SB 903

SENATE BILL 903
     F1  6lr1530
     SB 948/25 – EEE  CF 6lr1524
     By: Senators Carozza, Salling, Gallion, Hershey, Jennings, and Ready
     Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
     Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
  A BILL ENTITLED
1 AN ACT concerning
2Education – Engagement Policies and School Compact
3(Maryland Public Education Parental Partnership Act)
4 FOR the purpose of requiring each county board of education to develop a parent and family
5      engagement policy on or before the start of a certain school year; requiring each
6      public school in the State to develop a Parent–School Compact beginning in a certain
7      school year; requiring the State Department of Education to provide certain guidance
8      and technical assistance to county boards and public schools in developing a certain
9      parent and family engagement policy and Parent–School Compact; and generally
10      relating to parent and family engagement in public schools.
11 BY adding to
12      Article – Education
13      Section 4–148
14      Annotated Code of Maryland
15      (2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
16Preamble
17WHEREAS, Parental involvement is a critical component of a high–quality
18 education and contributes significantly to the academic achievement of students; and
19WHEREAS, Federal law recognizes the importance of comprehensive parent and
20 family engagement by requiring that all schools that receive funding through Title I, Part
21 A of the Every Student Succeeds Act develop a comprehensive plan to engage parents; and
22WHEREAS, The General Assembly recognizes the myriad benefits of robust parental
23 engagement and believes that parental engagement is a critical component to the education
24 of all children in each public school; now, therefore,
     EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
  [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
  *sb0903*
2SENATE BILL 903
1SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
2 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
3Article – Education
4 4–148.
5(A)   (1)
  EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (5) OF THIS SUBSECTION,
6 ON OR BEFORE THE START OF THE 2027–2028 SCHOOL YEAR, EACH COUNTY BOARD
7 SHALL DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY.
8(2)   THE PURPOSE OF THE PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY
9 IS TO:
10(I)    PROVIDE THE PARENTS OF STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE
11 LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN
12 THE DECISIONS OF THE COUNTY BOARD AND COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT THAT
13 PERTAIN TO THE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS WITHIN THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM;
14 AND
15(II)
  ASSIST PARENTS AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN COLLABORATING
16 ON THE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS ENROLLED IN EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL.
17(3)
  THE PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY DEVELOPED
18 UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION SHALL:
19(I)
  BE ESTABLISHED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE PARENTS OF
20 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM;
21(II)   ESTABLISH A FRAMEWORK FOR A PARENT–SCHOOL
22 COMPACT TO BE USED BY EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM IN
23 ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION,
24 INCLUDING GENERAL PROCEDURAL RULES FOR THE CREATION OF THE COMPACT;
25(III) PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO PARENTS SEEKING TO
26 PARTICIPATE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PARENT–SCHOOL COMPACT,
27 INCLUDING BY PROVIDING TRANSLATION SERVICES AND TRAINING;
28(IV)
  BUILD CAPACITY IN EACH SCHOOL FOR SUBSTANTIVE
29 PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING BY PROVIDING TRAINING, MATERIALS, AND
30 SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL STAFF WHO SEEK TO ENGAGE PARENTS;
  SENATE BILL 903  3
1(V)    COORDINATE AND INTEGRATE THE FAMILY AND PARENT
2 ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES ADOPTED AS PART OF THE POLICY WITH OTHER
3 RELEVANT FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS AND POLICIES;
4(VI)   PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY, AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR, FOR
5 PARENTS TO EVALUATE THE POLICY FOR EFFECTIVENESS AND CONTRIBUTE
6 FEEDBACK TO IMPROVE THE POLICY; AND
7(VII) BE REVISED AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR TO REMOVE BARRIERS
8 TO PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AND ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF PARENTS SEEKING TO
9 ASSIST IN THE EDUCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN.
10(4)   THE PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY SHALL BE
11 DOCUMENTED IN WRITING AND PUBLISHED ON THE WEBSITE OF THE COUNTY
12 BOARD.
13(5) IF THE COUNTY BOARD HAS AN EXISTING PARENT AND FAMILY
14 ENGAGEMENT POLICY, INCLUDING A POLICY ESTABLISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
15 THE FEDERAL EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT, THE COUNTY BOARD MAY AMEND
16 THAT POLICY TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF PARAGRAPH (3) OF THIS
17 SUBSECTION.
18      (B)   (1)EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (6) OF THIS SUBSECTION,
19 BEGINNING IN THE 2028–2029 SCHOOL YEAR, EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL SHALL
20 DEVELOP A PARENT–SCHOOL COMPACT.
21(2) THE PURPOSE OF A COMPACT IS TO CLEARLY DEFINE THE
22 RESPONSIBILITIES AND ROLES OF SCHOOL STAFF, PARENTS, AND STUDENTS IN THE
23 EDUCATION OF EACH STUDENT, INCLUDING:
24(I)
  THE COUNTY BOARD’S AND SCHOOL’S RESPONSIBILITY TO
25 PROVIDE HIGH–QUALITY CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION ALIGNED TO THE STATE
26 STANDARDS AND CURRICULAR FRAMEWORKS IN A SUPPORTIVE AND EFFECTIVE
27 LEARNING ENVIRONMENT;
28(II)
  THE WAYS PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SUPPORTING
29 THEIR STUDENT’S LEARNING AND ACADEMIC PROGRESS, INCLUDING MONITORING
30 ATTENDANCE, HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE AND COMPLETION, AND PARTICIPATION IN
31 EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES;
32(III) A PARENT’S RIGHT TO KNOW THE QUALIFICATIONS AND
33 CREDENTIALS OF THE EDUCATORS TEACHING OR PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL OR
34 OTHER SERVICES TO THEIR STUDENT, INCLUDING TIMELY NOTIFICATION THAT AN
4SENATE BILL 903
1 ASSIGNED TEACHER OF 4 OR MORE WEEKS HOLDS A CONDITIONAL TEACHING
2 LICENSE OR IS TEACHING A SUBJECT MATTER FOR WHICH THE TEACHER DOES NOT
3 HOLD A LICENSE; AND
4(IV)THE SCHOOL’S RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL
5 OPPORTUNITIES FOR ONGOING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A STUDENT’S PARENTS
6 AND TEACHERS, INCLUDING, TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, IN THE LANGUAGE
7 THAT THE PARENT SPEAKS:
81.   ANNUAL PARENT–TEACHER CONFERENCES;
92.   FREQUENT   REPORTS   ON   STUDENT   ACADEMIC
10 PROGRESS; AND
113.   REGULAR OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PARENT TO
12 MEET WITH SCHOOL STAFF.
13(3) IN DEVELOPING A COMPACT UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS
14 SUBSECTION, THE SCHOOL AND PARENTS SHALL ENSURE THE COMPACT:
15(I)FOLLOWS THE COMPREHENSIVE PARENT AND FAMILY
16 ENGAGEMENT POLICY DEVELOPED BY THE COUNTY BOARD;
17(II)   IS DEVELOPED USING A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS,
18 INCLUDING THE COLLECTION AND USE OF INPUT FROM THE SCHOOL AND PARENTS
19 REGARDING PLANNING, ORGANIZATION, REVIEW, IMPLEMENTATION, DETERMINING
20 THE INITIAL TERMS, AND AN AMENDMENT PROCESS; AND
21(III) IS
  WRITTEN USING PLAIN AND CLEAR LANGUAGE
22 UNDERSTANDABLE TO ALL PARENTS, INCLUDING, TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, IN
23 THE LANGUAGE THAT PARENTS SPEAK.
24(4)   (I)    EACH SCHOOL SHALL CONVENE AN ANNUAL MEETING FOR
25 PARENTS TO:
261.   REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE TERMS AND CONTENT OF
27 THE COMPACT;
282.   UPDATE PARENTS ON THE SCHOOL’S ACADEMIC
29 PROGRAMS AND CURRICULUM USED FOR VARIOUS ACADEMIC SUBJECTS,
30 INCLUDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENTS TO REVIEW CURRICULAR MATERIALS;
31 AND
  SENATE BILL 903  5
13.    INFORM PARENTS OF THE ASSESSMENTS USED TO
2 MEASURE STUDENT AND SCHOOL PROGRESS AND THE EXPECTED LEVELS OF
3 PROFICIENCY IN REPORTED SUBJECTS.
4(II)   DURING THE ANNUAL MEETING, THE SCHOOL SHALL:
51.   PROVIDE PARENTS WITH TRAINING MATERIALS TO
6 ASSIST PARENTS SEEKING TO IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT; AND
72.
  OFFER PARENTS MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES TO
8 PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE TERMS OF THE COMPACT, INCLUDING PROPOSING
9 AMENDMENTS TO THE COMPACT.
10(III) THE ANNUAL MEETING SHALL:
111.
  TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, HOLD DISCUSSIONS IN
12 LANGUAGES THAT PARENTS SPEAK; AND
132.    BE SCHEDULED AT A CONVENIENT TIME FOR
14 PARENTS AND CONSIDER FLEXIBLE MODES OF MEETINGS IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE
15 PARENTAL PARTICIPATION.
16(IV)   THESCHOOL  SHALL  SEEK   TO   MAXIMIZE THE
17 PARTICIPATION OF PARENTS WITH DIVERSE NEEDS IN THE ANNUAL MEETING,
18 INCLUDING THE PARENTS OF:
191.    STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES;
202.    ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS;
213.    HOMELESS CHILDREN; AND
224.    STUDENTS WITH FEDERAL VISAS.
23(5)  THE COMPACT SHALL BE POSTED IN A CONSPICUOUS PLACE ON
24 THE WEBSITE OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL AND UPDATED EACH TIME THE COMPACT IS
25 REVISED OR AMENDED, INCLUDING A NOTATION OF THE TIME AND DATE OF THE
26 REVISION OR AMENDMENT.
27(6) (I)   IF A SCHOOL HAS AN EXISTING COMPACT, THE SCHOOL MAY
28 AMEND THE COMPACT TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SUBSECTION.
6SENATE BILL 903
1(II)
  A COMPACT ADOPTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
2 REQUIREMENTS OF THE FEDERAL EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT SHALL FULFILL
3 THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SUBSECTION.
4      (C)   (1)   EACH COUNTY BOARD SHALL SUBMIT TO THE DEPARTMENT A
5 CERTIFICATION THAT THE COUNTY BOARD IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TERMS OF
6 SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION EACH YEAR.
7(2)   EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL SHALL SUBMIT TO THE COUNTY BOARD A
8 CERTIFICATION THAT THE PUBLIC SCHOOL IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TERMS OF
9 SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION EACH YEAR.
10      (D)   THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND TECHNICAL
11 ASSISTANCE TO A COUNTY BOARD OR PUBLIC SCHOOL THAT NEEDS ASSISTANCE IN
12 IMPLEMENTING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION.
13      (E) THE DEPARTMENT MAY ADOPT REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE
14 REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION.
15SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
16 1, 2026.