Those measures were sponsored and spearheaded by legislators from those jurisdictions. The legislation differs greatly from previous bills that have passed over the years authorizing voting rights for student members in the above eight jurisdictions. This includes, among other matters, the capital and operating budgets student disciplinary matters school closings, reopenings and boundaries collective bargaining decisions appointment, salary and evaluation of the county school superintendent all other personnel matters school calendar and curriculum and appeals of special education placements. Under HB797, student members in the state’s 23 counties and Baltimore City would have the authority to vote on virtually every issue that comes before the board of education. Thus, every school district in Maryland allows for significant and meaningful student input as to how the school system is governed, even if they can’t cast official votes. The laws overseeing the remaining four jurisdictions – Kent, Somerset, Washington and Wicomico counties – do not expressly reserve a slot for student members but those jurisdictions have informally added non-voting student members to their boards.
Car driving school for adults in somerset nj code#
Maryland’s education code designates positions for non-voting student members on 12 other local boards of education. The power of the other student members with binding votes varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction but most lack the power to vote on budgetary matters, collective bargaining, school closings and reopenings, redistricting and personnel issues. Most Marylanders are almost certainly not aware of this fact.Īnne Arundel’s student member already has the same standing as adult voting members while the Montgomery County student member’s authority matches what is proposed by HB797. Maryland, however, is believed to be the only state in the country that permits 16- and 17-year-old student members to cast binding votes on many crucial issues.Ĭurrently, state law permits student members of the board of education in eight jurisdictions – Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Charles, Harford, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties and Baltimore City – to cast binding votes. Moreover, California, New Jersey, New York and Virginia all have laws in place regarding student representation on school boards. Many school boards throughout the country have a student representative who participates in open meetings and casts advisory votes. Specifically, the panel will formally begin its consideration of House Bill 797 – a measure expanding voting rights for student members of local boards of education and officially add student members to boards that don’t legally recognize them.
The Maryland House of Delegate’s Ways and Means Committee will hear testimony Thursday on legislation that will fundamentally change the makeup and mechanics of almost every local board of education in the Old Line State. The writer is a resident of Ellicott City.
0 kommentar(er)
