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Bill

HB 488

Public Schools - Discipline-Related Data - Collection and Publication

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Heather Bagnall Tudball and 13 co-sponsors

Maryland schools must systematically collect and publicly report student discipline data by demographics to expose potential inequities and enable evidence-based policy improvements.

Hearing 2/12 at 1:00 p.m.
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Bill Summary · HB 488

Legislative bill overview

HB 488 requires Maryland public schools to collect, track, and publicly report detailed data on student discipline incidents, including infractions, consequences, and demographic breakdowns of affected students. The bill mandates standardized data collection across all school districts and regular publication of this information to enable transparency and accountability.

Why is this important

School discipline data can reveal systemic disparities in how students of different races, genders, and abilities are punished for similar infractions. Public reporting of this data allows parents, educators, and policymakers to identify potential bias, advocate for fair discipline policies, and track whether reforms are working. Currently, Maryland lacks consistent statewide discipline data collection, making it difficult to assess equity in school discipline practices.

Potential points of contention

  • Administrative burden: School districts may argue that standardized data collection and reporting requirements add significant costs and administrative workload, particularly for smaller districts with limited resources
  • Privacy concerns: Parents and advocates may worry about how disaggregated student discipline data (broken down by race, disability status, etc.) is stored, secured, and potentially misused to profile students
  • Interpretation disputes: Data showing disparities in discipline could be interpreted as evidence of bias by some groups or as reflecting differences in actual student behavior by others, leading to heated policy debates

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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