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<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="5-1312" title_number="5" title_name="Children" subtitle_number="13" subtitle_name="Child Welfare Accountability">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “foster youth” has the meaning stated in § 5–304 of the Human Services Article.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Subject to subsection (d) of this section, on or before December 1 of each year, the Department shall report to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the following information regarding children and foster youth in the State child welfare system:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the number of child abuse and neglect reports, alternative responses, investigative responses, and findings for completed investigations;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the number of children receiving in–home services;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the number of new out–of–home placements by placement type;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>the number of exits from the child welfare system by exit type;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>the number of exits to reunification and reentries within 12 months after exit;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>the number of exits to reunification and reentries within 24 months after exit;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>the stability of out–of–home placements, including the number of placement changes;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>the stability of school placements;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="9">
      <text>the number who graduate from high school;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="10">
      <text>the number who qualify for a Maryland high school diploma by examination;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="11">
      <text>the number who receive tuition waivers;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="12">
      <text>the incidences of abuse or neglect of a child who, in the immediately preceding 24 months, was not removed from the child’s home following an investigation that found indicated or unsubstantiated abuse or neglect;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="13">
      <text>the number of children in the custody of a local department or child placement agency who have a sibling who is not in the custody of the same local department or child placement agency;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="14">
      <text>the health and mental health care provided, including the stability of health care providers, medications, and psychiatric diagnoses;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="15">
      <text>the number of children who are not enrolled in school for more than 1 week immediately following a change in placement; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="16">
      <text>the number of children in an institution of postsecondary education, apprenticeship, or adult education program, disaggregated by program.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Subject to subsection (d) of this section, on or before December 1 each year, the State Department of Education shall report to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, and to the Department the following information regarding children and foster youth in the State child welfare system:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the stability of school placements;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the number of children with individualized education programs;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the number of children with a plan under § 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>the number of children who have been retained a grade, disaggregated by grade;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>the number of children who graduate from high school;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>dropout rates;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>the number of children who are truant students, as defined in § 7–302.2 of the Education Article;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>the rates of absenteeism;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="9">
      <text>the rates of suspension;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="10">
      <text>the rates of expulsion;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="11">
      <text>the number of school–based arrests; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="12">
      <text>the number of foster youth who enroll in college and graduate within 6 years.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In reporting the information required under subsections (b) and (c) of this section, the Department and the State Department of Education shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>maintain the confidentiality of information on children and foster youth in the State child welfare system;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>ensure that no personally identifiable information is disclosed; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>disaggregate the information by county, age, gender, race, and ethnicity.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>In reporting the information required under subsection (c) of this section, the State Department of Education shall include, where appropriate, comparison data for children and students not in the State child welfare system.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Department shall publish each report required under subsection (b) of this section on the Department’s website within 30 days of submission of the report to the General Assembly.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The State Department of Education shall publish each report required under subsection (c) of this section on the State Department of Education’s website within 30 days of submission of the report to the General Assembly.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>This section may not be construed to affect any other reporting requirements to which the Department or the State Department of Education is subject.</text>
  </level>
</section>
