Summary of the Bill

This draft bill would create a statewide Language Acquisition Tracking Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing children within the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). Key elements include:

•  Establish a statewide Language Acquisition Tracking Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing children at no cost to eligible families.

• Eligibility: Deaf or Hard of Hearing children under age 9 with an IFSP (Infants and Toddlers), IEP, or Section 504 plan.

• Assess language acquisition from entry into the program through the child’s ninth birthday, using a language assessment tool approved by an advisory council.

• Families choose whether assessments track signed language acquisition or spoken language acquisition.

• Assessments occur within 6 months of diagnosis and every 6 months thereafter, administered by the child’s teacher or an assessment specialist.

• If a child is not making progress, the child’s IFSP/IEP/504 plan must be updated with detailed reasons and specific strategies, services, and programs to support progress.

• Create a State Coordinator of Language Acquisition (within MSDE) to implement the program, develop milestones/benchmarks, oversee data collection, and provide training to educators and assessment specialists.

• Create a Language Acquisition Advisory Council to approve the language assessment tool and advise the State Coordinator, including representation from agencies, educators, parents/guardians, and the Deaf community.

• Require an annual report (starting July 1, 2027, and annually thereafter) on language acquisition and literacy development, with disaggregated results where allowed by privacy law; publish the report on MSDE’s website.

• Allow parents/guardians to opt a child out of assessments by written notice to the child’s school. Effective date: July 1, 2026.