MD HB879

Establishes the Language Acquisition Tracking Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children within the Maryland State Department of Education to ensure eligible children (deaf or hard of hearing, under age 9, with an IFSP, IEP, or Section 504 plan) develop language skills at the same rate as their peers, at no cost to families.

Creates a State Coordinator of Language Acquisition position within the Department, required to hold an advanced degree or professional license in early childhood or deaf education, demonstrate proficiency in American Sign Language and written English, and preferably be a deaf or hard of hearing individual.

Requires eligible children to be assessed using an Advisory Council-approved language assessment tool within 6 months of diagnosis and every 6 months thereafter, with parents or guardians choosing whether the tool measures signed language, spoken language, or both; children not demonstrating progress must have their IFSP, IEP, or Section 504 plan updated with specific intervention strategies.

Establishes a 13-member Language Acquisition for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children Advisory Council—including representatives from the Governor's Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the Department of Education, the Department of Health, the Maryland School for the Deaf, parents, and educators—to approve the assessment tool, advise the State Coordinator, and review an annual report.

Requires the Department, in consultation with the Maryland Department of Health and the Maryland School for the Deaf, to issue an annual report beginning July 1, 2028, comparing eligible children's language acquisition to their peers, disaggregated by language modality, hearing level, disability status, and race; the act takes effect July 1, 2026.