Letter of Information: House Bill 522: Public Schools – School Resource Officers and School Security Employees – Revisions

The following Letter of Information was sent to the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee of the Maryland General Assembly on March 26, 2021.

On behalf of the Maryland Center for School Safety (MCSS), thank you for the opportunity to submit this letter of information regarding House Bill 522. 

The Safe to Learn Act of 2018 (STLA) received broad bipartisan support because it addresses both the physical safety needs and the behavioral health needs of students. The STLA balances aggressive Statewide standards for school safety with built-in flexibility for each school system to assess and evaluate the needs within individual school communities in order to make informed decisions about resource allocation to address identified gaps in support of school safety. 

House Bill 522 expands on the training, data collection, and reporting requirements of the existing statute. House Bill 522 also creates new planning requirements for local school systems and imposes limitations on (1) the assignment of school resource officers (SROs) and school security employees (SSEs), and (2) a local school system’s use of grant funds.

In reference to specific language within House Bill 522, we ask that you please consider the following:

• Student Code of Conduct: As referenced on page 4, lines 13 and 14, there are individual student codes of conduct in each of the 24 school systems within Maryland. The bill language, as drafted, would require MCSS to develop 24 different lesson plans to address each of the 24 individual school system’s codes of conduct. MCSS respectfully requests that the language be modified to “including but not limited to using the student code of conduct applicable to the local school system.”
• School Safety Coordinators: The STLA required each local school system to identify a school safety coordinator (SSC). There are 24 identified SSCs in Maryland, one representing each local school system. SSCs referenced on page 6, line 16, are employees that work for the local school system’s central office and not within an individual public school. 
• Training for SRO Supervisors: On page 7, line 19, MCSS respectfully requests that the date for completion of the development of the training be moved from September 1, 2021, to March 1, 2022. This will help ensure that a thorough and effective training curriculum can be developed. 
• Training for School Administrators: On page 7, line 25, MCSS respectfully requests that the date for completion of the development of the training be moved from September 1, 2021, to July 1, 2022. This training will require MCSS to engage multiple stakeholders in order to develop this unique training specific to school administrators. 
• Use of Grant Funds: On page 11, lines 29-34, the language limits the use of the grant funding to only one of the identified options. As drafted, this language would prevent some school systems from taking advantage of their total allocation. To ensure each school system is afforded the opportunity to fully benefit from the funds, MCSS respectfully suggests the removal of the word “single” on page 11, line 30, and striking item (3)(II) on page 11, lines 32-34.  

We respectfully request that you consider this information as you deliberate House Bill 522.

Kate Hession, Executive Director, Maryland Center for School Safety