Public Schools - Career Ladder - Teacher Classroom Teaching Time

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0803*

HOUSE BILL 803
F1 6lr3516
HB 732/25 – W&M
By: Delegates Miller, Hornberger, Rose, Stonko, and Tomlinson
Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2026
Assigned to: Ways and Means

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Public Schools – Career Ladder – Teacher Classroom Teaching Time 2

FOR the purpose of altering certain requirements of the career ladder for educators to 3
increase the required percentage of working time a certain teacher must spend 4
teaching in the classroom; and generally relating to the career ladder and teacher 5
classroom teaching time. 6

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 7
Article – Education 8
Section 6–1002(b)(1) and (f) 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
Article – Education 13
Section 6–1003(a) 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 16

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18

Article – Education 19

6–1002. 20

(b) (1) There is a career ladder for educators in the State. 21

(f) The levels of the career ladder are as follows: 22

(1) Level one is a State certified teacher; 23
2 HOUSE BILL 803

(2) Level two is a teacher pursuing: 1

(i) A master’s degree; 2

(ii) 30 credits of a program of study approved by the State Board, in 3
consultation with the Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board; or 4

(iii) NBC; 5

(3) Level three is: 6

(i) An NBC teacher; 7

(ii) If there is no assessment comparable to NBC for the teacher’s 8
subject area, a teacher with a master’s degree in the teacher’s subject area; or 9

(iii) An assistant principal; and 10

(4) Level four is: 11

(i) A teacher on the teacher leadership track, in the following tiers: 12

1. Lead Teacher; 13

2. Distinguished Teacher; or 14

3. Professor Distinguished Teacher; or 15

(ii) A teacher on the administrator track, in the following tiers: 16

1. Licensed Principal; or 17

2. Distinguished Principal. 18

6–1003. 19

(a) Beginning with teachers listed under § 6 –1002(h)(3) of this subtitle, as 20
specified by the State Board, a teacher on level one, two, or three of the career ladder shall: 21

(1) Teach in the classroom on average [60%] 80% of the teacher’s working 22
time; and 23

(2) Spend the remaining time on other teacher activities, including: 24

(i) Improving instruction; 25

HOUSE BILL 803 3

(ii) Identifying, working with, and tutoring students who need 1
additional help; 2

(iii) Working with the most challenging students; 3

(iv) Working with students living in concentrated poverty; and 4

(v) Leading or participating in professional learning. 5

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 6
1, 2026. 7