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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1396*
HOUSE BILL 1396
F1 6lr3506
By: Delegates Miller, Adams, Arentz, Beauchamp, Buckel, Ciliberti, Hornberger,
Hutchinson, Jacobs, McComas, T. Morgan, Reilly, Rose, Schmidt,
Tomlinson, and Wivell
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Ways and Means and Appropriations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Commission on Blueprint Fiscal Sustainability and Student Achievement – 2
Establishment 3
FOR the purpose of establishing the Commission on Blueprint Fiscal Sustainability and 4
Student Achievement to study and make recommendation s on the successful and 5
sustainable implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future; and gen erally 6
relating to the Commission on Blueprint Fiscal Sustainability and Student 7
Achievement. 8
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 9
That: 10
(a) There is a Commission on Blueprint Fiscal Sustainability and Student 11
Achievement. 12
(b) The Commission consists of the following members: 13
(1) the following four members of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the 14
President of the Senate: 15
(i) one member of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee from 16
the majority party; 17
(ii) one member of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee from 18
the minority party; 19
(iii) one member of the Senate Committee on Education, Energy, and 20
the Environment from the majority party; and 21
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(iv) one member of the Senate Committee on Education, Energy, and 1
the Environment from the minority party; 2
(2) the following four members of the House of Delegates, appointed by the 3
Speaker of the House: 4
(i) one member of the House Appropriations Committee from the 5
majority party; 6
(ii) one member of the House Appropriations Committee from the 7
minority party; 8
(iii) one member of the House Ways and Means Committee from the 9
majority party; and 10
(iv) one member of the House Ways and Means Committee from the 11
minority party; 12
(3) the State Superint endent of Schools, or the State Superintendent’s 13
designee; 14
(4) the Chair of the Interagency Commission on School Construction, or the 15
Chair’s designee; 16
(5) the Chair of the Accountability and Implementation Board, or the 17
Chair’s designee; 18
(6) the Secretary of Higher Education, or the Secretary’s designee; 19
(7) the Secretary of Labor, or the Secretary’s designee; 20
(8) the following three officials serving in county government or the 21
government of Baltimore City , designated by the Executive Director of the Maryland 22
Association of Counties: 23
(i) one official representing a rural area; 24
(ii) one official representing a suburban area; and 25
(iii) one official representing an urban area; 26
(9) two teachers, designated by the President of the Maryland State 27
Education Association; 28
(10) one special education advocate, designated by the Executive Director of 29
the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council; 30
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(11) one advocate for multilingual learners, designated by the President of 1
the Maryland English Language Learning Family Involvement Network; 2
(12) the 2026 Maryland Teacher of the Year; 3
(13) one county superintendent , as defined in § 1 –101 of the Education 4
Article, designated by the Executive Director of the Public School Superi ntendent 5
Association of Maryland; 6
(14) one member of a county board of education, as defined in § 1–101 of the 7
Education Article, designated by the Executive Director of the Maryland Association of 8
Boards of Education; 9
(15) one operator of a publicly funded private prekindergarten provider, 10
selected by the Executive Director of the Maryland State Child Care Association; 11
(16) one member of a local workforce development board, appointed by the 12
Chair of the Governor’s Workforce Development Board; 13
(17) the following three parents, designated by the President of Free State 14
PTA: 15
(i) one parent whose child attends a public school located in a rural 16
area; 17
(ii) one parent whose child attends a public school located in a 18
suburban area; and 19
(iii) one parent whose child attends a public school located in an 20
urban area; and 21
(18) one student , designated by the Executive Director of the Maryland 22
Association of Student Councils. 23
(c) The Governor, the President of the Senate , and the Speaker of the House 24
jointly shall designate the chair of the Commission. 25
(d) (1) The State Department of Education shall provide staff for the 26
Commission. 27
(2) If additional staffing is required, the Accountability and 28
Implementation Board shall provide additional staff for the Commission. 29
(e) A member of the Commission: 30
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Commission; but 31
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(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 1
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 2
(f) The Commission shall study and make recommendations on matters related 3
to the successful and sustainable implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, 4
including: 5
(1) the formulas used to fund public schools in the State, with particular 6
attention to: 7
(i) the way enrollment data for counties with changing student age 8
populations may result in underfunding or overfunding for the current school year; and 9
(ii) the differences in poverty in a rural community and in an urban 10
community and whether those differences should reflect differences in funding formulas; 11
(2) statutorily required ratios in the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and 12
whether the ratios chosen are feasible or should be adjusted or repealed, including: 13
(i) the statutorily required time spent in the classroom under the 14
career ladder; and 15
(ii) the statutorily required mix of public and private 16
prekindergarten providers in the publicly funded prekindergarten program; 17
(3) the impact of the career ladder for educators, established under Title 6, 18
Subtitle 10 of the Education Article, including: 19
(i) the effectiveness of the minimum teacher salary and other salary 20
increases required under § 6–1009 of the Education Article at increasing teacher retention; 21
and 22
(ii) whether there has been a statistically significant difference in 23
the assessment results for students taught by a National Board Certified teache r and 24
teachers that are not National Board Certified; 25
(4) whether the particular , broad–based changes to funding made under 26
the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future are the most efficient way to ensure that all students 27
receive a high –quality education, or i f a student achievement model would have better 28
results, including: 29
(i) the authorization of the Accountability and Implementation 30
Board to withhold 25% of the increase in the State share of major education aid in 31
accordance with § 5–405 of the Education Article; and 32
(ii) the minimum school funding amount required under § 5–234 of 33
the Education Article; and 34
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(5) any other issues that the Commission determines are relevant to the 1
successful and sustainable implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. 2
(g) (1) On or before December 31, 2026, the Commission shall provide an 3
interim report on its findings and recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance 4
with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly. 5
(2) On or before December 1, 2027, the Commission shall provide a final 6
report on its findings and recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 7
2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly. 8
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 9
1, 2026. It shall remain effective for a period of 2 years and, at the end of June 30, 2028, 10
this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated an d 11
of no further force and effect. 12