Title 3. Establishment of County Boards of Education — Subtitle 3A. Caroline County
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 3-3A-01 (2026)
Title 3. Establishment of County Boards of Education
Subtitle 3A. Caroline County
§ 3–3A-01LinkCopy Citation
(a)
In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.
(b)
“Appointed member” means one of the two voting members appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, under § 3–3A–02(b)(3)(i)1 of this subtitle.
(c)
“Board of education district” or “district” means a geographic area of Caroline County in which an elected member of the Caroline County Board of Education must be a legal resident.
(d)
(1)
“Elected member” means one of the three nonpartisan voting members of the Caroline County Board of Education elected by the voters of Caroline County.
(2)
“Elected member” does not include the nonvoting student members selected under § 3–3A–02(f) of this subtitle.
Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 3-3A-02 (2026)
Title 3. Establishment of County Boards of Education
Subtitle 3A. Caroline County
§ 3–3A-02LinkCopy Citation
(a)
The Caroline County Board of Education consists of:
(1)
Three elected members;
(2)
Two appointed members; and
(3)
Two nonvoting student members.
(b)
(1)
One elected member shall be elected from each of the three board of education districts established in Caroline County.
(2)
An elected member shall be:
(i)
A resident of the district from which the member is elected; and
(ii)
Elected only by the voters of that district.
(3)
(i)
(1)
Two appointed members shall be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, from the county at–large.
(2)
Each appointed member shall be a resident of the county.
(ii)
In appointing members to the county board, the Governor shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that the total makeup of the county board reflects gender, ethnic, and racial diversity.
(c)
(1)
The board of education districts shall:
(i)
Be established by the County Commissioners of Caroline County; and
(ii)
Be substantially equal in population and reapportioned on the basis of each decennial census of the United States.
(2)
Reapportioned districts shall become effective for the term of office commencing after the first regular primary election held at least 15 months after the official report on population is received by the State from the Bureau of the Census.
(d)
(1)
As applicable for that board of education district, at the general election the ballot shall provide the voter with the choice to cast a vote “For” a candidate for election from that district.
(2)
After the election results are certified, the State Board of Elections shall declare for each district whether a candidate has been elected.
(e)
(1)
An individual elected to the county board shall be at least 21 years old and a registered voter and resident of Caroline County for at least 3 years.
(2)
A member may not continue as a member of the county board if the member:
(i)
No longer resides in the board of education district that the member is designated to represent; or
(ii)
Is not a registered voter of Caroline County.
(3)
An individual employed by, or under the direction of, the county board or the Caroline County Superintendent of Schools is not eligible to serve on the county board.
(f)
(1)
A student member of the county board shall:
(i)
Be a regularly enrolled eleventh or twelfth grade student of good character and in good standing in a Caroline County public high school during the student’s term in office;
(ii)
Be selected in the student’s tenth or eleventh grade in accordance with paragraph (3) of this subsection; and
(iii)
(1)
Serve for a term of 1 year; and
(2)
If the student is in the twelfth grade, continue to serve after graduation and until a successor is selected and qualifies.
(2)
Each high school in the county shall be represented by a student member of the county board.
(3)
(i)
For nomination to the county board, the student body shall submit to the principal of the high school a list of nominees that contains the names of eligible students.
(ii)
The principal of the high school shall select the student member from the list of nominees submitted to the principal under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph.
(4)
If a vacancy in the position of student member occurs during the term of a student member, the principal of the high school represented on the county board shall select another student member using the method set forth under paragraph (3) of this subsection.
(g)
(1)
Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, each elected member serves for a term of 4 years beginning on the first Monday in December after the member’s election and until a successor is elected and qualifies.
(2)
The initial terms of the elected members are staggered as follows:
(i)
The two members elected to the county board at the general election in November 2012 who receive the highest number of votes cast from among the successful candidates at that election shall serve for a term of 4 years; and
(ii)
The member elected to the county board at the general election in November 2012 who receives the least number of votes cast from among the successful candidates at that election shall serve for a term of 2 years.
(h)
(1)
In the event of a vacancy of an elected member on the county board due to death, resignation, disqualification, or removal, the remaining voting members shall select a qualified individual to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term of the vacating member and until a successor is elected and qualifies.
(2)
An individual appointed to fill a vacancy for an elected member shall be a resident of the same board of education district as that of the vacating member.
(3)
Before filling a vacancy for an elected member, the remaining voting members of the county board shall conduct an interview of each applicant at an open meeting.
(4)
(i)
The county board shall publish a list of the names of the applicants for a vacancy on the county board at least 2 weeks before the interview of the first applicant is scheduled to occur.
(ii)
The county board shall cause public notice of the date, time, and location of the interview for each applicant to be published:
(1)
At least 2 weeks before the interview is scheduled to occur; and
(2)
In the same manner as public notice of a regular meeting of the county board is published.
(5)
The county board is not required to conduct discussions of the applicants or make the final selection of the elected member to fill the vacancy at an open meeting.
(i)
(1)
Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, each appointed member serves for a term of 4 years beginning on the first Monday in December 2012.
(2)
The initial terms of the appointed members are staggered as follows:
(i)
One appointed member shall serve for a term of 6 years; and
(ii)
One appointed member shall serve for a term of 4 years.
(3)
In the event of a vacancy of an appointed member due to death, resignation, disqualification, or removal, the Governor shall appoint another individual to complete the term of the vacating appointed member.
Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 3-3A-03 (2026)
Title 3. Establishment of County Boards of Education
Subtitle 3A. Caroline County
§ 3–3A-03LinkCopy Citation
(a)
With the approval of the Governor, the State Board may remove any member of the county board for any of the following reasons:
(1)
Immorality;
(2)
Misconduct in office;
(3)
Incompetency; or
(4)
Willful neglect of duty.
(b)
Before removing a member, the State Board shall send the member a copy of the charges against the member and give the member an opportunity within 10 days to request a hearing.
(c)
If the member requests a hearing within the 10–day period:
(1)
(i)
The State Board promptly shall hold a hearing; but
(ii)
A hearing may not be set within 10 days after the State Board sends the member a notice of the hearing; and
(2)
The member shall have an opportunity to be heard publicly before the State Board in the member’s own defense, in person or by counsel.
(d)
A member removed under this section has the right to a de novo review of the removal by the Circuit Court for Caroline County.
Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 3-3A-04 (2026)
Title 3. Establishment of County Boards of Education
Subtitle 3A. Caroline County
§ 3–3A-04LinkCopy Citation
(a)
At its first meeting in December of each year, the voting members of the county board shall elect a president and vice president from among its members.
(b)
In the event of a vacancy in the office of president or vice president of the county board, the voting members of the county board shall elect a new officer to fill the vacancy within 30 days after the vacancy occurs.
Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 3-3A-05 (2026)
Title 3. Establishment of County Boards of Education
Subtitle 3A. Caroline County
§ 3–3A-05LinkCopy Citation
(a)
The president of the county board is entitled to receive $6,000 annually as compensation, and the other voting members are entitled to receive $5,500 each annually as compensation.
(b)
As provided in the Caroline County budget, each voting member is entitled to an allowance for travel and other expenses.
(c)
A voting member is not eligible for any fringe benefit provided by the Caroline County Public School System, the Caroline County Board of Education, or the County Commissioners of Caroline County, including:
(1)
Health insurance;
(2)
Life insurance; and
(3)
A pension.
Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 3-3A-06 (2026)
Title 3. Establishment of County Boards of Education
Subtitle 3A. Caroline County
§ 3–3A-06LinkCopy Citation
(a)
The county board shall meet at least once each month.
(b)
(1)
Each meeting of the county board shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Maryland Open Meetings Act, Title 3 of the General Provisions Article.
(2)
The county board may avail itself of any exclusion authorized under the Maryland Open Meetings Act.