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HB 129

State Board of Education - Membership - School Principal

2025 Regular Session Introduced by David Fraser-Hidalgo

HB 129 adds an active principal seat to Maryland State Board of Education, elected by principals and appointed by the Governor, with restricted voting on personnel matters.

Hearing 2/05 at 2:00 p.m.
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Bill Summary · HB 129

Summary — HB 129: State Board of Education — Membership — School Principal (Maryland)

Main purpose

HB 129 adds a seat on the Maryland State Board of Education for a certified school principal who is actively leading a school, with the goal of ensuring direct principal representation in statewide K–12 governance and policy deliberations.

Key provisions

  • Increases the number of regular State Board members from 13 to 14 (plus the existing student member).
  • Creates one regular member position reserved for a certified, actively‑serving school principal.
  • Selection process:
    • Certified principals in the State elect a nominee under Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) regulations.
    • The Governor appoints the principal member from the election results (the principal who received the highest number of votes), subject to Senate advice and consent.
    • MSDE must notify all certified principals of vacancies and run the election; MSDE may consult other agencies to administer it.
  • Restrictions on participation:
    • The principal member may attend and participate in executive sessions.
    • The principal member may not vote on matters relating to the appointment, suspension, or dismissal of personnel (and the bill mirrors existing voting limits that apply to teacher/parent/student members for specified personnel or appeal matters).
  • Term and effective dates:
    • The Governor’s appointment for the initial principal member begins July 1, 2026.
    • The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.
  • Conforms selection and notice procedures to the existing framework used for the teacher member election.

Who is affected

  • Certified school principals (eligible to vote in and run in the principals’ election).
  • The State Board of Education (composition and perspectives).
  • MSDE (responsible for administering the principals’ election and related notices).
  • No direct fiscal impact on local school systems’ operations is anticipated.

Fiscal and procedural impacts

  • State expenditures will increase to cover administration of the principals’ election once every four years. MSDE’s previous teacher election cost (~$24,000) is used as an upper bound; actual costs for the principals’ election are expected to be lower (fewer electors — roughly 8,000 principals).
  • Beginning in FY 2027, an estimated additional ~$5,000 per year in member expense reimbursements (travel/expenses) is expected for the added board member.
  • No change to State Board member terms (regular members serve four‑year staggered terms; reappointment limits apply).

Practical effect

HB 129 formally inserts an active school principal perspective into State Board deliberations, while retaining limits on voting in personnel matters to avoid conflict with the Board’s adjudicatory and personnel roles. The bill requires modest, periodic administrative spending for elections and small annual member reimbursements.

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

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