MABE places a high priority on maintaining a positive and productive relationship with the Maryland State Board of Education. The State Board plays a major role in developing the state’s educational policies, adopting state regulations, and issuing legal opinions. Therefore, MABE staff and members of the MABE Board of Directors regularly attend the monthly meetings of the State Board, and MABE is engaged throughout the year in informing the State Board of the association’s positions on priority issues through testimony, correspondence, and meetings.
For additional information, contact John R. Woolums, Esq., MABE’s Director of Governmental Relations.
Quick Links
The Monitor is the newsletter penned by MABE staff to provide all boards with a comprehensive summary of each State Board meeting.
State Board Meeting Agendas & Materials
Maryland Register (published, proposed, and final state regulations)
COMAR (searchable database of all adopted state regulations) – MSDE/State Board regulations are contained in Title 13A
State Board Priority Issues
MABE staff monitors and engages in correspondence and other advocacy actions on priority issues before the State Board of Education. Issues often arise in advance of or in response to proposed regulations or policies as well as in response to legal decisions impacting all school systems.
The Monitor
The Monitor and selected meeting materials are uploaded to the MABE website following each Maryland State Board of Education meeting to provide local boards with timely access to the issues pending before the State Board.
2023
August 2023 Issue - June 27, 2023 | Public Comments; Stakeholder Engagement: Public School Superintendents Association of Maryland (PSSAM); Stakeholder Engagement: Maryland Chamber of Commerce (MDCC) and National Civics Bee Finalists; Blueprint Implementation Update; Regulations; 2023 State Assessment Results; MSDE Grantmaking Process Updates; College and Career Readiness Standard Setting; Board Opinions
July 2023 Issue - July 25, 2023 | Public Comments; President's Remarks; Oral Argument (In the Matter of Request for Removal of Local Board Member Juanita Miller); Proposed Sliding Scale for PreK Tuition; Blueprint Deep Dive on College and Career Readiness; Regulations (Reportable Offenses, State Board Appeals Procedures, Family Child Care, 2023-2024 High School Assessments & Graduation Requirements, Teacher Certification Tests); Science of Reading Update; Board Opinions
June 2023 Issue - June 27, 2023 | Public Comments; President's Remarks; Principals of the Year Recognition; National Association of State Boards of Education Presentation; School Improvement Programs; School Profile: Lakeland Elementary/Middle School (Baltimore City Public Schools); State Student Assessment Program; Multilingual Learners; Regulations (Public Information Act Request; Correction of Amendment to Public Records; Lawful Absence; Student Transportation; Cannabis Regulations for Code of Maryland Regulations); Strategic Plan Update; Board Member Recognition; Board Opinions
May 2023 Issue - May 23, 2023 | President's Comments; Public Comments; Consent Agenda; Proclamation Recognizing Teacher Appreciation Week; Teachers of the Year Recognition; Blueprint Deep Dive: College and Career Readiness Standard; Deep Dive: Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS); COMAR Regulations (Family Child Care, Child Care Centers, Child Care Letters of Compliance, Large Family Child Care Homes, General Financial Aid to Local School Systems, Nondiscrimination in Education); Board Opinions
April 2023 Issue - April 25, 2023 | Public Comments; Milken Awards; 2023 Legislative Session Summary; School Profile: Salem Avenue Elementary School in Hagerstown, Washington County; Blueprint Deep Dive: College and Career Readiness Exploratory Study Findings; Reducing Overidentification and Narrowing Achievement Gaps Case Study: Lexington, Mass.; Carroll County Calendar Waiver; COMAR Regulations; Board Opinions
March 2023 Issue - March 28, 2023 | Public Comments; Oral Argument (Melissa Fowler, et al. v. Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners); Maryland Leads Grant Spotlights: Allegany and Prince George's County School Systems; Legislative Updates; State Budget Updates; Regulations (Home and Hospital Administration; Student Behavior Intervention: Restraint and Seclusion; Local Education Agency Calendar Modification Request); Blueprint Implementation Updates; Board Opinions.
February 2023 Issue - February 28, 2023 | Public Comments; Regulations (Purple Star Schools Program, Attendance); Oral Argument (Leslie Floyd v. Prince George's County Board of Education); County Government Stakeholder Engagement/Baltimore County Presentation; State Board & MSDE Strategic Plan Update (Phase 2 of 3); School Profile: Snow Hill Elementary (Worcester County Public Schools); Assessment, Accountability & Performance Reporting Updates, Maryland School Report Card); Board Opinions
January 2023 Issue - January 24, 2023 | Public Comments; Legislative Update; Maryland Teacher of the Year Recognition; Maryland Leads Spotlight Presentations (MSDE, Montgomery County Public Schools, St. Mary's County Public Schools); Educator Preparation & Licensure Updates (Presentation on Regulations Deep Dive: Educator Preparation and Licensure Updates); Assessments and Accountability Updates (Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program 2022 Results Part 2, Accountability Update, Maryland School Report Card Update); Student Transportation Regulations; Graduation Requirement Regulations; Child Care Subsidy Regulations; Board Opinions
2022
December 2022 Issue - December 6, 2022 Public Comments; State Board Executive Director Announcement; Maryland Leads Grant Spotlight; Stakeholder Engagement Session: Maryland Community Health Resources Commission & Maryland Consortium on Coordinated Community Supports; Local Education Agency Virtual Programs Update; Kindergarten Readiness 2023 Results; Maryland School Survey Results; 2022 NAEP Results; MCAP Standard Setting Update and 2022 Results (Preliminary); Mental Health-Related Student Absences Regulations; Adult High School Regulations; Public Information Act Regulations; Local School System Financial Reporting Requirements; State Board Priorities; Board Opinions
October 2022 Issue - October 24, 2022 Roundtable Meeting Notes; From October 25, 2022 State Board's Monthly Meeting: Public Comments; Blueprint Deep Dive: College and Career Readiness Pathways -- Apprenticeships in Washington County Schools; State Board and MSDE Strategic Plan Release; Western Maryland Gallery Walk & Reflections; School Finance; Indicators and Measures of Poverty; Maryland Leads Grants; Board Opinions
September 2022 Issue - Public Comments; Stakeholder Engagement Session: Nonpublic Schools; Deep Dive: Coordinated Community Supports in Maryland; Deep Dive: Students with Disabilities; COVID Transmission Rates and School Logistics; Regulations (Attendance; Administration of Home and Hospital Teaching for Students; Child Care Centers and Large Family Child Care; Military-Connected Students); Board Opinions
August 2022 Issue - State Board Public Comments; Hearing & Oral Arguments in Mamie Benjamin v. Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners; Data Deep Dive: Students Attending Alternative High Schools; COVID Transmission Rates and School Logistics; Blueprint Deep Dive: College and Career Readiness Pathways -- Apprenticeships; Child Care Regulations; Student Assessments and Standards; Board Member Reports
July 2022 Issue - State Board Public Comments; Maryland Association of Student Councils (MASC) Stakeholder Engagement; Elections of Officers for 2022-2023; Local Virtual Learning Program Updates; COVID Transmission Rates and School Logistics; Blueprint and Data Deep Dive: Maryland's Teacher Workforce - Supply, Demand, and Diversity; Conditional Teacher Certificate Waiver; Resident Teacher Certificate Waiver; Interscholastic Athletics Regulations; Board Opinions
June 2022 Issue - State Board Public Comments; Request for Waiver of Graduation Requirements (COMAR 13A.03.02); COVID Transmission Rates and School Logistics; Maryland Chamber of Commerce Civics Bee; Stakeholder Engagement; Strategic Planning Update; Financing the Future: COVID Relief Funds, Maryland Leads, and Blueprint State Aid; Board Member Recognition; Board Opinions
May 2022 Issue - State Board Public Comments; Oral Arguments: Stephen Price v. Howard County Board of Education; Maryland Local Teachers of the Year Awards; Blueprint Deep Dive: Early Childhood Education; Educator Qualification Data and Maryland Report Card; COVID Transmission Rates and School Logistics; 2022 Legislative Session Summary; Board Opinions
April 2022 Issue - State Board public comments; Recognition of Math and Science Teacher Presidential Award Winners; Achieving Academic Equity and Excellence for Black Boys; COVID Transmission Rates and School Logistics; Blueprint Deep Dive: Early Childhood Education; State Board Resolution: Committing to Transformative Action to Create a World-Class Education System in Maryland; 2022 Legislative Session Update; School Calendar Waivers; Board Opinions
March 2022 Issue - State Board public comments; Maryland State Education Association Leadership Presentation; Districts that Succeed: Breaking the Correlation Between Race, Poverty, and Achievement; State Board Strategic Plan Discussion; COVID Transmission Rates and School Logistics; Local School System Virtual Programs Update; COVID Learning Loss Updates; 2022 Legislative Session: Overview of Selected Education Bills; Regulations; Board Opinions
February 2022 Issue - State Board public comments, COVID Transmission Rates and School Logistics, Blueprint Deep Dive: Mental Health in Schools, 2022 Legislative Session, Regulations, Board Opinions
January 2022 Issue - Superintendents' Association Engagement, COVID Transmission Rates and School Logistics, Enrollment and Attendance, Local Virtual Programs, Blueprint Deep Dives (College and Career Readiness, Nationally Board Certified Teachers and Low Performing Schools, Maryland Public Schools Strategic Plan: Engagement and Process), 2022 Legislative Session, Regulations, Board Opinions
2021
December 2021 Issue - Local Virtual Programs, Teacher of the Year Recognition, Reopening Logistics and COVID Transmission Rates in Schools, New Regulations for Local Waivers of Mask Mandates, Blueprint: English Learner Workgroup Update, Students Experiencing Homelessness, Fall 2021 Student Assessment Results, Bullying and Harassment Policy Update, Regulations: Interscholastic Athletics, and School Food and Nutrition
October 2021 Issue - MABE Presentation on Ongoing Efforts and Supporting State Board, Reopening Logistics and COVID Transmission Rates in Schools, Local Virtual Program Enrollment, Community Schools and Concentration of Poverty Grants, Spotlight of Students with Disabilities, Financial Reporting Requirements, Partial Waiver of 9/30 Student Enrollment Count Regulation, Student Suicide Regulations, Special Education Regulations, Achieving Academic Equity and Excellence for Black Boys Advisory Council Update
September 2021 Issue - Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board (PSTEB) Overview, Local School System Virtual Learning Program Update, School Reopening Logistics and COVID Transmission Rates in Schools, Spotlight on Economically Disadvantaged Students, Blueprint Deep Dive: Neighborhood Indicators of Poverty, Childcare Regulations, State Board Priorities for 2021-2022
August 2021 Issue - Special Board Meeting on In-School Mask Mandate, Virtual Learning Program Monitoring and Evaluation, Blueprint Expert Review Team Program, Learning Loss Recovery, Mask Mandate Discussion, English Learners, School Mental Health Response Teams, Mobile Response and Stabilization System, Regulations Update
July 2021 Issue - Election of Officers, Public Comment, Fourth Term Performance Metrics Report, Summer School Report, Maryland Plan for the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, Learning Loss and Learning Recovery, Virtual Learning Options, Federal Waiver Request for Reporting State Assessment Results, Educator Preparation and Licensure Regulations, Prekindergarten Regulations, Opinions
June 2021 Issue - State Board 2021 Priorities, Impact of Virtual Learning Data, State Plan for ARP Emergency Relief Fund, Monitoring Local Instructional Interventions, Educator Application and Certification Hub, Early Fall Assessment Reporting, Maryland Report Card Data Release, Digital Learning Committee Update, Advisory Council on Achieving Academic Equity and Excellence for Black Boys
May 2021 Issue - ESSER State Set Aside, Maryland Regional Crisis Response and Clinical Support Teams, Third Term Performance Metrics, 2020-2021 School Year, Inclusion of Task Force on Achieving Academic Equity and Excellence for Black Boys, Digital Learning Committee
April 2021 Issue - Task Force on Achieving Academic Equity and Excellence for Black Boys Final Report, Resolution on In-Person Instruction in 2021-2022 School Year, Federal Funding Update, Mental Health Initiatives for Students, Prekindergarten Regulations, Special Education Student Enrollment Regulations, 2021 Session Summary, Federal Accountability Waiver, Local Educator Evaluation System Waiver
March 2021 Issue - Second Term Performance Metrics, Survey to Combat Disrupted Instruction, Update on Broadband Access and Efforts Waiver Requests of Accountability, School Identification, and Reporting Requirements, Request for Waivers Related to Graduation, Assessments, and Service Learning, 2020 Advanced Placement (AP) and SAT Results
March 4, 2021 Special Issue - The State Board met to receive an update on the administration of the 2021 State Assessments and to consider the department’s recommended approval of the adjusted schedule for administration of the modified, statewide assessments.
February 2021 Issue - Public Comment, Proclamations, State Assessments for Spring 2021, Adjusted Cohort Graduation, Dropout Rate, and Postsecondary Enrollment, Legislative Report
January 2021 Issue - New State Superintendent Search Update, COVID Dashboard and Student Performance, 2021 Session Legislative Report, High School Assessments & Graduation Requirements, Regulations
2020
December 2020 Issue - New State Assessment System, Government High School Assessment Waiver, Graduation Task Force Recommendations, Special Education Regulations, Digital Learning Update, Maryland Department of Health COVID-19 Presentation
October 2020 Issue - October 25th special meeting about priority setting, October 26th regular meeting covering, Review of the Every Student Succeeds Act, Accountability, Report Card, and Assessments, Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act Update, Waiver Request for Juniors in the 2020-2021 School Year
September 2020 Issue - September 21st special meeting about priority setting, September 22nd regular meeting covering Career and Technical Education Summary, Review of Local School System Reopening Plans, and Maryland’s Recovery Plan for Education
September 1, 2020 Issue - Coverage of the special meeting of the board to approve new virtual learning standards and to require evaluations and reports on plans to reopen schools for in-person instruction
August 2020 Issue - Recovery Plan Discussion, Educator Licensure Regulations, Student Discipline Report
July 2020 Issue - Recovery Plan Updates & Local Presentations, State Report Card Data, Charter School Regulations
June 2020 Issue - Per-Pupil Expenditure Report, Education Recovery Plan, Student Suspensions and Arrest Data
May 2020 Issue - Federal CARES Act, Education Recovery Plan, Distance Learning Participation, State Regulations
April 2020 v2 Issue - Interscholastic sports cancellation, Education Recovery Plan, Teacher and Principal Evaluations, Nonpublic School Instructional Day Waiver, Teacher Certification, Grading and Reporting
April 2020 Issue - Meals/Food Distribution, Continuity of Learning, Waiver Requests, Calendar Modification Requests
March 2020 Issue - Ratifying State Superintendent’s Closing of Schools, Federal Accountability and Assessment Waiver, Social Studies Standards Regulations, Session Summary, COVID-19 Update, Superintendent Search
February 2020 Issue - Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate, Advanced Placement & SAT, Assessment Graduation Performance Requirement, Change to MISA Structure, Maryland Report Card Update
January 2020 Issue - Update on Student Support Initiatives and Research on Achievement Gaps, Maryland Report Card Analysis, Change to High School MISA Structure
For archived issues of the Monitor, please contact the MABE office at 410-841-5414