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*sb0904*
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 ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Education – Public Schools – Service Contracts and Professional Development 2
FOR the purpose of requiring a county board of education that seeks to enter into a service 3
contract to submit to the State Department of Education certain information to 4
justify the need for the service contract, and to submit a certain plan of assistance 5
for employees adversely affected by the service contract; requiring, on or before a 6
certain date, the State Department of Education to design and develop a new system 7
of professional development in public schools for paraeducators and other education 8
support professionals; requiring, on or before a certain date, each county board to 9
provide the new system of professional development to each paraeducator and 10
education support professional employed in a public schoo l in the county; and 11
generally relating to public school service contracts and professional development in 12
public schools for paraeducators and other education support professionals. 13
BY adding to 14
Article – Education 15
Section 6–132 and 6–133 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
Article – Education 21
2 SENATE BILL 904
6–132. 1
(A) IN THIS SECTION , “SERVICE CONTRACT ” MEANS A PROCUREMENT 2
CONTRACT FOR SERVICES THAT WILL BE PROVIDED TO A PUBLIC SCHOOL. 3
(B) A COUNTY BOARD THAT SE EKS TO ENTER INTO A SERVICE CONTRACT 4
SHALL SUBMIT TO THE DEPARTMENT THE INFORM ATION REQUIRED UNDER THIS 5
SECTION. 6
(C) THE COUNTY BOARD SHAL L SUBMIT A D EMONSTRATION THAT TH E 7
COUNTY BOARD HAS TAK EN FORMAL AND POSITI VE STEPS TO CONSIDER 8
ALTERNATIVES TO THE SERVICE CONTRACT , INCLUDING REORGANIZA TION AND 9
REEVALUATION OF SERVICES AND PERFORMANCE. 10
(D) (1) THE COUNTY BOARD SHALL SUBMIT CALCULATIONS THAT: 11
(I) COMPARE THE COST OF THE SERVICE CONTRACT WITH THE 12
COST OF USING SCHOOL EMPLOYEES; AND 13
(II) SHOW THE SAVINGS TO THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM, OVER 14
THE DURATION OF THE SERVICE CONTRACT, OF AT LEAST 20% OF THE CONTRACT, 15
EXCLUSIVE OF ANY SAVINGS ATTRIBUTABLE TO A REDUCTION IN EMPLOYEE PAY OR 16
FRINGE BENEFITS. 17
(2) IN CALCULATING THE COST COMPARISON REQUIRED UNDER THIS 18
SUBSECTION, THE COUNTY BOARD SHALL INCLUDE: 19
(I) DIRECT COSTS, INCLUDING FRINGE BENEFITS; 20
(II) INDIRECT OVERHEAD COS TS, INCLUDING THE 21
PROPORTIONAL SHARE OF EXISTING ADMINISTRAT IVE SALARIES AND BEN EFITS, 22
RENT, EQUIPMENT COSTS, UTILITIES, AND MATERIALS, BUT ONLY TO THE EXTE NT 23
THAT THOSE COSTS: 24
1. ARE ATTRIBUTABLE SOLE LY TO THE SERVICE IN 25
QUESTION; AND 26
2. WOULD NOT EXIST IF TH E SE RVICES WERE NOT 27
PERFORMED BY SCHOOL EMPLOYEES; 28
(III) ANY CONTINUING OR TRA NSITIONAL COSTS THAT WOULD 29
BE DIRECTLY ASSOCIAT ED WITH CONTRACTING FOR THE SERVICES , INCLUDING 30
UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION AND THE COST OF TRANSITIONAL SERVICES; AND 31
SENATE BILL 904 3
(IV) ADDITIONAL COSTS OF PERFO RMANCE OF SERVICES B Y 1
COUNTY BOARD EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING SALARIES AND BENEFITS OF ADDITIONAL 2
STAFF AND THE COST OF ADDITIONAL SPACE, EQUIPMENT, AND MATERIALS NEEDED 3
TO PERFORM THE SERVICES. 4
(E) (1) THE COUNTY BOARD SHAL L SUBMIT A FORMAL PLAN OF 5
ASSISTANCE FOR ALL SCHOOL EMPLOYEES WHO WILL BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY 6
THE SERVICE CONTRACT. 7
(2) THE PLAN OF ASSISTANCE SHALL INCLUDE: 8
(I) EFFORTS TO PLACE AFFE CTED EMPLOYEES IN VA CANT 9
POSITIONS IN THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM; 10
(II) PROVISIONS IN THE SERVICE CONTRACT, IF FEASIBLE, FOR 11
THE HIRING BY THE CONTRACTOR OF DISPLACED EMPLOYEES; AND 12
(III) ADVANCE NOTIFICATION TO THE AFFECTED EMPLOYEES. 13
(F) (1) A SERVICE CONTRACT SHA LL BE SUBJECT TO A DEPARTMENT 14
AUDIT TO DETERMINE C OMPLIANCE WITH PROJECTED C OST SAVINGS UNDER 15
SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION. 16
(2) AUDIT FINDINGS FROM A N AUDIT CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE 17
WITH PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION S HALL BE MADE AVAILAB LE TO THE 18
PUBLIC. 19
6–133. 20
(A) (1) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS THAT PARAEDUCATORS AND 21
OTHER EDUCATION SUPP ORT PROFESSIONALS BE NEFIT FROM IN –PERSON 22
TRAINING AS PART OF THE HIRING AND ONBOARDING PROCESS. 23
(2) IT IS THE INTENT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT IN–PERSON 24
TRAINING FOR PARAEDU CATORS AND OTHER EDU CATION SUPPORT 25
PROFESSIONALS BE EXPAND ED IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO AT LEAST 2 DAYS OF 26
HIGH–QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DURING EACH SCHOOL YEAR. 27
(B) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPHS PARAGRAPH (2) AND (3) OF THIS 28
SUBSECTION, ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2027, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DESIGN AND 29
DEVELOP A NEW SYSTEM OF PROFESSIONAL DEVE LOPMENT IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 30
4 SENATE BILL 904
FOR PARAEDUCATORS AND OTHER EDUCATION SU PPORT PROFESSIONALS THAT IS 1
PAID AND OCCURS DURING WEEKDAY SCHOOL HOURS. 2
(2) THE NEW SYSTEM OF PRO FESSIONAL DEVELOPMEN T SHALL 3
INCLUDE: 4
(I) TRAINING TO FACILITAT E PARAEDUCATORS AND 5
TEACHERS WORKING AS A TEAM TO IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES; 6
(II) TRAINING FOR EDUCATIO N SUPPORT PROFESSION ALS ON 7
HOW TO: 8
1. COLLABORATE WITH TEAC HERS AND 9
PARAEDUCATORS TO IMPROVE STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND BEHAVIOR; 10
2. IMPROVE STUDENT HEALTH AND SAFETY; AND 11
3. IMPROVE STUDENT LEARN ING ENVIRONMENTS , 12
INCLUDING SCHOOL BUILDINGS, SCHOOL BUSES, PLAYGROUNDS, ATHLETIC FIELDS, 13
SCHOOL CAFETERIAS, AND SCHOOL HEALTH FACILITIES; 14
(III) TRAINING FOR PARAEDUC ATORS ON SAFE PHYSIC AL 15
RESTRAINT; 16
(IV) TRAINING FOR EDUCATIO N SUPPORT PROFESSION ALS ON 17
CRISIS PREVENTION AND DE–ESCALATION; AND 18
(V) JOB SKILLS TRAINING A PPROPRIATE FOR SPECI FIC 19
EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL GROUPS. 20
(3) (2) WHEN DESIGNING AND DE VELOPING THE SYSTEM OF 21
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOP MENT REQUIRED UNDER THIS SUBSECTION , THE 22
DEPARTMENT SHALL CONS ULT WITH COUNTY BOAR DS AND NONPROFIT 23
ORGANIZATIONS WITH E XPERIENCE IN SUPPORT ING EDUCATION SUPPOR T 24
PROFESSIONALS, INCLUDING THE MARYLAND STATE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION. 25
(C) ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2027, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ISSU E 26
GUIDANCE TO EACH COU NTY BOARD THAT DESCR IBES THE SYSTEM OF 27
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPED AND DESIGNED UNDER THIS SECTION. 28
(D) ON OR BEFORE JUNE 30, 2028, EACH COUNTY BOARD SH ALL PROVIDE 29
THE SYSTEM OF PROFES SIONAL DEVELOPMENT D ESIGNED BY THE DEPARTMENT 30
SENATE BILL 904 5
UNDER THIS SECTION T O EACH PARAEDUCATOR AND EDUCATION SUPPOR T 1
PROFESSIONAL WHO IS EMPLOYED IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE COUNTY. 2
(E) (C) THIS SECTION MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO DIMINISH THE 3
OBLIGATION OF A COUN TY BOARD TO COMPLY W ITH A COLLECTIVE BAR GAINING 4
AGREEMENT OR AN EMPLOYMENT BENEFIT PROGRAM THAT ESTABLISHES GREATER 5
REQUIREMENTS THAN IMPOSED UNDER THIS SECTION. 6
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 7
1, 2026. 8
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.