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Board Policy 5119.3 - Pregnant and Parenting Students

Board Policy 5119.3 - Pregnant and Parenting Students

I.  Policy Statement 

  1. The Prince George's County Board of Education ("Board") is committed to be in compliance with the United States Department of Education's Regulations implementing Title IX of the S. Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. §§ 1681- 1688, Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs, that specifically address prohibiting disparate treatment of pregnant and parenting students on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of a pregnancy, or recovery from any of these conditions.
  2. The Board is committed to providing equity and access for all students in a supportive school Pregnant and parenting students must be allowed to participate in all aspects of the educational program, including all academic, physical, and social components. Pregnant and parenting students must have access to a range of specific activities, supports and resources that govern impact both in and outside of the classroom. These activities include, but are not limited to, excused absences, make- up work, accommodations for instruction, lactation, and designated support staff in the school.

II.  Purpose

The purposes of this policy are to prohibit gender discrimination of any type in educational programs and activities, including bias against pregnant and parenting students, to address educational and parenting goals, and to improve the educational outcomes of pregnant and parenting students.

III.  Definition

Parenting student – a student who is the mother, father, or legal guardian of a child.

IV.  Standards 

A. Attendance and Lawful Absences

1. Parenting students must be lawfully excused for any pregnancy or parenting related conditions, including absences for:

  1. Labor;
  2. Delivery;
  3. Recovery; and
  4. Prenatal and postnatal medical appointments

A parenting student must be provided:

  1. At least 10 days of excused absences after the birth of the student’s child;
  2. Excused absences for any parenting-related absences due to illness or medical appointment of the student’s child, including up to four days per school year for which the school may not require a note from a physician;
  3. Excused absences for legal appointments related to family law proceedings, including adoption, custody, and visitation; and
  4. Excused absence for any absence from class due to use of a lactation space to nurse or express breast milk.

B.  Make Up Work 

1. In addition to home and hospital teaching, a school may allow pregnant and parenting students to make up work in other ways including, but not limited to:

  1. Participating in an online course credit recovery program;
  2. Summer School; and
  3. Virtual Instruction

2. Provide consultation with school counselors to discuss all available options for making up missed work.

C.  Lactation 

  1. If a middle or high school has a lactating student attending the school then the school administration in consultation with the school nurse will determine the best place and space for lactation. The space shall not be a bathroom or a closet.
  2. The school nurse may share information and resources on lactations and child development with the parenting student.
  3. A school is not required to construct an addition or new space to a school building to provide a private lactation space to comply with the requirements of the policy.

D.  Support for Students 

1. Schools must designate at least one staff member to connect, to the extent practicable, pregnant and parenting students to the following resources:

  1. Safe, affordable, and reliable childcare;
  2. Early education services;
  3. Transportation services to and from school; and
  4. Other community

E.  Professional Development and Publication 

  1. The Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) shall implement annual professional development for administrators and staff to inform staff about Title IX protections for pregnant and parenting students, providing safe, supportive, and culturally responsive classrooms which focus on equity, acceptance, and access for all
  1. The CEO shall publish this policy in the Student Rights and Responsibilities'

V.  Implementation and Responsibilities

The Board hereby directs the CEO to update the administrative procedure addressing educational programs/services for pregnant and parenting students consistent with Maryland's Model Policy to Support the Educational and Parenting Goals and Improve the Educational Outcomes of Pregnant and Parenting Students and to provide information to parents, students, and employees to ensure implementation.

VI.  References

A. Legal

20 U.S.C. §§ 1681-1688

34 C.F.R. 106, et seq.

4-139, Md. Code. Ann., Education.

7-301.1, Md. Code. Ann., Education.

B. Other Board Policies

BP 0101 – Educational Equity BP 0104 – Title IX

BP 5113 – Student Attendance, Absence, and Truancy BP 5143 – Bullying, Harassment, or Intimidation

C. Relevant Data Sources D. Other

VII.  History

ADOPTED: 06/23/2022

REVIEWED:

AMENDED:

EFFECTIVE: 06/23/2022

About This Policy

Updated July 1, 2022

Documents

At least 10 days of excused absences after the birth of the student’s child;