Committee advances student‑appeals policy, retains disability advisory item and postpones parent‑engagement policy
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Summary
The committee voted Feb. 10 to retain policy 1700 for further committee work, recommended policy 5115 (student appeals of disciplinary action) to the policy sponsor for revision approval, released a policy for public comment with one abstention, advanced policy 5122 and postponed the parent, family and community involvement policy for further discussion.
The Policy & Governance Committee reviewed multiple proposed district policies Feb. 10 and took several formal votes to move items forward, retain others for revision and postpone at least one policy for future consideration.
Vice Chair Amy Olivo opened item‑by‑item consideration and recognized Robin Welsh to present policy texts and staff recommendations. On policy 1,700 (Disability Issues Advisory Board), staff reported continued consultation with DIAB and the committee first voted against recommending the policy to the sponsor (0 affirmative). The committee then voted to retain policy 1,700 at the committee level for additional revision; the motion to retain passed with three affirmative votes.
On policy 5115 (student appeals of disciplinary action), Welsh walked the committee through a detailed draft implementing appeals under Maryland law (including code section 7305 and COMAR provisions). The draft sets out definitions for expulsion and extended suspension, timelines and evidentiary hearings, and describes hearing‑officer roles and the board's responsibility to issue a written decision within 45 days of an appeal. Welsh emphasized procedural safeguards and timelines and noted that "the appellant has the burden of persuasion" in these appeals; board members asked clarifying questions about selection and potential removal of hearing examiners. The committee voted to recommend policy 5115 to the policy sponsor for revision approval (3‑0).
Procedural votes and public comment: the committee unanimously approved a motion to rearrange agenda items to accommodate Board Chair Doctor Moss. Later, the committee voted to release a policy under agenda item 8.1 for public comment; roll call recorded Doctor Moss Aye, Miss Olivo Aye, Miss Brown abstaining due to a professional conflict and Mister Briggs Aye (3 in the affirmative). The public comment period for that item will now open.
On third consideration, the committee advanced policy 5122 (requirements for participation in interscholastic athletics) to the full board for enactment (3‑0). The committee did not recommend the parent, family and community involvement policy (0105) for enactment (0 affirmative) and subsequently voted to postpone 0105 to the next Policy & Governance Committee meeting for further discussion.
What happens next: policies recommended for enactment will be forwarded to the full Board of Education. Items retained or postponed will return to committee for follow‑up; the next Policy & Governance Committee meeting is scheduled for Feb. 24, 2026.
