The Board looks forward to hearing comments from a maximum of five (5) citizens on educational issues during the regular meetings. Each speaker is limited to three (3) minutes. Topics excluded from Public Forum are individual personnel matters, complaints identifying individual students, pending appeals, topics for which the Board schedules public hearings, and advertising or solicitation for products and/or services. Citizen participation is not intended to be a question and answer session. However, each speaker will receive a written response. All persons are expected to exhibit civil behavior in accordance with Policy 1000 Civility. 

The below PowerPoint was presented during the meeting.

OVERVIEW:
Per HCPSS Policy 4000 Grants, acceptance of grants with total in excess of $100,000, including the Maryland Department of Labor, for expansion of 2020-2023 State Apprenticeship Expansion grant, is requested.

Total                                                                                     $193,688.00

RECOMMENDATION/FUTURE DIRECTION:
Approve acceptance of $193,688.00 grant from Maryland Department of Labor.

Attachment A – Grant Agreement
Attachment B – Application, Budget

Overview:
The Board wishes to recognize Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action which is January 31, 2022 through February 4, 2022. This is a week intended to highlight, uplift and affirm the rich history and contributions of the Black community.

Recommendation:
Approve the attached Resolution recognizing Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action.

The audio/video recording is the official meeting minutes and is located on HCPSS-TV.

OVERVIEW:
In January 1986, the Howard County Public School System Board of Education approved the first proclamation that designated February as African American History Month. Staff is requesting that the attached, revised proclamation be approved for February 2022.

RECOMMENDATION/FUTURE DIRECTION:
Approve the attached Proclamation designating February 2022 as African American History Month in the Howard County Public School System to assure staff awareness of the celebration.

OVERVIEW: Accurate student enrollment projections are critical to the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS). The annual Operating and Capital Budgets as well as any school attendance area adjustments are developed using student enrollment projections. School Planning develops K-12 enrollment
projections by school, by grade annually for seventy-four Howard County elementary, middle and high schools. Each year the Office of School Planning provides the Board with the accuracy analysis, which compares the actual September 30 enrollment with what was projected. Projections vary each year based on
changes in enrollment, as well as birth and housing data. A description of how projections are developed is attached (Attachment 1).

As of September 30, 2021, the countywide K-12 enrollment of the HCPSS was 55,899. The projection developed in the Spring of 2021 for the same timeframe was 58,208, a 2,309 student difference (Attachment 2). Approximately 57 percent of the projections by school had error rates at or below 5 percent. Approximately 10 percent of the projections by school were within 10 students of the actual student enrollment (Attachments 3 and 4). The mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) by school was 5.0 percent.

The 2021 projection was developed and finalized prior to the onset of the recent variants of COVID-19. Much of the 2,309 student difference is due to families choosing to homeschool, transfer their students to private schools, or delay kindergarten enrollment.

RECOMMENDATION/FUTURE DIRECTION:
Continue the use of the existing projection methodology. Continue to study enrollment trends and use that
analysis to inform the Spring 2022 projections for the SY 2022-2023.

The below PowerPoint was presented during the meeting.

OVERVIEW:
Background Information: The Maryland General Assembly meets in Annapolis each year for 90 days to act on legislative measures including the state’s annual budget. The 444th session began on January 12, 2022, and will adjourn on April 11, 2022. The Board of Education of Howard County adopted its 2021 Legislative Platform on September 2, 2021.

Discussion: Bills identified as having a potential impact on the Howard County Public School System – for which advocacy by the Board of Education of Howard County through the development and adoption of position statements, testimony, and other outreach to the Howard County Delegation and/or Maryland General Assembly could affect the final outcome of the legislation – have been summarized in the attached Legislative Report. The Legislative Committee met on January 19, 2022, and recommends that the Board adopt the positions indicated in the attached. To read the language of the bill please click on the hyperlink under bill text or find more information as presented by the Maryland General Assembly under the bill status link.

RECOMMENDATION/FUTURE DIRECTION:
The Legislative Committee recommends that the Board of Education approve the recommendations as noted.

OVERVIEW:
County Legislative Process: The Howard County Council is responsible for adopting the laws of the County. As such, their legislative process begins with the introduction of bills on the first Monday of the month, followed by a public hearing and work session. All legislation which was introduced on the first Monday of the previous month is brought before the Council for the third reading and a vote, or it can be tabled. Before voting on legislation, the Council can amend it by a majority vote. The initial life of a bill is 65 days from the date it is introduced. The Council may vote to extend the life of a bill up to two times, for 30 days with each extension. Following signature by the County Executive, non-emergency bills go into effect 61 days after enactment.

Discussion: CB9-2022, introduced by the Howard County Council during their January 2022, Legislative Session is presented to the Board of Education of Howard County in the attached Legislative Report. The Legislative Committee met on January 19, 2021, and is bringing the bill forward for Board discussion. Original language for the bill is also attached to this report, and any proposed amendments from the sponsor will be forwarded to Board members as they become available.

RECOMMENDATION/FUTURE DIRECTION:
Discussion and direction by the Board will be used to direct staff related to advocacy efforts with the Howard County Council.

The Board looks forward to hearing comments from a maximum of five (5) citizens on educational issues during the regular meetings. Each speaker is limited to three (3) minutes. Topics excluded from Public Forum are individual personnel matters, complaints identifying individual students, pending appeals, topics for which the Board schedules public hearings, and advertising or solicitation for products and/or services. Citizen participation is not intended to be a question and answer session. However, each speaker will receive a written response. All persons are expected to exhibit civil behavior in accordance with Policy 1000 Civility. 

OVERVIEW:
Revisions to Policy 6010 were approved (with amendments) on December 16, 2021. Section IV.B of the revised policy identifies the Board’s responsibility to determine whether conditions exist that prompt consideration of a boundary review and provide direction to proceed or not with boundary review. Additionally, the Board is to identify the proposed scope for the review.

New High School #13 is scheduled to open for the 2023-24 school year with 1,680 seats. The school is located near Mission Road and Washington Boulevard in Jessup, within the current Hammond High School attendance area. High school boundaries must be reviewed in order to create an attendance area for the new
school. The boundary must be established by Thanksgiving of 2022 to allow adequate time for the implementation of the new attendance area and planning for the opening of the new school. Modifications to middle school boundaries in the vicinity will be evaluated as needed.

RECOMMENDATION/FUTURE DIRECTION:
Provide direction for the Superintendent to initiate the boundary review process outlined Policy 6010 during calendar year 2022. This review should include boundary modifications to establish an attendance area for New High School #13, including related adjustments.

OVERVIEW:
County Legislative Process: The Howard County Council is responsible for adopting the laws of the County. As such, their legislative process begins with the introduction of bills on the first Monday of the month, followed by a public hearing and work session. All legislation which was introduced on the first Monday of the previous month is brought before the Council for the third reading and a vote, or it can be tabled. Before voting on legislation, the Council can amend it by a majority vote. The initial life of a bill is 65 days from the date it is introduced. The Council may vote to extend the life of a bill up to two times, for 30 days with each extension. Following signature by the County Executive, non-emergency bills go into effect 61 days after enactment.

Discussion: CB9-2022, introduced by the Howard County Council during their January 2022, Legislative Session is presented to the Board of Education of Howard County in the attached Legislative Report. The Legislative Committee met on January 19, 2021, and is bringing the bill forward for Board discussion. Original language for the bill is also attached to this report, and any proposed amendments from the sponsor will be forwarded to Board members as they become available.

RECOMMENDATION/FUTURE DIRECTION:
Discussion and direction by the Board will be used to direct staff related to advocacy efforts with the Howard County Council.

OVERVIEW:
The Board’s Operating Budget Review Committee (OBRC) makes recommendations and provides other views the OBRC has regarding the budget.

RECOMMENDATION/FUTURE DIRECTION:
The OBRC is providing the following two new recommendations to the Board:

The OBRC recommends the Board request a human resources strategic plan to ensure that all funded positions are filled for fiscal year 2023 with measurable benchmarks to track progress and implement new strategies in a timely manner before the year begins. (Recommendation approved 10 to 0 with 4 abstentions)

The OBRC recommends the Board request a detailed breakdown of what determined the ratios of the new staff positions for special education and the rationale for the ratio that was proposed (23.0 teachers/23.0 para-educators/12.0 student assistants). (Recommendation approved 9 to 0 with 2 abstentions)

(All OBRC recommendations to the Board for fiscal year 2022 are attached.)

OVERVIEW:
A recommendation is being submitted to the Board of Education to modify the 2021-2022 academic calendar. The first modification is to use February 21, 2022, Presidents’ Day, as an inclement weather make-up day as well as incorporate an additional inclement weather make-up day on June 22, 2022. The second modification is to close schools and offices on June 20, 2022 in recognition of Juneteenth National Independence Day. Rationales for these recommendations can be found in the report.

RECOMMENDATION/FUTURE DIRECTION:
Approve the proposed modifications to the 2021-2022 Academic Calendar.

The below PowerPoint was presented during the meeting.

OVERVIEW:
The following are the highlights for the Food and Nutrition Service Program for the month of November in Fiscal Years 2022 and 2021:

• The summer meals program ended on 8/15/21 with 214,224 meals served.
• Regular meal service for the FY22 school year commenced on 8/30/21 and a total of 2,073,812 free meals were served in FY22 compared to 1,507,578 free meals in FY21 (an increase of 37.56%). Total meals served in FY22 also increased by 337,372 or 19.43% over total meals served in FY20 - the last relatively normal year.
• There were 59 serving days in FY22 compared to 58 serving days in FY21.
• Average daily participation (ADP) for breakfast and lunch in FY22 was 35,029 meals compared to 15,572 breakfast and lunch meals in FY21 and 29,498 breakfast and lunch meals in FY20. Nearly 18.8% more breakfast and lunches were served in FY22 compared to breakfast and lunches served in FY20 - the last relatively normal year.
• Total revenue for the period increased by 69.52%, from $5,328,847 in FY21 to $9,033,360 in FY22.
• Expenditures for the period increased by 8.40% or $435,173 for the period.
• Revenue less expenditures for the period was $3,417,776 in FY22 compared to $148,436 in FY21.
• The program continued to be affected by continuing major operating challenges (staffing shortage, supply chain issues affecting the availability of certain food and non-food products, etc.)

Attachments 1 and 2 provide details of Income and Expenditure, ADP, Meals, and Meal Equivalents served for the period.

RECOMMENDATION/FUTURE DIRECTION: The program continued to provide quality child nutrition programs to support the well-being of every student despite significant operating challenges We appreciate the patience, flexibility, and understanding of students and parents as we work to provide school meals in a challenging and changing environment.

OVERVIEW: In 2011, Maryland House Bill 858 Education - Public Schools and Youth Sports Programs - Concussions required the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), in collaboration with specified entities, to develop policies and to implement a program to provide awareness to coaches, school personnel,
students, and parents or guardians of students on the risk of concussions and head injuries. This House Bill requires a county board of education to provide a specified information sheet and a notice to a student and parent or guardian; requiring a student and parent or guardian to sign a specified statement; etc. The current recommendations from the International Concussion in Sport Group (CISG) indicate that student-athletes 18 years and below who experience any of the signs or symptoms of a concussion after a bump, blow, or jolt to the head should be kept from practice or game play until cleared by a qualified health professional. “When in doubt, sit them out.”

Research indicates that:
• Adolescent brains are developing throughout the high school years, and may be particularly vulnerable to concussion.
• Up to 90 percent of students with a concussion exhibit cognitive/learning challenges during their recovery. This report provides background information on concussion signs and symptoms and describes the implementation of the Concussion Education and Management Program in the Howard County
Public Schools (HCPSS).

RECOMMENDATION/FUTURE DIRECTION: To facilitate the health and well-being of students the HCPSS
will:
• Continue Concussion Education and Certification of coaches.
• Continue the Parent and Student Concussion Management Education Program.
• Continue to refine the Return to the Classroom Protocol.

OVERVIEW: The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) Advanced Placement (AP) program offers rigorous college-level content to high school students. Those who earn AP exam scores of three or higher may be awarded college course credit. Of the top ten colleges to which 2019-2021 HCPSS graduates applied, all awarded college credit for AP exam scores of 3 or higher1. Under the Maryland Every Student Succeeds Act2 (ESSA), the Maryland State Department of Education uses AP participation and performance as ways to determine whether schools are providing students with access to a well-rounded curriculum and preparing students for post secondary success.

HCPSS students continue to perform at high levels on AP exams; however, the percent of exams scoring college-ready has decreased from 82.6 percent in 2019 to 77.7 percent in 2021. The percentage of students taking AP exams has also decreased in this same period. The percent of students in grades 9 to 12 taking an AP exam decreased from 28.9 percent in 2019 to 23.3 percent in 2021. The number of AP exams taken also decreased from 11,188 to 8,906 exams.

By student group, less than 10 percent of the high school students in the Black/African American (Black), Hispanic/Latino (Latino), Free and Reduced-price Meals (FARMs), special education, or English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) eligible student groups took an AP exam in 2021—compared to 21 to 45 percent participation rates for their peers. These student groups also continue to have lower percentages of AP exams scoring 3 or higher than their peers. Additionally, the percent of AP exams with scores of 3 or higher decreased the most for Black students in 2021 compared to the prior years.

73.3 percent of the graduates in the Class of 2021 took at least one AP course and 51.9 percent took at least one AP exam during their high school career, reflecting a decrease compared to the Class of 2019. Among racial/ethnic groups, gaps in access to AP coursework have widened for Black and Latino graduates from 2019 to 2021. Plus, AP exam participation decreased the most for Latino graduates from 2019 to 2021.

HCPSS students outpace state and national performance on AP exams. In 2021, 78 percent of the AP exams taken by HCPSS students scored a 3 or higher, compared to 60 percent of the exams taken by public school students in the state of Maryland and 54 percent nation-wide.
RECOMMENDATION/FUTURE DIRECTION: Learning and Leading with Equity demands that all students are provided a quality education. HCPSS must continue to monitor and analyze the gaps in AP participation and performance among student groups. Such analysis will assist our staff in identifying root causes and implementing appropriate high-leverage strategies that will impact both teaching and learning.

RECOMMENDATION/FUTURE DIRECTION: Learning and Leading with Equity demands that all students are provided a quality education. HCPSS must continue to monitor and analyze the gaps in AP participation and performance among student groups. Such analysis will assist our staff in identifying root causes and implementing appropriate high-leverage strategies that will impact both teaching and learning.

OVERVIEW: The Howard County Public School System’s (HCPSS) Strategic Call to Action outlines a commitment to close opportunity gaps to ensure that all students will acquire the skills, attributes, and knowledge necessary to become global citizens and obtain meaningful and rewarding employment in a dynamic, international workplace.

HCPSS graduates demonstrate better postsecondary outcomes compared to national averages. On average, 78% of the HCPSS Classes of 2016 through 2020 enrolled in college in the fall after graduating from high school; compared to about 66% nationally. Despite the overall high fall college enrollment rate, gaps in access between student groups persist. Specifically, American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander graduates; graduates who received special services; and male graduates had lower college enrollment rates compared to their peers.

Over 90% of the students who enrolled in college in the fall persisted for a second year in college; however, lower proportions of fall enrollees in those same traditionally underserved groups persisted for a second year compared to their peers. Following this pattern, even though 54% of all fall college enrollees obtained an associate’s or higher degree in four years, fall college enrollees in these groups were less likely to have attained a degree within four years compared to their peers.

RECOMMENDATION/FUTURE DIRECTION: HCPSS recognizes that students have a myriad of post-graduation choices. HCPSS will continue to examine the root causes for differences in accessing post secondary educational opportunities among student groups. Staff will work with students to better understand the factors that contribute to non-enrollment into college and/or students not immediately pursuing career-tracked job opportunities, apprenticeships, and certifications.