[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6650352,"mediaKeyId","2508391-cb03796617a50965e38d37e5035a6dca","parentId",2508391,"title","Bill would let counties use income guidelines to target AP/IB fee assistance","audioSeconds",744,"startMs",5839000,"endMs",6583000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2508391-cb03796617a50965e38d37e5035a6dca&start=5839&end=6583","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2508391-cb03796617a50965e38d37e5035a6dca/thumbnail_5839000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6650352/Maryland/Bill-would-let-counties-use-income-guidelines-to-target-APIB-fee-assistance","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6650352-d9b625fde7b94677f45dfeaeb1e30b0e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143498&Signature=USTSwuvsD1uOlAiIEPg56ZYjFzZV~99XkfIh1VOlq694FPDKfeztnzChbjRSG~oUUVko6M-MAWNHTdsKsWB07DP99ysOj0-1qV05d5W1xk7X0yGuFfut4WUTvAbPlO95ItvQ5K33mUHJLXy2q5oUsj4MWNDO~r9n5pGLlPC2ZJErsVQSM-xYIWvtjPvrqsapK8z-828f8sWhC3cFNRQX3pwW8Nl5bbQbbU~3CtWVQrLjRovO8~YwApUJhrfCYtdVepW64G8aM7gpou8h~DnX80~aUyLxQIfkd3arfW4F66qXvrNCFVecCF9YIxHNxAh8l5O9bQ4rwVYP0UjwgK6tgA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Maryland General Assembly - Ways and Means","date","2025-03-05T20:53:12.787Z","article","Delegate Janelle Wilkins presented House Bill 12‑62 on March 5 to allow county boards of education to establish income eligibility guidelines and procedures for payment of costs associated with post‑college and career readiness pathways, including Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams.

Wilkins said the bill “ensures that a student with a family income below 400 percent of the federal poverty level is provided access at no cost to these post CCR pathways,” while giving local jurisdictions ability to implement tiered or sliding‑scale approaches for families who exceed that threshold but still face financial barriers.

Julie Yang, president of the Montgomery County Board of Education, told the committee MCPS spent “more than $4,400,000” on AP/IB exams in fiscal 2024 and supported the bill as a way to better target limited resources. Nikki Hazel, associate superintendent for curriculum and instructional programs for MCPS, said the district uses sliding‑scale models in other programs and supports a tiered approach for exam fees to preserve access for students with the greatest financial need.

Yvonne Alfonso Windsor, MCPS chief financial officer, said MCPS projects spending “over $5,500,000 toward AP and IB exam fees” in fiscal 2026 and gave a hypothetical: if 20 percent of students taking exams exceeded the eligibility threshold, “it would result in over $1,000,000 that could be reallocated to support other students' needs.”

Committee members asked for clarifications about existing waivers and how the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future changed payment responsibilities. Sponsors and county witnesses said the bill is intended to preserve free access for low‑income families, reduce unnecessary fiscal strain on local school budgets and allow districts discretion to allocate resources equitably.

No formal committee vote was recorded at the hearing; county officials and the sponsor said they would continue to discuss implementation details with the committee.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","W&M Committee Session, 3/5/2025 #1","oneSentenceSummary","Delegate Janelle Wilkins and Montgomery County officials urged the Ways and Means Committee to allow counties to set income‑based eligibility for no‑cost access to AP and IB exams, preserving free access for families under 400% of the federal poverty level while reducing fiscal pressure on school systems.","taxTitle","Ways and Means Committee, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Maryland","taxId",15064,"location","Maryland","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6650357,"Delegate Hill proposes caps and clearer standards for superintendent severance packages",303,684000,987000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2508391-cb03796617a50965e38d37e5035a6dca&start=684&end=987","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2508391-cb03796617a50965e38d37e5035a6dca/thumbnail_684000.jpg","/articles/6650357/Maryland/Delegate-Hill-proposes-caps-and-clearer-standards-for-superintendent-severance-packages","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6650357-1ff0bde8df5ac620218fedfdc8135c83/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143498&Signature=DYZRWwVHE0bmqhC0Y6byEXTInsTmXxbXIekIeX29F7D~zJXiHlmyrJ45crVb18xT4m2FeHZrFxilDmA-gtxTX8wdKj6SQ6RZu4AwiQAC9tn0DbxMPMLLH2j-4ZQ77u3ZErG89b3B6S3RiIuXLppWIG2umpcCfW9WkntW1XKPJMz7cmSc36Gmus5LDUXOBtHehR9jB3iI7-~SHBiN~SP9S2dCIYVsfYoSYXJZ-9HQt0lFstYB1O3z9nh-4P3wF-g0sNXbkK579fiJ1MpmQvzF9tNL6otdCdix3GtNwB2R9fwxezVEGsgtn6iHIK2AuStNcT-jOzeu7OShq-DLFXqW5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Delegate Terry Hill told the Ways and Means Committee that House Bill 13‑17 is intended “to bring transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility to superintendent contracts.” Hill said the bill would cap severance and structure buyouts so school districts cannot be required to pay excessive payouts that divert funds from classrooms.

Hill outlined proposed contract rules: if a superintendent has one year or less remaining on a contract, they would receive the remaining salary; if more than one year remained, severance would be one year’s salary plus one additional month per year of full service; health benefits would be capped at one year or until the superintendent secures another job. The bill would also eliminate buyouts for certain forms of alleged misconduct, which the sponsor described as including immorality, insubordination and financial mismanagement.

During his presentation, Hill cited recent high‑profile separations he said illustrated the problem, noting cases he described where payouts exceeded $1 million and included lifetime health benefits or other additional provisions. He argued those payouts “divert taxpayer money away from our students, teachers, and the classroom.”

The sponsor framed HB 13‑17 as aligning Maryland with practices in other states and as a way to give boards clearer contractual frameworks for negotiation while preserving protections for employees. He urged a favorable report so the General Assembly can consider the proposed structure and caps.

Committee members had no substantive questions during the allotted time and the hearing concluded on the bill with the sponsor available for follow‑up. No vote was recorded at the hearing.","House Bill 13‑17 would place financial limits and clearer terms on superintendent contracts after the sponsor cited recent local buyouts and their fiscal impact on school budgets.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6650363,"Homeschool students press committee for access to public high school sports",1542,6575000,8117000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2508391-cb03796617a50965e38d37e5035a6dca&start=6575&end=8117","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2508391-cb03796617a50965e38d37e5035a6dca/thumbnail_6575000.jpg","/articles/6650363/Maryland/Homeschool-students-press-committee-for-access-to-public-high-school-sports","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6650363-d185396d7731c35a649db4d25448ec96/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143498&Signature=TPLCYadPk8yM2JZYiT~is9SHMJOwErbGZfGRgJmrU~BDTqAElHBVkMCA5~6ERTag~kFkqhp0OmXH9O7NqhP9O~VdDMmHmgXRnPkS8EFm2SHaqFAt6BgPomWM5pttLhk6SHpXt3E17iL22Xge2IM83t3Fpx3JNALOScX2sRNA6aVRcpPaOHsCJdpo-TXO~-RwZQmADBU9y1ovc~1cuSM1WJIoC3ugN-SEgdtF79lgR7o8vQn6GdH0zPz3z223EY~7-RcmDW511K8Xs6hBYSs43wA8kJFs-zsu0FJPigbnerHHhiVSCqxBvs3ow9eZ7jkXjcX2BrRiZ4gAJ8OYTqyDCA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Delegate LaToya Congolo presented House Bill 11‑85 to the Ways and Means Committee on March 5, asking lawmakers to give homeschooled high school students the opportunity to participate in public high school athletics within their county of residence, provided those students meet the eligibility requirements the bill would set.

Congolo told the committee her bill has broad support and a petition with more than 1,000 signatures. “The Right to Play Bill authorizes public high school students to allow homeschool students to participate in athletic activities at any high school within their county of residence provided they meet specific requirements,” she said, and added that, where space is limited, “priority will be given to students enrolled in the school.”

Testimony from military families emphasized the bill’s practical value. Kevin Harrington, an active‑duty service member who identified himself as a homeschooling parent, said the bill “is for military kids. It's good for them.” He described repeated relocations and said access to local public school teams had been available in other states where his family lived.

Many families and student athletes described the social, developmental and college‑recruiting benefits of team sports. Jennifer Lambert, a homeschool parent, said families sometimes must enroll a child in traditional school to access competitive high‑school athletics, a choice she said should not be necessary. Several students testified in person, describing how sports taught teamwork, discipline and confidence; one student said he had moved to another high‑school program only because his local homeschool options had no competitive football team.

Sponsors and witnesses noted that similar policies are in place in roughly 30 states. The bill would require homeschooled athletes to meet the same eligibility and academic standards as public school participants and would place responsibility for transportation and costs with the families. Committee members asked questions about geographic choice of school, roster limits and priority rules; sponsors said the language permits counties to set reasonable conditions and gives priority to enrolled students when spots are limited.

No committee vote was recorded at the March 5 hearing. Supporters urged lawmakers to advance the bill and offered to work with the committee on technical language to address competitive balance and administrative concerns.","Sponsors and dozens of witnesses, including students and military families, supported HB 11‑85 to allow homeschooled students to participate on public high school teams; proponents said the change would expand opportunities and help schools field teams.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6650367,"Bill would require schools to notify parents and report elopement incidents after a child's death in Charles County was cited",1576,3930000,5506000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2508391-cb03796617a50965e38d37e5035a6dca&start=3930&end=5506","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2508391-cb03796617a50965e38d37e5035a6dca/thumbnail_3930000.jpg","/articles/6650367/Maryland/Bill-would-require-schools-to-notify-parents-and-report-elopement-incidents-after-a-childs-death-in-Charles-County-was-cited","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6650367-5f5bd6a572b1fe80be659f1fa641a9dd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143498&Signature=VBHCo8P8JRdGEhh0zdVYZgxIsmhGvuTlbDwCzKMLEalT632K9CLRxjGmpNriS1bK1zMl5QniTV~gCEH2nASve5kSkualntFrNksViwgB94ICUCTh2r~LrTQymlLglYp-FQgbYVWnc2hxTl6DDfkuUAcXlidq65jSIsb-eBWGp6CiGtM0~PjjI-s9l3bZJvAZTiNc49SkFDmmITnlvycO~19w6dFMn4iy1LwcoSFZaX5wNRLEBawX5QF1W8Y8hfd4dSYUI6hi9a28jaVzwfrQ3wozZ~lyPuqZ4bOsfSW4jjbG866lSIYsXkI3y4cRAVMc~-cW8nFcPH0XfHEOe2rBjw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Delegate Edith Patterson told the House Ways and Means Committee on March 5 that House Bill 12-04 responds to “the tragic death of a 5‑year‑old boy from Charles County,” an incident she said involved repeated elopement from supervised areas and resulted in drowning after the child left school grounds.

Patterson said the bill has three primary requirements: immediate parent or guardian notification when a student attempts or succeeds in eloping from a supervised area or school campus; a state reporting system maintained by the Maryland State Department of Education to collect elopement incidents and hold schools accountable; and annual review and inclusion of elopement behavior in students’ Individualized Education Program (IEP) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs).

Family members of children who eloped described the risk as immediate and life‑threatening. Britney Bledsoe, who identified herself as the mother of a child who drowned, told the committee, “My son Ace was only 3 years old, full of life, love, and innocence… He was nonverbal and diagnosed with autism. … In that moment, my world shattered.” Bledsoe said elopement was a recurring and predictable risk for her son and described a pattern she said schools had not adequately communicated.

Shari Bailey, a parent and nonprofit founder, said nearly half of individuals with autism elope at some point. “Forty‑nine percent of individuals with autism tend to elope,” she told the committee, and noted that families often lack awareness that elopement is a clinical concern that requires plans and notification procedures.

Advocates, including Arc Maryland, supported the bill in testimony, saying it would ensure timely notification and allow families to respond promptly when a child goes missing. Andy Culp, representing Arc Maryland, described instances in which parents only discovered elopement via a GPS tracker and said the lack of school notification was “a really significant issue.”

Patterson said the bill would make elopement a reportable event that must be addressed annually in an IEP/BIP so individualized preventative strategies are part of planning. She said the bill had incorporated amendments suggested by autism coalition advocates and asked the committee for a favorable report.

No vote was recorded at the hearing. Committee members expressed condolences to the families and discussed technical details of reporting timelines and data collection.","Sponsor and family members urged the Ways and Means Committee to require schools to notify parents immediately and to include elopement behavior in IEPs and state reporting after testimony about a child who drowned following repeated elopement incidents.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6650372,"Delegate Tomlinson seeks statewide tracking of school injury incidents",578,1698000,2276000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2508391-cb03796617a50965e38d37e5035a6dca&start=1698&end=2276","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2508391-cb03796617a50965e38d37e5035a6dca/thumbnail_1698000.jpg","/articles/6650372/Maryland/Delegate-Tomlinson-seeks-statewide-tracking-of-school-injury-incidents","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6650372-88c2d6e74b099498a26f109005d00aff/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143498&Signature=dc23aPWmtxcUCTwk3RsI2TiE02djMCCzog9sk7BkFRo6ERm7nqCCBIRqXiun25kd~GB501CXbKlXG4R4NUTVKbbFKclrPDhomkdxv8MHrdpupfSNlDj7OIcnrOEK548ZH1L-1lBcV1xbBmQM8h~rsM8wKAvNGiLiK04G3VhIBaqBRqkC5Z42ryU5AeSiuW3ZJ4Y3X7hRFM3uiifxQU3W5YWNj1ysw1GBLF1c5uJFYhDdZ4Ftp-I1ei0uJLTaMax~AcGIVrcnqZjPjVRl6L63EW-8pv4lbMF0jEk6L9qlXdg6PJ9B61CtxTtNSgMqb7BfqF-qFfm7B7Uyxa0PoKFr4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Delegate Chris Tomlinson presented House Bill 11-94 to the House Ways and Means Committee on March 5, asking the panel to require public elementary and secondary schools, the Maryland School for the Blind, the Maryland School for the Deaf and schools that fall under the Juvenile Services Education Program to develop and implement a system to track and report injury incidents that occur on campus.

Tomlinson said the bill is focused on incidents “where, whether intentional or accidental, … a student, teacher, or school employee injures another student, teacher, or employee.” He described conversations with teachers across several Maryland systems who reported repeated physical assaults—“being slapped across the face, hair being pulled, kicking, biting,” and in one case, a teacher who “was given three back‑to‑back concussions by throwing an iPad at her.”

The bill’s sponsor told the committee the measure is not intended to upend existing policy but to ensure the state captures consistent data on injuries so administrators and policymakers can identify trends and craft targeted interventions. “This bill is simply allowing us to capture the data because right now, this is not one of the many things that we do track,” Tomlinson said.

Brett Leininger, testifying for the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE), opposed the bill as drafted, saying it “creates operational burdens without providing necessary resources.” He told the committee that local systems already document many physical altercations and that new statewide requirements would require development of new tracking systems, staff training and likely incur operational costs. Leininger also described the bill’s definition of injury incident as “very broad and vague” and warned of potential legal liability from delayed or inconsistent notifications.

Committee members pressed both sides on alternatives. MABE offered several approaches in written testimony, including directing the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to evaluate existing reporting systems, identify gaps, and develop guidance and definitions in consultation with educators. Delegate Tomlinson indicated he would accept amendments and called the bill a first step to collect data that could inform later policy responses.

No formal action or vote on the bill was recorded at the hearing; the session concluded with committee members indicating a willingness to consider technical changes and to examine the fiscal and operational implications.

The committee hearing included a mix of classroom anecdotes and system‑level concerns, with advocates saying better data is necessary to retain teachers and improve safety and opponents warning about unfunded mandates and vague definitions that could create legal risk.","A bill before the House Ways and Means Committee would require Maryland public schools and state institutions to track and report injury incidents that occur on campus, after lawmakers heard testimony about repeated, unrecorded assaults on staff and students.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bill would let counties use income guidelines to target AP/IB fee assistance

Delegate Hill proposes caps and clearer standards for superintendent severance packages

Homeschool students press committee for access to public high school sports

Bill would require schools to notify parents and report elopement incidents after a child's death in Charles County was cited

Delegate Tomlinson seeks statewide tracking of school injury incidents