Guidelines and Procedures for Public Comment on the Maryland High School Assessments
Public comment is an opportunity for the Maryland State Board of Education to hear comments from the Maryland community-at-large on the Maryland High School Assessments.
The following guidelines and procedures will ensure consistency at all five (5) regional hearings.
Due to time constraints the Board will only be able to hear testimony on the High School Assessments.
The maximum speaking time afforded to any individual or organization will be three (3) minutes.
Any person wishing to provide public comment must sign up on site. Registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The sign up will begin at 6:15 p.m. and continue until the available time slots have been filled. Approximately 40 speaker opportunities will be available during the testimony segment of the agenda at each hearing. Typed or clearly printed copies of the speaker's testimony would be appreciated.
The hearings will begin promptly at 7:00 p.m.
Persons or organizations who have presented testimony at previous hearings will not be permitted to testify again in an effort to permit the State Board of Education to hear as many different views as possible.
Persons wishing to submit written testimony may do so the evening of the hearing or by mailing to the Maryland State Board of Education, 200 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201 or by emailing to StateBoard-HSA@msde.state.md.us or by faxing to 410-333-2275.
Although State Board members and education officials will not respond to any comments during these hearings, they will listen and will take all comments into consideration as they deliberate on establishing education policy relative to the Maryland High School Assessments.
Appropriate accommodations for individuals with disabilities will be provided if requested forty-eight hours prior to the event. Language translation services requested ninety-six hours prior to the event will be provided to the extent practicable. Please contact Deneice Yarborough at 410-767-0469 or for TTY 410-333-3045 so that arrangements can be made.
Media Alert
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Guidelines for Public Comment
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High School Assessments (HSA) website
The HSA website is a comprehensive collection of information and multi-media resources related to the High School Assessments, or HSAs.