Policy Manual of the Board of Education of Baltimore County
The Education Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland requires county boards of education to "determine the educational policies of the county school system." Md. Code Ann., Educ., §4-108 Moreover, all local boards are required to "adopt, codify and make available to the public, bylaws, rules, and regulations not inconsistent with State law, for the conduct and management of the county public schools." In Baltimore County, all policies adopted by the Board of Education and rules issued by the Superintendent of Schools are found in BoardDocs.
A policy is a statement of the vision, goals, principles or position of the Board of Education to guide and direct the Superintendent and the staff. Additionally, as used in the 8000 Series, Internal Board Operations, policies are understood as tools to establish concrete mechanisms for the Board's self-governance.
The policy manual is divided into nine 'series': Basic Board Commitments; Community Relations; Administration; Non-instructional Services; Personnel; Students; Instruction; Facilities and Construction; and Internal Board Operations. Policies are adopted by the Board at one of its regular meetings in accordance with the procedures set forth in Policy 8130.
A rule is issued by the Superintendent of Schools to implement the policies of the Board of Education and to establish the manner in which Board policies are to be executed. Rules of the Superintendent are presented to the Board for information purposes, and do not require Board approval for their enactment.
How do I find Policies and Rules?
All current Board of Education Policies and Superintendent’s Rules are accessible in Board Docs.
An FAQ on policies and rules is found here.
Policies Scheduled for Review in 2024-2025
The Board of Education’s review of policies is an ongoing process. The Policy Review Schedule is presented to the Board on an annual basis pursuant to Superintendent’s Rule 8130. The policies scheduled to be reviewed during this school year can be found here.