Maryland Education Section 7-305.1

      (a)      The State Board shall establish in a county designated by the State Superintendent a juvenile services alternative education program for public school students who are suspended, expelled, or identified as being candidates for suspension or expulsion as provided in subsection (f) of this section.

      (b)      The Department shall oversee the juvenile services disciplinary alternative education program for public school students who are:

            (1)      Suspended, expelled, or identified as being candidates for suspension or expulsion; or

            (2)      Ordered to attend as a condition of probation by the juvenile court.

      (c)      (1)      With the advice of the Juvenile Services Alternative Education Program Advisory Board, the State Board shall organize and run the juvenile services alternative education program.

            (2)      The Juvenile Services Alternative Education Program Advisory Board shall be composed of:

                  (i)      One member of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the President of the Senate;

                  (ii)      One member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the House;

                  (iii)      One of the county's circuit court judges;

                  (iv)      The county executive or the county executive's designee;

                  (v)      The Secretary of Juvenile Services or the Secretary's designee; and

                  (vi)      One member who is a resident of the county and the community in which the alternative education program is located, appointed by the county executive.

      (d)      (1)      With the advice of the Juvenile Services Alternative Education Program Advisory Board, the State Board shall select a private agency to administer the juvenile services alternative education program.

            (2)      The selected private agency shall:

                  (i)      Provide proof of student progress in reading and mathematics; and

                  (ii)      Have at least 3 years of experience serving students that are suspended, expelled, or identified as being candidates for suspension or expulsion.

      (e)      A juvenile services alternative education program may be operated in a facility owned and operated by:

            (1)      A private party; or

            (2)      A county board.

      (f)      Except for a student who is adjudicated delinquent and committed by the juvenile court to a public or licensed private agency for placement in a facility under § 3-8A-19 of the Courts Article, a student who is required to attend school under § 7-301 of this subtitle and who is suspended, expelled, or identified as being a candidate for suspension or expulsion from a public school in the county designated under subsection (a) of this section shall attend the juvenile services alternative education program beginning the first day of the student's suspension or expulsion.

      (g)      The juvenile services alternative education program shall:

            (1)      Provide programs designed to promote self-discipline and reduce disruptive behavior in the school environment;

            (2)      Ensure that the student continues to receive appropriate educational and related services during the term of the suspension or expulsion including a focus in the following academic areas:

                  (i)      English and language arts;

                  (ii)      Mathematics;

                  (iii)      Science; and

                  (iv)      Social studies; and

            (3)      Offer services to facilitate the student's transition back to the school after completion of the term of suspension or expulsion.

      (h)      Each county board shall consider course credit earned by a student while in a juvenile services alternative education program as credit earned in a county school.

      (i)      The county board shall pay to the juvenile services alternative education program the basic current expenses per pupil for each student transferred to the juvenile services alternative education program from the county's schools.