Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 4-139
Policy to support education and parenting goals for pregnant and parenting students
Effective Jul 1, 2021Added by Acts 2021, c. 345, § 1, eff. July 1, 2021; Acts 2021, c. 346, § 1, eff. July 1, 2021.State of Maryland
- (a) In this section, “parenting student” means a student who is the mother, father, or legal guardian of a child.
- (b) The Department shall develop a model policy to support the educational and parenting goals and improve the educational outcomes of pregnant and parenting students.
(c) The policy established under subsection (b) of this section shall:
(1) Require each high school to designate a private lactation space in the school that:
- (i) Includes at least one seating option with a flat surface and electrical outlet nearby to accommodate placement of a breast pump device; and
- (ii) Is not a bathroom or closet;
- (2) Provide lactating students with access to a refrigerator located reasonably close to the private lactation space required under item (1) of this subsection;
(3) Require schools to designate at least one staff member to connect, to the extent practicable, pregnant and parenting students with resources to find safe, affordable, and reliable:
- (i) Child care and early childhood education services; and
- (ii) Transportation services to and from school;
- (4) Incorporate the attendance policy for pregnant and parenting students developed under § 7-301.1 of this article;
- (5) Provide for training of school personnel on policy objectives and requirements; and
- (6) Be published in the school system's student handbook.
(d)
- (1) Each county board shall establish a policy to support the educational and parenting goals and improve the educational outcomes of pregnant and parenting students based on the model policy established in subsection (b) of this section.
- (2) The Department shall provide technical assistance to a county board to establish the policy required under this subsection.
- (e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a school to construct an addition or new space to a school building to provide a private lactation space to comply with the requirements of the policy established under this section.
Added by Acts 2021, c. 345, § 1, eff. July 1, 2021; Acts 2021, c. 346, § 1, eff. July 1, 2021.