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Read. Follow. Verify.Maryland Senate Bill 863 Mandates Special Education Overhaul, Aide Salaries, and Audits in Prince George's County Public Schools
Last action · February 10, 2026: Hearing 3/11 at 1:00 p.m.Sponsors: Alonzo Washington and 2 others
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What This Bill Would Do
Beginning in the 2027–2028 school year, Prince George's County Public Schools must budget full-time salaries and benefits for all one-to-one student aides, while the State Department of Education must hire an independent auditor to review special education performance from fiscal years 2021 through 2025. The emergency measure also requires quarterly updates on special education metrics, mandatory quarterly professional development for special education staff, and public online reporting of compliance records.
The measure directly alters the employment terms for classroom aides and forces the local school system to submit to external financial and compliance monitoring, carrying potential funding withholdings and mandatory hearings if record-production deadlines are missed.
- Prince George's County Public Schools is a large local school district in Maryland subject to state education oversight. context
- The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Prince George's County Board of Education
The board is required to adjust annual budgets for aide salaries, submit quarterly updates, and appear before the county council if record requirements are unmet.
One-to-one student aides
Aides become eligible for full-time salary and benefits under the same terms extended to other full-time employees starting in the 2027-2028 school year.
Special education employees
Staff providing special education services must complete at least one professional development training session each school year.
State Department of Education
The department must hire a third-party auditor, compile and distribute audit reports, and certify compliance thresholds.
Key Facts
- Beginning in the 2027–2028 school year, the Prince George's County Board and County Superintendent must include funds in the annual budget to provide each individual employed as a one-to-one student aide full-time salary and benefits.
- The State Department of Education must contract with a third-party auditor to conduct an audit of the Department of Special Education in Prince George's County Public Schools for fiscal years 2021 through 2025.
- The County Superintendent or a designee must provide quarterly updates on special education for at least 24 months, covering IEP service delivery, aide vacancies, compensatory services, and complaint rates.
- Quarterly updates may cease after 24 months only if the State Department of Education certifies sustained compliance for at least two consecutive quarters using objective performance thresholds.
Show all 9 facts
- Beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, each employee providing special education services must complete at least one professional development training session each school year.
- The third-party auditor must submit a baseline report with compliance risks within 90 days of the Act's effective date and a final comprehensive report within 180 days.
- Within 30 days of the comprehensive report, a corrective action and strategic plan with quantifiable metrics, staffing plans, and parent engagement portals must be submitted.
- If the school system fails to produce records on time, it must appear before the County Council and County Board of Education, face potential funds withholding by the State Superintendent, or endure mandatory monitoring.
- The Act takes effect as an emergency measure upon enactment and expires after 3 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
What new funding must be included in the Prince George's County school budget?
What period does the mandated third-party audit cover?
What training requirements are established for school employees?
What happens if the school system fails to comply with records production?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently filed. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Committee.
Procedural history
2 actions- Feb 10, 2026SenateHearing 3/11 at 1:00 p.m.
- Feb 6, 2026SenateIntroducedFirst Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Shift to Mandated State Oversight and Financial Accountability
The bill shifts county-level special education management into a heavily monitored regime requiring external audits of past years and strict objective threshold certifications before reporting relief can be granted.
Connected Entities
Sources
mgaleg.maryland.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy60Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz45Current news / social attention level
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