structured pathways for students in 11^th and 12^th grades to college level courses and career and technical education (CTE) leading to professional certifications, and increases per pupil funding to support these initiatives. The law also shifts the governance of CTE programs from MSDE to a new committee reporting to the AIB.

The Blueprint's goal for increased attainment of CCR is stated as:

An instructional system that is benchmarked to world-class standards and fully aligned from prekindergarten through 12th grade to a college and career readiness standard, including:

A college and career readiness standard set to world-class standards that certifies that by the end of 10th grade, and not later than the end of 12th grade, a student has the requisite literacy in English and mathematics to be successful in first-year, credit-bearing coursework at a Maryland community college or open enrollment postsecondary institution (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 1-303).

The law re-states this standard under Section 7-205.1 and sets the assessment standards for CCR as follows:

Meeting the CCR standard shall initially require a student to achieve the equivalent of a score of 4 or 5 in the mathematics and English portions of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career Readiness grade 10 assessments on or the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program grade 10 assessments or any successor assessments.

The law also requires MSDE to conduct an empirical standard-setting study on which updated assessment standards must be based.

In addition, the AIB is required to "Coordinate with MSDE on the State's participation in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) survey program." PISA is a an international assessment endorsed by the Kirwan Commission, which cited its statewide use in Massachusetts.

Yes. Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, all students who meet the CCR standard are required to be provided with access to the following post-CCR pathways, at no cost including fees: (1) a competitive entry college preparatory program, chosen by the local board; (2) a program that allows a student, through an early college program or dual enrollment at a student's high school and an institution of higher education to earn an Associate's degree or at least 60 credits; and (3) a robust set of CTE programs that are recommended by the CTE Skills Standards Advisory Committee and approved by the CTE Committee, including apprenticeships and dual enrollment in credit or eligible noncredit certificate programs (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 7-205.1).

In addition, students must be given the option to participate in a credit or noncredit certificate or license program, course, or sequence of courses, including a program or courses taken through dual enrollment at a secondary or postsecondary institution, through an advanced placement course at a secondary institution, or through an apprenticeship sponsor that leads to an industry recognized occupational-credential or postsecondary certificate.

The Blueprint mandates the development of new State curriculum resources which the State may require a school to adopt based on low performance. However, the law clarifies that otherwise the law "does not require a public school or county board to adopt the department's curriculum standards or curriculum resources and may not be construed to restrict a county board's authority to adopt curricula under § 4-111" (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 7-202.1).

The law requires MSDE to work in consultation with teachers to develop curriculum standards and curriculum resources for each subject at each grade level, that build on one another in logical sequence, in core subjects" (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 7-202.1). The required curriculum resources are further defined to include course syllabi, sample lessons, examples of student work, and explanations of why student work meets proficiency standards.

Implementation plans must include plans to "adapt curriculum, instruction, and the organization of the school day to enable more students to achieve college and career readiness by the end of 10^th grade" (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 5-404).

The law also encourages local school systems to develop introductory CTE courses "with the goal of making career and technical education a part of all elementary, middle school, and high school curricula" (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 7-125).

Yes. The Blueprint law establishes new requirements that school systems provide "pathways for those students who have not achieved the college and career readiness standard by the end of 10th grade that enable them to achieve the standard by the end of 12th grade." In addition, the law requires that schools "provide the appropriate, individualized instruction and supports needed to get the student back on track for college and career readiness" (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 1-303).

The Blueprint law requires local school systems, beginning in the 2021-2022 school year, to implement a "9^th grade tracker system" to measure each student's progress toward graduating on time, including credit accumulation and report outcomes to MSDE which must report to the AIB and Longitudinal Data System Center (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 7-203.5).

The law mandates that by the 2022-2023 school year local boards of education develop and implement, in collaboration with community colleges, a program of study for students who have not met the CCR standard by the end of 10^th grade (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 7-205.1).

The Blueprint law renames Career and Technology Education to be Career and Technical Education and initially retains the definition under Section 21-203 requiring that CTE programs must:

• Offer a sequence of academic and occupational courses, career development, and work experience to prepare students to begin careers and to pursue lifelong learning; and
• Integrate academic knowledge and occupational competence to enable 30 students to develop the critical thinking, problem solving, employability, and technical skills required to meet the workforce preparation and economic development needs of the 21st century.

The Blueprint revisions bill also expands the definition of CTE programs to include those taken through apprenticeship sponsors and expands dual enrollment to include non-credit courses leading to a certificate or license.

The Blueprint law creates a CTE Committee within the Governor's Workforce Development Board to develop a new statewide framework and set of standards. Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, CTE programs offered by public schools must be aligned with the CTE system developed by the CTE Committee.

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) Committee is responsible for developing and overseeing the implementation of rigorous CTE pathways under Section 21-209 of the Education Article. (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 21-201). The Committee must establish "inclusive, statewide goals that reach 45% by the 2030-2031 school year, for the percentage of high school students who, prior to graduation, complete a high school level of a registered apprenticeship or industry-recognized occupational credential" (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 21-204).

The Committee is also authorized to recommend that the AIB withhold funding from local school systems.

The CTE Committee is required, in part, to:

• Develop a statewide framework for CTE that prepares students for employment in a diverse, modern economy;
• Allocate roles and responsibilities to state agencies for the credentialing of students engaged in CTE programs;
• Adopt, and, where appropriate, develop and regularly update a comprehensive and cohesive system of occupational skills standards to drive the state's CTE system;
• Ensure that CTE programs are aligned with the state's economic development and workforce goals and operate with best global practices;
• Set content qualification and recruitment standards for CTE instructors;
• Determine which programs should be approved for credit towards high school graduation requirements;
• Approve, reject, or modify the proposals made by the CTE Skills Standards Advisory Committee; and
• Establish, administer, and supervise the CTE Expert Review Teams.

In addition, the CTE Committee is responsible for the administration of the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act and aligning the state's plan for administering the Perkins Act with the Blueprint.

The purpose of the CTE Skills Advisory Board is to make recommendations and provide advice to the CTE Committee on setting the occupational standards necessary for a strong CTE system. The recommendations made by the Advisory Committee are to form the basis for the post-CCR CTE pathway required under § 7-205.1. The Advisory Committee is to be composed of members appointed by the chair of the CTE committee that include employers, unions, apprenticeship sponsors, and other experts on occupational skills, with a preference for members of the Governor's Workforce Development Board.

Yes. The CTE Committee must develop a plan to deploy CTE Expert Review Teams beginning in 2022 (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 5-412).

The Blueprint builds on the school finance system established by the Bridge to Excellence Act of 2002 by maintaining a foundation amount of state education aid, adjusted based on the wealth of the local jurisdiction, and the additional "weighted" amounts of funding provided for economically disadvantaged, English learner, and special education students. The Blueprint also adopts a separate program to provide additional funding and programmatic and staffing requirements for schools with high concentrations of poverty. In addition, the law adopts new school finance practices and reporting requirements and integrates accountability for funding and student performance under new comprehensive implementation plans.

The Blueprint reflects the overarching "paramount priority" for the Kirwan Commission to address the issue of equity in Maryland. The Commission engaged Dr. Ivory A. Toldson, professor at Howard University and head of the Quality Education for Minorities Foundation, to serve as a consultant to provide an equity analysis of the Commission's recommendations (Observations and Recommendations to the Kirwan Commission, Ivory A. Toldson, Ph.D., Dec. 3, 2018). According to its final report, the Commission adopted all 17 of Dr. Toldson's recommendations (Kirwan Commission, Final Report, Jan. 2020). The Commission's "final policy and resource recommendations were driven by the belief that all students, regardless of family income, race, ethnicity, language spoken, disabilities, or other needs, must have the resources they need for success" (Kirwan Commission, Final Report, Jan. 2020; Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 1-303(6)).

In this context, the comprehensive set of reforms recommended by the Kirwan Commission and contained in the Blueprint legislation are designed to enhance educational equity. The law does so by expanding access for all low-income families to full-day prekindergarten, expanding student and family access to wraparound services coordinated by community schools personnel, expanding access to teaching and learning aligned with college and career readiness for all students with additional services required for struggling learners, and creating a new accountability system that requires school systems to achieve both equitable student performance outcomes and administer an equitable school-based finance system.

All of these issues are to be addressed in the State and local comprehensive implementation plans. Local plans must implement each element of the Blueprint including how to close student achievement gaps listed under § 5-408(a)(2)(i) of the Education Article, and "avoid the disproportionate placement of students with particular racial, ethnic, linguistic, economic, or disability status characteristics with novice teachers or teachers providing instruction in fields in which they lack expertise" (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 5-404).

The law establishes the goal that "each student … shall have equitable access to college and career readiness and shall meet the CCR standard at an equal rate" (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 7-205.1). The law states that the Accountability and Implementation Board "shall strive to provide equal access to a high-quality education with equitable outcomes for each Maryland student …" (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 5-402); and provides that the training program for board of education members and school principals must include "an overview of ethical leadership directly tied to the school leaders' responsibility to drive equitable learning in their schools" (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 6-124).

In addition, the law states that "each county board shall strive to place NBC [National Board Certified] teachers in schools throughout the county and in a manner that supports equity and prioritizes low performing schools" (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 6-1002).

The Blueprint utilizes the revised enrollment counts and increased foundation amount of per pupil funding in conjunction with additional amounts of per pupil funding for students under the categories of special education, English Learners, and economically disadvantaged. The law defines the annual target per pupil foundation amounts (PPFAs) of state education funding to be provided each year from FY 2023 through the full implementation of the Blueprint in FY 2033, after which the PPFA will increase annually by inflation.

Specifically, the target PPFA includes costs associated with implementing the Blueprint including: (1) increasing salaries; (2) additional teachers to provide professional learning and collaborative time for teachers; (3) career counseling; (4) behavioral health; (5) instructional opportunities for students who are college and career ready and those who are not; (6) maintenance and operation of schools; and (7) supplies and materials for teachers.

In addition, the Blueprint law significantly enhances the adequacy and equity of the school finance system by creating the new concentration of poverty funding program, including additional per pupil funding and grants for school-based personnel.

The Blueprint law includes a major change in the calculation of student enrollment for funding purposes by altering the foundation formula grant so that the count of students to be funded is the greater of (1) the prior year full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment, and (2) the three-year moving average of FTE enrollment.

The Blueprint "revisions" bill passed in 2021 further amends the definition of enrollment by altering the "3-year moving average enrollment" to exclude the full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment count for the 2020-2021 school year from calculations used for determining the enrollment count. A similar adjustment was made for purposes of determining the annual per pupil Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirement that must be met by local governments.

Yes. The Blueprint "revisions" bill include several provisions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the addition of technology funding to the foundation amount of per pupil State funding (HB 1372, Ch. 55, 2021 Laws of Maryland). According to the bill's fiscal note:

The target per pupil foundation amount (PPFA) under the State foundation program is increased, beginning in fiscal 2025, to cover specified educational technology costs. The additional funds are intended to supplement, not supplant, existing funding provided for educational technology. In using these additional funds, local boards of education must prioritize the purchase of digital devices. Local boards must also report annually regarding spending and certain uses of specified technology; MSDE must annually compile these reports and submit the compilation to the General Assembly. The increase is phased-in from fiscal 2025 to 2027, after which these and other costs under the PPFA are increased annually by inflation.

The law defines concentration of poverty for the purpose of identifying eligible community schools based on the enrollment count of students eligible for compensatory education funding. Compensatory education is based on the number of students eligible for free and reduced price meals. In addition, a separate methodology is used for school systems participating in the federal community eligibility program. Initially, schools having 80% or more of their students eligible for compensatory education funding meet the concentration of poverty threshold for the community schools program. This threshold is reduced to 55% through 2026.

The Blueprint law significantly expands the scope of the existing community schools program. In 2019, both the Kirwan Commission legislation and a separate bill defined and provided funding for community schools. The preliminary Blueprint law passed in 2019 defined a community school as "a public school that establishes a set of strategic partnerships between the school and other community resources that promote student achievement, positive learning conditions, and the well-being of students by providing wraparound services" (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 5-203).

A separate bill also passed to further define and specify the purposes of community schools (Senate Bill 661, Ch. 300, 2019 Laws of Maryland; adding Title 9.9 "Community Schools" to the Education Article). This bill provided that each community school must have "a dedicated staff member to coordinate support programs that address out-of-school learning barriers for students and families that may include: tutoring, English language learners courses, early childhood development and parenting classes, college and career advising, employment opportunities, citizenship education, food pantries, and school-based mental and physical health services" (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. §§ 9.9-101 through 9.9-107).

The Blueprint law defines "wraparound services" as including:

• Extended learning time, including before and after school, weekends, summer school, and an extended school year;
• Safe transportation to school;
• Vision and dental care services;
• Establishing or expanding school-based health center services;
• Additional social workers, mentors, counselors, psychologists, and restorative practice coaches;
• Enhancing physical wellness, including providing healthy food for in-school and out-of-school time and linkages to community providers;
• Enhancing behavioral health services, including access to mental health practitioners and providing professional development to school staff to provide trauma-informed interventions;
• Providing family and community engagement and supports, including informing parents of academic course offerings, language classes, workforce development training, opportunities for children, and available social services as well as educating families on how to monitor a child's learning;
• Establishing and enhancing linkages to Judy Centers and other early education programs that feed into the school;
• Enhancing student enrichment experiences;
• Improving student attendance;
• Improving the learning environment at the school; and
• Any other professional development for teachers and school staff to quickly identify students who are in need of these resources.

The Blueprint mandates that specific transitional education services be provided at the school level to struggling learners, and provides significant per pupil funding to support this program. Transitional supplemental instruction includes: one-on-one and small-group tutoring of not more than four students with a certified teacher, a teaching assistant, or any other trained professional; cross-age peer tutoring; and screening, identifying, and addressing literacy deficits. (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 5-226).

The Blueprint law defines a struggling learner as a kindergarten through grade 3 student who, on the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) or on any successor assessment, in the prior fiscal year, scores the equivalent of a 1, 2, or 3 in English language arts or reading. The number of grade 3 struggling learners is to be used as a proxy for the number of struggling learners in each of kindergarten, grade 1, and grade 2 (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 5-226).

According to the Kirwan Commission, "In order to transform Maryland's education system into a world-class system, the recommendations of the Commission must be implemented with fidelity, through a strong system of accountability where the vast majority of money follows the student to the school, and new funds must be spent effectively to improve student outcomes."

This recommendation is codified in the Blueprint law under Section 5-234 which requires school systems to distribute to schools at least 75% of the per pupil funding provided under the foundation and other categorical programs (FRPM, EL, CTE. School systems must begin reporting to MSDE and the AIB on compliance with this "money follows the child" system beginning on July 1, 2024, for the FY 2025 budget, and each July 1 thereafter.

The federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) already mandates reporting of per pupil, school-based, funding and teacher qualification data, and the Blueprint law references this reporting requirement in the years prior to the new accountability reports.

The Blueprint law adopts the Commission's recommendation to establish an independent body responsible for planning, overseeing implementation, and leveraging the withholding of state funding in order to achieve the long-term goals of the Blueprint.

The Blueprint law creates the Accountability and Implementation Board (AIB) as the independent board recommended by the Kirwan Commission to have the authority to ensure that the Commission's recommendations are successfully implemented and produce the desired results. The AIB is a seven-member board appointed by the Governor from candidates nominated by a nominating committee comprised of members selected by the Governor, Speaker of the House, and President of the Senate. AIB members are appointed to staggered 6-year terms.

The AIB's Composition and Contact Information

Isiah Leggett, Chair (chosen by Governor, Senate President & House Speaker), 2026

Members Appointed by Governor to 6-year terms: Fagan Harris, 2024; William E. (Brit) Kirwan, Ph.D., 2024; Jennifer M. Lynch, Ph.D., 2024; Joseph Manko, 2025; Laura M. Stapleton, Ph.D., 2025; Mara R. Doss, Ed.D., 2026.

Rachel H. Hise, Executive Director (410) 703-1325
e-mail: rachel.hise@maryland.gov

54 Calvert St., Annapolis, MD 21401
e-mail: aib@maryland.gov

AIB Meeting Information, including schedule and video and materials from past meetings. (Link)

This AIB has the following roles and responsibilities:

• Develop a comprehensive implementation plan for the Blueprint for Maryland's Future and hold all State and local agencies involved accountable for carrying out their assigned roles;
• Monitor and report annually on the status of implementation in schools, districts and agencies across the State, including collecting, analyzing, and reporting disaggregated data on student performance, teacher preparation, and the use of funds to improve outcomes under the Blueprint;
• Evaluate the outcomes achieved during the implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland's Future against the goals of the Blueprint and the Commission, particularly in closing achievement gaps, and annually reporting on whether any changes should be made to ensure adequate resources and measurements for full implementation;
• Ensure that the newly created Expert Review Teams administered by MSDE and the new CTE Committee that will conduct school visits understand the degree to which the strategies used by the top performers are being used and make recommendations for improving implementation;
• Have the authority to place some new funds for a school or school district in escrow should that school or district not successfully implement the Commission's recommendations or fail to show satisfactory progress in student achievement; and
• Contract for an independent evaluation of implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland's Future, assess the State's progress in implementation, and make any recommendations for changes needed to fully implement the Blueprint.

In addition, the AIB has the authority to promulgate regulations as an independent unit of state government. Therefore, regulations would be located in COMAR Title 14. Independent State Agencies.

The AIB must develop a comprehensive implementation plan to implement the Blueprint. The scope of the plan is very broad, in that it must include the intended outcomes that the Blueprint will achieve. It must also include a timeline for implementation of the Blueprint with key milestones to be achieved by each state or local government unit required to implement an element of the Blueprint for each year of the implementation period.

The AIB must adopt its plan by no later than February 15, 2022. Any changes to the plan must be adopted by the AIB no later than August 1 of each year. The AIB must adopt guidelines for entities required to submit and carry out implementation plans, including a maximum page length, including appendices, for implementation plans.

Local school systems must develop Blueprint implementation plans to implement each element of the Blueprint. The law more specifically requires local plans to show how the school system will achieve the following:

• Adapt curriculum, instruction, and the organization of the school day to enable more students to achieve college and career readiness by the end of 10th grade, to provide students with needed services including community-partnered behavioral health services if appropriate, and to identify students who are falling behind and develop a plan to get them back on track;
• Close student achievement gaps listed under § 5-408 of the Education Article within the local system (race, ethnicity, disability status, household income, linguistic status, and any other student group characteristics that feature achievement gaps as determined by the AIB;
• Avoid the disproportionate placement of students with particular racial, ethnic, linguistic, economic, or disability status characteristics with novice teachers or teachers providing instruction in fields in which they lack expertise; and
• Use additional funds for teacher collaborative time prioritized based on availability of a sufficient number of high quality teachers.

The Blueprint law establishes the Expert Review Team Program, to be established and administered by MSDE, in order to have teams of expert educators:

• Conduct interviews, observe classes, and use other data to analyze the extent to which the Blueprint is being implemented; and
• Collaborate with school-based faculty and staff and local school system staff to: (i) determine reasons why student progress is insufficient; and (ii) develop recommendations, measures, and strategies to address the issues identified by the expert review team (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 5-411).

During the period from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2025, the report and recommendations of an expert review team shall be advisory only and may be used by a school and local school system to strengthen the school program and the management of the school and local school system.

Beginning on July 1, 2025, the report and recommendations of an expert review team shall be used by MSDE as the basis for a recommendation to the AIB as to whether to release a portion of the annual increase in funding for the upcoming school year.

In addition, beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, MSDE will send an expert review team to a school or a group of schools in which students continue to demonstrate learning loss that began in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic for the purpose of determining the reason that the learning loss continues.

Begging in FY 2023, the AIB is required to withhold 25% of the increase in the State share of major education aid over the amount provided in the current fiscal year. For FY 2023 only, the AIB must release funds withheld if it finds that a local school system has met the minimum guidelines for the submission of the initial implementation plan. 

In FY 2024 and FY 2025 the AIB must release funds if it finds that a local school system or public school has developed an initial implementation plan and received approval for its plan and for any subsequent modifications (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 5-405; as amended by HB 1450 (2022)).

Beginning in FY 2026, the AIB is required, merely, to consider releasing withheld funds if it determines that a public school or local school system has made sufficient progress on an implementation plan or taken appropriate steps to improve student performance. The AIB may also consider and act on recommendations to release funds from MSDE, the CTE Committee, or an expert review team.

The AIB may withhold more than 25% of the increase in the state share of major education aid over the amount provided in the current fiscal year from a public school or local school system, if, in the judgment of the AIB: (1) a local school system has not made satisfactory efforts to develop or revise its Blueprint implementation plan; (2) a public school or local school system has not made sufficient progress on its implementation plan; or (3) a public school or local school system has not taken appropriate steps to improve student performance.

If the AIB determines that a public school or local school system has made progress in some areas but not in others, the AIB may determine that a portion of the funds may be released while a portion may be withheld. Also, the AIB may determine it is necessary to release or withhold funds for the current fiscal year.

Yes. The AIB must develop an appeals process through which a local school system may contest the withholding of funds (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 5-405).

The Blueprint law provides only the following: For FY 2022 through 2026, the governing body of a county and the local school system jointly shall appoint a single implementation coordinator responsible for the implementation of the Blueprint by all government units operating in the county (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 5-404).

Yes. Under Section 6-124 of the Education Article, MSDE and the AIB must develop a leadership development training program for board of education members and school principals that must include:

(1) A method for organizing schools to achieve high performance, including:

(i) Building instructional leadership teams;

(ii) Implementing career ladders for teachers;

(iii) Overseeing teacher induction and mentoring systems; and

(iv) Identifying, recruiting, and retaining high-quality school leaders;

(2) A model for strategic thinking that will assist school leaders drive in driving redesign efforts in their schools;

(3) Training to provide a deep understanding of standards-aligned instructional systems;

(4) Training to provide a working knowledge of the research on how students learn and the implications of this research for instructional redesign, curriculum, and professional learning;

(5) A research-based model for instructional coaching;

(6) An overview of ethical leadership directly tied to the school leaders' responsibility to drive equitable learning in their schools; and

(7) Lessons in transformational leadership.

Separately, MSDE and the AIB must provide superintendents and "senior, instruction-related staff" with a training program including: (1) a review of education in the united states relative to countries with top performing education systems and the implications of high performance for students, the economic security of the united states, and quality of life; (2) a model for strategic thinking that will assist education leaders to transform districts under their leadership; (3) training to provide a working knowledge of research on how students learn and the implications for instructional redesign, curriculum plans, and professional learning; (4) a research-based model for coaching school leaders; and (5) lessons in transformational leadership (Md. Code Ann., Ed. Art. § 6-124).