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<section article="ged" article_name="Education" number="5-212" title_number="5" title_name="Financing" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Aid to Education">
  <level label="a">
    <text>The target per pupil foundation amount includes costs associated with implementing the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future including:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Increasing salaries;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Additional teachers to provide professional learning and collaborative time for teachers;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Career counseling;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Behavioral health;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Instructional opportunities for students who are college and career ready and those who are not;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>Maintenance and operation of schools;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>Supplies and materials for teachers; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>Educational technology including digital devices, broadband connectivity, and information technology staff.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Schools may use funds provided under this section to provide the programs required under COMAR 13A.04.16.01.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>County boards of education and schools shall prioritize the purchase of digital devices for using funds under subsection (a)(8) of this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Additional funds provided in the target per pupil foundation amount for educational technology are intended to supplement and not supplant existing funding provided for educational technology.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>On or before November 15 each year, each county board shall submit a report to the Department detailing, for the previous fiscal year:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>The amount spent by the local school system on technology disaggregated by digital devices, connectivity, and information technology staff; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>The percentage of students, teachers, and staff with digital devices and adequate connectivity in their homes in accordance with the Federal Communications Commission standards for broadband.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>On or before December 15 each year, the Department shall submit to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, a compilation of the reports submitted to the Department under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>On or before September 1, 2021, the Department shall establish uniform reporting requirements, including definitions to ensure that consistent and comparable reports are submitted under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
