Board grants permission to publish COMAR revisions for homeless students and graduation flexibility; approves Garrett County waiver

The State Board granted MSDE permission to publish two proposed Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) amendments intended to align state rules with federal law and statute.

Mary Gable (Assistant Superintendent, Federal Programs & Student Support) presented COMAR 13A.05.09, which updates rules for programs serving children experiencing homelessness to align with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Key edits remove an outdated reference to children “awaiting foster care,” clarify school‑of‑origin protections for students in foster care, prohibit enrollment barriers (such as owed textbooks or fines), and require information be provided to families in an understandable format. The Education Policy Committee had unanimously recommended permission to publish.

Gable then presented COMAR 13A.03.212 to align graduation‑requirement procedures for homeless students with statute, clarifying when LEAs may waive locally established graduation credits (while state graduation credit requirements remain intact) and extending waiver language to junior year in some foster-care provisions. The Education Policy Committee recommended permission to publish after discussion.

Both items were moved and approved by voice vote for permission to publish. In related business, the board approved Garrett County Public Schools’ request for a one‑day waiver of the 180‑day instructional requirement (ending the 2023‑24 year on June 7 after 179 days) because of inclement weather; the request was approved by voice vote.