SB 904

SENATE BILL 904
     F1  6lr3485
  CF HB 1254
     By: Senators Zucker, Brooks, and King
     Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
     Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
     Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
     Senate action: Adopted
     Read second time: March 4, 2026
  CHAPTER ______
1 AN ACT concerning
2  Education – Public Schools – Service Contracts and Professional Development
3 FOR the purpose of requiring a county board of education that seeks to enter into a service
4      contract to submit to the State Department of Education certain information to
5      justify the need for the service contract, and to submit a certain plan of assistance
6      for employees adversely affected by the service contract; requiring, on or before a
7      certain date, the State Department of Education to design and develop a new system
8      of professional development in public schools for paraeducators and other education
9      support professionals; requiring, on or before a certain date, each county board to
10      provide the new system of professional development to each paraeducator and
11      education support professional employed in a public school in the county; and
12      generally relating to public school service contracts and professional development in
13      public schools for paraeducators and other education support professionals.
14 BY adding to
15      Article – Education
16      Section 6–132 and 6–133
17      Annotated Code of Maryland
18      (2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
19SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
20 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
21Article – Education
     EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
  [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
  Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
  Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
  amendment.
  *sb0904*
2SENATE BILL 904
1 6–132.
2      (A) IN THIS SECTION, “SERVICE CONTRACT” MEANS A PROCUREMENT
3 CONTRACT FOR SERVICES THAT WILL BE PROVIDED TO A PUBLIC SCHOOL.
4      (B) A COUNTY BOARD THAT SEEKS TO ENTER INTO A SERVICE CONTRACT
5 SHALL SUBMIT TO THE DEPARTMENT THE INFORMATION REQUIRED UNDER THIS
6 SECTION.
7      (C)   THE COUNTY BOARD SHALL SUBMIT A DEMONSTRATION THAT THE
8 COUNTY BOARD HAS TAKEN FORMAL AND POSITIVE STEPS TO CONSIDER
9 ALTERNATIVES TO THE SERVICE CONTRACT, INCLUDING REORGANIZATION AND
10 REEVALUATION OF SERVICES AND PERFORMANCE.
11      (D)   (1)   THE COUNTY BOARD SHALL SUBMIT CALCULATIONS THAT:
12(I) COMPARE THE COST OF THE SERVICE CONTRACT WITH THE
13 COST OF USING SCHOOL EMPLOYEES; AND
14(II)
  SHOW THE SAVINGS TO THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM, OVER
15 THE DURATION OF THE SERVICE CONTRACT, OF AT LEAST 20% OF THE CONTRACT,
16 EXCLUSIVE OF ANY SAVINGS ATTRIBUTABLE TO A REDUCTION IN EMPLOYEE PAY OR
17 FRINGE BENEFITS.
18(2) IN CALCULATING THE COST COMPARISON REQUIRED UNDER THIS
19 SUBSECTION, THE COUNTY BOARD SHALL INCLUDE:
20(I)    DIRECT COSTS, INCLUDING FRINGE BENEFITS;
21(II)   INDIRECT OVERHEAD    COSTS,    INCLUDING    THE
22 PROPORTIONAL SHARE OF EXISTING ADMINISTRATIVE SALARIES AND BENEFITS,
23 RENT, EQUIPMENT COSTS, UTILITIES, AND MATERIALS, BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT
24 THAT THOSE COSTS:
251.   ARE ATTRIBUTABLE SOLELY TO THE SERVICE IN
26 QUESTION; AND
272.
  WOULD NOT EXIST IF THE SERVICES WERE NOT
28 PERFORMED BY SCHOOL EMPLOYEES;
29(III) ANY CONTINUING OR TRANSITIONAL COSTS THAT WOULD
30 BE DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH CONTRACTING FOR THE SERVICES, INCLUDING
31 UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION AND THE COST OF TRANSITIONAL SERVICES; AND
  SENATE BILL 904  3
1(IV)ADDITIONAL COSTS OF PERFORMANCE OF SERVICES BY
2 COUNTY BOARD EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING SALARIES AND BENEFITS OF ADDITIONAL
3 STAFF AND THE COST OF ADDITIONAL SPACE, EQUIPMENT, AND MATERIALS NEEDED
4 TO PERFORM THE SERVICES.
5      (E) (1) THE COUNTY BOARD SHALL SUBMIT A FORMAL PLAN OF
6 ASSISTANCE FOR ALL SCHOOL EMPLOYEES WHO WILL BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY
7 THE SERVICE CONTRACT.
8(2)   THE PLAN OF ASSISTANCE SHALL INCLUDE:
9(I) EFFORTS TO PLACE AFFECTED EMPLOYEES IN VACANT
10 POSITIONS IN THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM;
11(II)PROVISIONS IN THE SERVICE CONTRACT, IF FEASIBLE, FOR
12 THE HIRING BY THE CONTRACTOR OF DISPLACED EMPLOYEES; AND
13(III) ADVANCE NOTIFICATION TO THE AFFECTED EMPLOYEES.
14      (F)   (1)   A SERVICE CONTRACT SHALL BE SUBJECT TO A DEPARTMENT
15 AUDIT TO DETERMINE COMPLIANCE WITH PROJECTED COST SAVINGS UNDER
16 SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION.
17(2)AUDIT FINDINGS FROM AN AUDIT CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE
18 WITH PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE
19 PUBLIC.
20 6–133.
21      (A)   (1) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS THAT PARAEDUCATORS AND
22 OTHER EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS BENEFIT FROM IN–PERSON
23 TRAINING AS PART OF THE HIRING AND ONBOARDING PROCESS.
24(2)   IT IS THE INTENT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT IN–PERSON
25 TRAINING  FOR   PARAEDUCATORS    AND   OTHER   EDUCATION    SUPPORT
26 PROFESSIONALS BE EXPANDED IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO AT LEAST 2 DAYS OF
27 HIGH–QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DURING EACH SCHOOL YEAR.
28      (B) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPHS PARAGRAPH (2) AND (3) OF THIS
29 SUBSECTION, ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2027, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DESIGN AND
30 DEVELOP A NEW SYSTEM OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
4SENATE BILL 904
1 FOR PARAEDUCATORS AND OTHER EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS THAT IS
2 PAID AND OCCURS DURING WEEKDAY SCHOOL HOURS.
3(2)   THE NEW SYSTEM OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SHALL
4 INCLUDE:
5(I)  TRAINING TO FACILITATE PARAEDUCATORS  AND
6 TEACHERS WORKING AS A TEAM TO IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES;
7(II)   TRAINING FOR EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS ON
8 HOW TO:
91.   COLLABORATEWITH     TEACHERS  AND
10 PARAEDUCATORS TO IMPROVE STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND BEHAVIOR;
112.   IMPROVE STUDENT HEALTH AND SAFETY; AND
123.
  IMPROVE STUDENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS,
13 INCLUDING SCHOOL BUILDINGS, SCHOOL BUSES, PLAYGROUNDS, ATHLETIC FIELDS,
14 SCHOOL CAFETERIAS, AND SCHOOL HEALTH FACILITIES;
15(III) TRAINING FOR PARAEDUCATORS ON SAFE PHYSICAL
16 RESTRAINT;
17(IV)
  TRAINING FOR EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS ON
18 CRISIS PREVENTION AND DE–ESCALATION; AND
19(V) JOB SKILLS TRAINING  APPROPRIATE   FOR   SPECIFIC
20 EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL GROUPS.
21(3) (2)WHEN DESIGNING AND DEVELOPING THE SYSTEM OF
22 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT REQUIRED UNDER THIS SUBSECTION, THE
23 DEPARTMENT SHALL CONSULT WITH COUNTY BOARDS AND NONPROFIT
24 ORGANIZATIONS WITH EXPERIENCE IN SUPPORTING EDUCATION SUPPORT
25 PROFESSIONALS, INCLUDING THE MARYLAND STATE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.
26      (C)   ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2027, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ISSUE
27 GUIDANCE TO EACH COUNTY BOARD THAT DESCRIBES THE SYSTEM OF
28 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPED AND DESIGNED UNDER THIS SECTION.
29      (D)  ON OR BEFORE JUNE 30, 2028, EACH COUNTY BOARD SHALL PROVIDE
30 THE SYSTEM OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DESIGNED BY THE DEPARTMENT
  SENATE BILL 904  5
1 UNDER THIS SECTION TO EACH PARAEDUCATOR AND EDUCATION SUPPORT
2 PROFESSIONAL WHO IS EMPLOYED IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE COUNTY.
3(E) (C)     THIS SECTION MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO DIMINISH THE
4 OBLIGATION OF A COUNTY BOARD TO COMPLY WITH A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
5 AGREEMENT OR AN EMPLOYMENT BENEFIT PROGRAM THAT ESTABLISHES GREATER
6 REQUIREMENTS THAN IMPOSED UNDER THIS SECTION.
7SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
8 1, 2026.
    Approved:
    ________________________________________________________________________________
  Governor.
    ________________________________________________________________________________
  President of the Senate.
    ________________________________________________________________________________
  Speaker of the House of Delegates.