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*sb0903*
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
AN ACT concerning 1
Education – Engagement Policies and School Compact 2
(Maryland Public Education Parental Partnership Act) 3
FOR the purpose of requiring each county board of education to develop a parent and family 4
engagement policy on or before the start of a certain school year; requiring each 5
public school in the State to develop a Parent–School Compact beginning in a certain 6
school year; requiring the State Department of Education to provide certain guidance 7
and technical assistance to county boards and public schools in developing a certain 8
parent and family engagement policy and Parent –School Compact; and generally 9
relating to parent and family engagement in public schools. 10
BY adding to 11
Article – Education 12
Section 4–148 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 15
Preamble 16
WHEREAS, Parental involvement is a critical component of a high–quality 17
education and contributes significantly to the academic achievement of students; and 18
WHEREAS, Federal law recognizes the importance of comprehensive parent and 19
family engagement by requiring that all schools that receive funding through Titl e I, Part 20
A of the Every Student Succeeds Act develop a comprehensive plan to engage parents; and 21
WHEREAS, The General Assembly recognizes the myriad benefits of robust parental 22
engagement and believes that parental engagement is a critical component to the education 23
of all children in each public school; now, therefore, 24
2 SENATE BILL 903
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Education 3
4–148. 4
(A) (1) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (5) OF THIS SUBSECTION, 5
ON OR BEFORE THE START OF THE 2027–2028 SCHOOL YEAR, EACH COUNTY BOARD 6
SHALL DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY. 7
(2) THE PURPOSE OF THE PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY 8
IS TO: 9
(I) PROVIDE THE PARENTS O F STU DENTS ENROLLED IN TH E 10
LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH MEANINGFUL OPPO RTUNITIES TO PARTICI PATE IN 11
THE DECISIONS OF THE COUNTY BOARD AND COU NTY SUPERINTENDENT T HAT 12
PERTAIN TO THE EDUCA TION OF STUDENTS WIT HIN THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM; 13
AND 14
(II) ASSIST PARENTS AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN COLLABORATING 15
ON THE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS ENROLLED IN EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL. 16
(3) THE PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY DE VELOPED 17
UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION SHALL: 18
(I) BE ESTABLISHED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE PARENTS OF 19
STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM; 20
(II) ESTABLISH A FRAMEWORK FOR A PARENT–SCHOOL 21
COMPACT TO BE USED BY EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM IN 22
ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUBS ECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION , 23
INCLUDING GENERAL PROCEDURAL RULES FOR THE CREATION OF THE COMPACT; 24
(III) PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO PARENTS SEEKING TO 25
PARTICIPATE IN THE D EVELOPMENT OF THE PARENT–SCHOOL COMPACT, 26
INCLUDING BY PROVIDING TRANSLATION SERVICES AND TRAINING; 27
(IV) BUILD CAPACITY IN EAC H SCHOOL FOR SUBSTAN TIVE 28
PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING BY PROVIDI NG TRAINING, MATERIALS, AND 29
SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL STAFF WHO SEEK TO ENGAGE PARENTS; 30
SENATE BILL 903 3
(V) COORDINATE AND INTEGR ATE THE FAMILY AND P ARENT 1
ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIE S ADOPTED AS PART OF THE POLICY W ITH OTHER 2
RELEVANT FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS AND POLICIES; 3
(VI) PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNIT Y, AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR , FOR 4
PARENTS TO EVALUATE THE POLICY FOR EFFEC TIVENESS AND CONTRIB UTE 5
FEEDBACK TO IMPROVE THE POLICY; AND 6
(VII) BE REVISED AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR TO REMOVE BARRIERS 7
TO PARENTAL INVOLVEM ENT AND ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF PARENTS SEE KING TO 8
ASSIST IN THE EDUCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN. 9
(4) THE PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY SH ALL BE 10
DOCUMENTED IN WRITIN G AND PUBLISHED ON T HE WEBSI TE OF THE COUNTY 11
BOARD. 12
(5) IF THE COUNTY BOARD H AS AN EXISTING PAREN T AND FAMILY 13
ENGAGEMENT POLICY, INCLUDING A POLICY E STABLISHED IN ACCORD ANCE WITH 14
THE FEDERAL EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT, THE COUNTY BOARD MAY AMEND 15
THAT POLICY TO MEET THE REQUIREMENT S OF PARAGRAPH (3) OF THIS 16
SUBSECTION. 17
(B) (1) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (6) OF THIS SUBSECTION , 18
BEGINNING IN THE 2028–2029 SCHOOL YEAR , EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL S HALL 19
DEVELOP A PARENT–SCHOOL COMPACT. 20
(2) THE PURPOSE OF A COMPACT IS TO CLEARLY DEFINE THE 21
RESPONSIBILITIES AND ROLES OF SCHOOL STAFF, PARENTS, AND STUDENTS IN THE 22
EDUCATION OF EACH STUDENT, INCLUDING: 23
(I) THE COUNTY BOARD ’S AND SCHOOL ’S RESPONSIBILITY TO 24
PROVIDE HIGH–QUALITY CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION ALIGNED TO THE STATE 25
STANDARDS AND CURRICULAR FRAMEWORK S IN A SUPPORTIVE AN D EFFECTIVE 26
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT; 27
(II) THE WAYS PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SUPP ORTING 28
THEIR STUDENT’S LEARNING AND ACADE MIC PROGRESS, INCLUDING MONITORING 29
ATTENDANCE, HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE AND COMPLETION, AND PARTICIPATION IN 30
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES; 31
(III) A PARENT’S RIGHT TO KNOW THE QUALIFICATIONS AND 32
CREDENTIALS OF THE E DUCATORS TEACHING OR PROVIDING EDUCATIONA L OR 33
OTHER SERVICES TO THEIR STUDENT, INCLUDING TIMELY NOTIFICATION THAT AN 34
4 SENATE BILL 903
ASSIGNED TEACHER OF 4 OR MORE WEEKS HOLDS A CONDITIONAL TEACHI NG 1
LICENSE OR IS TEACHING A SUBJECT MATTER FOR WHICH THE TEACHER DOES NOT 2
HOLD A LICENSE; AND 3
(IV) THE SCHOOL’S RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL 4
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ONGOING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A STUDENT’S PARENTS 5
AND TEACHERS , INCLUDING, TO THE EXTENT PRACTI CABLE, IN THE LANGUAGE 6
THAT THE PARENT SPEAKS: 7
1. ANNUAL PARENT–TEACHER CONFERENCES; 8
2. FREQUENT REPORTS ON S TUDENT ACADEMIC 9
PROGRESS; AND 10
3. REGULAR OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PARENT TO 11
MEET WITH SCHOOL STAFF. 12
(3) IN DEVELOPING A COMPACT UNDER PARAGRA PH (1) OF THIS 13
SUBSECTION, THE SCHOOL AND PARENTS SHALL ENSURE THE COMPACT: 14
(I) FOLLOWS THE COMPREHEN SIVE PARENT AND FAMI LY 15
ENGAGEMENT POLICY DEVELOPED BY THE COUNTY BOARD; 16
(II) IS DE VELOPED USING A COLL ABORATIVE PROCESS , 17
INCLUDING THE COLLECTION AND USE OF INPUT FROM THE SCHOOL AND PARENTS 18
REGARDING PLANNING, ORGANIZATION, REVIEW, IMPLEMENTATION, DETERMINING 19
THE INITIAL TERMS, AND AN AMENDMENT PROCESS; AND 20
(III) IS WRITTEN USING P LAIN AND CLEAR LANGU AGE 21
UNDERSTANDABLE TO ALL PARENTS, INCLUDING, TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, IN 22
THE LANGUAGE THAT PARENTS SPEAK. 23
(4) (I) EACH SCHOOL SHALL CON VENE AN ANNUAL MEETI NG FOR 24
PARENTS TO: 25
1. REVIEW AND DISCUSS TH E TERMS AND CONTENT OF 26
THE COMPACT; 27
2. UPDATE PARENTS ON THE SCHOOL’S ACADEMIC 28
PROGRAMS AND CURRICU LUM USED FOR VARIOUS ACADEMIC SUBJECTS , 29
INCLUDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENTS TO R EVIEW CURRICULAR MAT ERIALS; 30
AND 31
SENATE BILL 903 5
3. INFORM PARENTS OF THE ASSESSMENTS USED TO 1
MEASURE STUDENT AND SCHOOL PROGRESS AND THE EXPECTED LEV ELS OF 2
PROFICIENCY IN REPORTED SUBJECTS. 3
(II) DURING THE ANNUAL MEETING, THE SCHOOL SHALL: 4
1. PROVIDE PARENTS WITH TRAINING MATERIALS T O 5
ASSIST PARENTS SEEKING TO IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT; AND 6
2. OFFER PARENTS MEANINGF UL OPPORTUNITIES TO 7
PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE TERMS OF THE COMPACT, INCLUDING PROPOSING 8
AMENDMENTS TO THE COMPACT. 9
(III) THE ANNUAL MEETING SHALL: 10
1. TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, HOLD DISCUSSIONS IN 11
LANGUAGES THAT PARENTS SPEAK; AND 12
2. BE SCHEDULED AT A CON VENIENT TIME FOR 13
PARENTS AND CONSIDER FLEXIBLE MODES OF ME ETINGS IN ORDER TO M AXIMIZE 14
PARENTAL PARTICIPATION. 15
(IV) THE SCHOOL SHALL SEEK TO MAXIMIZE THE 16
PARTICIPATION OF PAR ENTS WITH DIVERSE NE EDS IN THE ANNUAL ME ETING, 17
INCLUDING THE PARENTS OF: 18
1. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES; 19
2. ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS; 20
3. HOMELESS CHILDREN; AND 21
4. STUDENTS WITH FEDERAL VISAS. 22
(5) THE COMPACT SHALL BE POST ED IN A CONSPICUOUS PLACE ON 23
THE WEBSITE OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL AND UPDATED EACH TIME THE COMPACT IS 24
REVISED OR AMENDED , INCLUDING A NOTATION OF THE TIME AND DATE OF THE 25
REVISION OR AMENDMENT. 26
(6) (I) IF A SCHOOL HAS AN EXISTING COMPACT, THE SCHOOL MAY 27
AMEND THE COMPACT TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SUBSECTION. 28
6 SENATE BILL 903
(II) A COMPACT ADOPTED IN AC CORDANCE WITH THE 1
REQUIREMENTS OF THE FEDERAL EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT SHALL FULFILL 2
THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SUBSECTION. 3
(C) (1) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHA LL SUBMIT TO THE DEPARTMENT A 4
CERTIFICATION THAT THE COUNTY BOARD IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TERMS OF 5
SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION EACH YEAR. 6
(2) EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL SH ALL SUBMIT TO THE CO UNTY BOARD A 7
CERTIFICATION THAT THE PUBLIC SCHOOL IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TERMS OF 8
SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION EACH YEAR. 9
(D) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROV IDE GUIDANCE AND TEC HNICAL 10
ASSISTANCE TO A COUNTY BOARD OR PUBLIC SCHOOL THAT NEEDS ASSISTANCE IN 11
IMPLEMENTING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION. 12
(E) THE DEPARTMENT MAY ADOPT REGULATIONS TO IMPLE MENT THE 13
REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION. 14
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 15
1, 2026. 16