Parents Reference Documents

ACPS Local Code of Discipline

After School Programs

Allegany County Public Schools offers an after-school program at six of our elementary schools: Beall, George's Creek, Westernport, John Humbird, South Penn, and West Side. The program supports student grades and provides enrichment in English, science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM), connecting students with partners that support STEAM, health, environmental literacy, college and career readiness, and drug-free living. After-school programs are an important support that can substantially increase academic achievement, creativity, health, and wellness for at-risk students in Allegany County.

Each participating school expands academic opportunities for roughly 50 students. The goal is to meet or exceed state standards for "proficient" as measured by state assessments, increasing performance in reading, math, and science while promoting civic engagement, college and career readiness, enrichment, environmental stewardship, and drug-free living.

The program centers on tutoring, homework assistance, hands-on and STEAM-focused instruction, enrichment, and physical activity. Academic instruction includes math, reading, science, and technology. Students are provided a hot meal.

Back to School Forms

At the beginning of each school year, ACPS sends home a variety of forms for parents to complete with important information about their student(s). Some forms are informational only and do not need to be returned (they are labeled as such); others must be completed and returned to school. If you are unable to download or print any of these forms, please contact your child's school for assistance.

Character and Multicultural Education

What Is Character Education?

Character education encourages schools to create environments that foster ethical, responsible, and caring young people. In Allegany County Public Schools, the program strives to create an atmosphere where civic virtues are expected, modeled, taught, celebrated, and continuously practiced through curriculum infusion. Each month focuses on character traits that form the foundation of a democratic society, and each school has an action plan to implement its own program using these traits. Effective character education is comprehensive, integrated into all aspects of classroom life and across all areas of the school.

How Does Character Education Work?

It promotes core ethical values as the basis of good character. A school committed to character development stands for core values, or "traits," and defines them in terms of observable behaviors that hold all school members accountable to standards of conduct.

It creates a caring school community, helping all members form lasting relationships — among students, among staff, between students and staff, and between staff and families.

It defines "character" comprehensively to include thinking, feeling, and behaving. Students learn to understand core values by studying, discussing, and observing them daily, then develop good social and ethical behaviors by practicing them at home, at school, and throughout the community.

It includes a meaningful and challenging academic curriculum that respects all learners. Because students arrive with diverse skills, interests, and needs, ACPS integrates an academic program that helps every student succeed while developing character at the same time.

It strives to encourage students' self-motivation, helping them understand rules, become aware of how their behavior affects others, and build strengths such as self-control and conflict-resolution skills.

What Are the Benefits of Character Education?

Character education is a proven means of reducing disruptive behavior, alcohol and drug abuse, and teen pregnancy. It holds schools, parents, and community members accountable for making character development as important as academic development. Ultimately, it contributes to parental and community involvement, safe and orderly schools, reduced discipline problems, and higher student and staff morale.

ACPS's Seven Character Traits

Trustworthiness — honesty, integrity, reliability, and loyalty.
Respect — the "Golden Rule": treat others as you would have them treat you.
Responsibility — be accountable, pursue excellence, exercise self-restraint, and respond to expectations.
Fairness — equality, impartiality, proportionality, openness, and due process.
Caring — feeling an emotional response to both the pain and the pleasure of others.
Citizenship — the good citizen gives more than they take.
Perseverance — diligence, hard work, determination, and commitment to a belief, course of action, or purpose.

Maryland's Policy on Education That Is Multicultural

Maryland's policy on Education That Is Multicultural (COMAR 13A.04.05) reflects two goals. The first requires public schools to provide curriculum, instruction, professional development, and instructional resources that are multicultural, and to promote school climates that reflect and address diversity and help accelerate academic achievement among all groups of students. The second helps educators and students gain knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of different cultural groups in their communities, state, nation, and world, fostering intercultural competency for lifelong learners and effective citizens in a global society. Maryland has one of the most ethnically and racially diverse student populations, ranking 7th among all states. The Education That Is Multicultural regulation was adopted by the State Department of Education in 1993. The 2005 amendments required its provisions to be included in each school system's Bridge to Excellence in Public Education Master Plan and annual updates, and established a three-year reporting cycle beginning in Spring 2006. This reporting requirement provides the State Board of Education, the Maryland Legislature, and the Governor with information about statewide implementation of the regulation.

Child Abuse & Neglect

Through Title 5, Subtitle 7 of the Family Law Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1988), the General Assembly declares its intent to protect children who have been subject to abuse and/or neglect — by mandating the reporting of suspected abuse and/or neglect, extending immunity to those who report in good faith, requiring prompt investigations, and ensuring immediate, cooperative efforts by the responsible agencies on behalf of such children. The Department of Social Services is responsible for receiving and investigating complaints of child abuse and/or neglect. A child is any person under the age of 18.

All school system employees, including volunteers, who contact, examine, attend, or treat a child and who believe or have reason to believe that the child has been abused and/or neglected are required to report in the following manner:

1. Notify the Allegany County Department of Social Services (DSS) at 301-784-7111 / 301-784-7122, or call 911 when DSS cannot be reached.
2. Notify the school administration.
3. The school administration will notify the Pupil Services Department at 301-759-2001.
4. DSS will notify Pupil Services when the Protective Services worker will be at the school to begin the investigation. In cases of suspected sexual abuse, a law enforcement officer is required by law to be present during the investigation.

COVID-19 Guidance

Effective March 18, 2024, ACPS no longer requires staff or students to isolate for five days following a positive COVID-19 test. The current guidance is as follows:

Stay home and away from others (including people you live with who are not sick) if you have respiratory virus symptoms that aren't better explained by another cause.
You can return to normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, both are true:
- your symptoms are getting better overall, and
- you have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication).
When you return to normal activities, take added precautions over the next 5 days — such as cleaner air, hygiene, masks, physical distancing, and/or testing when you'll be around others indoors. These precautions are especially important to protect people at higher risk of severe illness from respiratory viruses.

Credit Recovery

Grade 9 – On Track for Graduation

Require daily school attendance. Parents are key to building good attendance habits. Missing 10% or more of a school year — about one to three days every few weeks — adds up quickly and makes it harder for students to gain reading and math skills, build relationships, and develop good attendance habits.
Monitor classroom performance and behavior. Meet your child's teachers at open house and attend parent conferences. Monitor grades, which are usually posted weekly. If your child is not performing at grade level, ask about reading or math interventions and tutoring opportunities.
Prioritize homework. Establish a regular time for homework and provide a quiet place to concentrate.

How You Can Help Your Child Stay On Track

Each school district in Maryland is required to use data to track whether students are on track to graduate on time with their peers. Research consistently shows that course performance in 9th grade is the strongest predictor of on-time high school graduation — beyond a student's socioeconomic background or level of preparation when entering high school (Allensworth, 2013). Course performance is commonly measured by credit accumulation at the end of 9th grade and by the number of semester core-course failures. Across states and districts, core-course credits, course failures, and absenteeism strongly predict on-time graduation for students completing 9th grade.

In ACPS, our goal is to help students and parents understand what it means to be on track for graduation and prepared for college and career readiness (CCR). To meet Maryland High School Diploma requirements, an ACPS student must earn 23 credits, including specific core, program-completer, and elective requirements. At the end of Grade 9, each student's transcript is evaluated to determine whether the student is on track. Students who earn fewer than five (5) credits by the end of Grade 9 — including summer-school recovery — are considered not on track to graduate on time.

It is critical for parents and students to understand that a student may be identified at a certain grade level based on chronological age alone, but will not be able to graduate in four years unless the 23 credits, including specific program and core requirements, are met by the end of Grade 12.

It's crucial that students build foundational skills and knowledge in core areas such as ELA, math, and science so they can earn CCR status and pursue whatever post-CCR pathway they choose — including a career pathway, apprenticeship, dual enrollment, and advanced coursework. A lack of academic achievement may affect whether a student can attend the Career Center, enroll in Advanced Placement (AP) courses, enroll in specialized programs such as P-TECH, or take early college/dual-enrollment courses, since these programs have eligibility requirements.

Children typically achieve more when parents support learning at home throughout their school years. Experts recognize that parental involvement has a greater effect on a child's success in school than the parents' level of education or socioeconomic status. A high school diploma is a critical step toward college, career or technical programs, or entry-level employment that can support a quality life. Together, we can help your child thrive — not just survive.

Immunization Information

Attention Parents of Incoming 7th Graders

Students entering seventh grade must be up to date on required vaccinations BEFORE starting school in the fall. Students will not be permitted to start school until documentation of the immunizations is on file with the school nurse.

The Tdap and MCV (meningitis) vaccines are required for 7th-grade entry. The HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine is strongly recommended alongside these vaccines but is not required for 7th-grade entry. Make an appointment with your pediatrician now to avoid the back-to-school rush.

If you choose to decline these required vaccinations, a signed exemption form must be on file with the school nurse.

The Allegany County Health Department holds FREE 7th-grade vaccine clinics on the dates below. Walk-ins are welcome — no appointment needed:

August 18, 2026, 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon and 1:00 – 7:00 p.m.
September 11, 2025, 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.

For more information or assistance, call your school nurse or the Allegany County Health Department at 301-759-5138 (tel:13017595138).

General Immunization Requirements

Maryland's immunization requirements for children in preschool programs and schools are set under DHMH COMAR 10.06.04.03. Please review your child's immunization record to confirm they have the proper number of doses. Parents are responsible for providing proof of immunization to appropriate school personnel; no child may be admitted to school who is not properly immunized. Immunizations are best obtained from your child's doctor. The Allegany County Health Department, on Willowbrook Road in Cumberland, holds regularly scheduled clinics every Wednesday afternoon from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Parents/guardians must bring their child's shot record and accompany their child to sign consent forms.

College and Career Readiness (CCR)

The Blueprint for Maryland's Future — passed by the Maryland General Assembly in 2021 — is reshaping public education across the state into a world-class system. Its College and Career Readiness (CCR) Pillar establishes a new CCR Standard designed to make sure graduates have the knowledge and skills to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing college courses and in high-wage, high-demand careers.

Under the Blueprint, the goal is for every student to meet the CCR standard by the end of 10th grade. For students who need more time or support, the Blueprint also establishes:

CCR-Support pathways to help students who haven't yet met the standard
Post-CCR pathways that build on a student's individual strengths once the standard is met
A Career and Technical Education (CTE) system aligned with real industry needs
Aligned curriculum, standards, and assessments from Pre-K through 12th grade, all connected to the CCR standard

How to Meet the CCR Standard

2025–2026 School Year Definition (as of May 2025)

By the end of 10th grade, a student meets CCR by earning both of the following:

A cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.00 or higher, and
A grade of A, B, or C in Algebra I or a Proficient-or-above score on the Algebra I MCAP

— OR —

A Proficient-or-above score on both the ELA 10 MCAP and the Algebra I MCAP

For 11th and 12th graders only, any one of the following also qualifies:

A one-year unweighted GPA of 3.0 or higher in either 11th or 12th grade, and an A, B, or C in a high school–level math course at any point in high school
Two dual enrollment or dual credit courses with a grade of C or better — one must be Math, and the other must be ELA, Science, or Social Studies
Two AP exam scores of 3 or higher — one must be Math, and the other must be ELA, Science, or Social Studies
Meeting the CCR benchmark on the SAT, PSAT, or ACT:
- SAT: 480+ Reading & Writing and 530+ Math
- PSAT: 480+ Reading & Writing and 530+ Math
- ACT: 18+ English and 22+ Math
A score of "At Target" on both the Math and ELA DLM Alternate Assessments (for students with IEPs specifying alternate assessments)

2030–2031 School Year Definition

(Applies to students in 9th grade or below during the 2027–2028 school year)

By the end of 10th grade, a student meets CCR by earning both of the following:

An unweighted GPA of 3.00 or higher, and Math Mastery, shown by one of:
- Final grades of A, B, or C in both Integrated Algebra 1 and Integrated Algebra 2, or
- A Proficient-or-above score on the Integrated Algebra assessment, or
- A grade of A, B, or C in an Advanced Math Pathways course for which Integrated Algebra is a prerequisite

— AND —

A Proficient-or-above score on both the ELA 10 MCAP and the Integrated Algebra MCAP

For 11th and 12th graders only:

A one-year unweighted GPA of 3.0 or higher in either 11th or 12th grade, and an A, B, or C in a high school–level math course at any point in high school

Reporting CCR Status

A student's CCR status is determined at the end of 10th grade. At the close of each school year, Allegany County Public Schools reports high school students' CCR status to the Maryland State Department of Education.

Related page: 9th-Grade On Track for Graduation

Allegany County Public Schools Board of Education — 108 Washington Street, Cumberland, MD 21502 — Phone: 301-759-2000 — Fax: 1-240-846-6169

Opioid Awareness and Prevention

Heroin and opioid dependency surged across Maryland over the past decade, creating an urgent and growing public health threat that affects every demographic and community. Allegany County Public Schools is working diligently to address the growing problems of heroin and opioid addiction.

ACPS is represented on the Overdose Fatality Review Board, the Opioid and Heroin Prevention Taskforce, the Opioid Summit, and the Drug and Alcohol Abuse Council.

Working with the Allegany County Health Department (ACHD), ACPS has increased the number of staff trained to administer Naloxone. Several mass trainings have been attended by administrators, athletic trainers, athletic directors, school counselors, central office staff, and teachers through the Opioid Response Program, with participants receiving a voucher for a Naloxone kit for use in schools. Trained staff are facilitating online trainings with their colleagues so others know how to use the Naloxone provided to their school, whether during the day or at an after-hours school-sponsored event.

ACPS has hosted an expert panel on the opioid crisis as part of the annual Superintendent's Advance, with experts in addiction, treatment, grief counseling, community involvement, child welfare, and resource support.

For several years, ACPS has partnered with local agencies and community support groups to hold the Prescribe Change 4 Miler — an all-ages event that promotes awareness, supports those struggling with addiction and those in recovery, and lets local organizations highlight the resources they offer. The event is held annually on Labor Day at the Eugene Mason Complex in South Cumberland and is sponsored by the Queen City Striders.

ACPS has partnered with the Sheriff's Office and the Health Department to hold staff trainings at all schools and presentations in high school health classes each semester, along with student presentations for eighth graders at all four middle schools. Presentations cover not only the crisis itself but also prevention strategies and options for treatment and recovery.

ACPS is partnering with the ACHD to enrich the health curriculum and increase access to prevention counseling through two grants. ACPS has also incorporated grade-band instruction at the elementary, middle, and high school levels to provide age-appropriate curriculum about the opioid crisis — work ACPS implemented ahead of the state mandate, in collaboration with local health, law enforcement, school nurses, counselors, and SROs.

Across the system, teachers, support staff, and administrators continue to seek professional development to better support students affected by addiction and loss, and to make classrooms and the school day a place where students are welcome, supported, safe, and cared for. These efforts reflect years of work to raise awareness, increase prevention, and expand access to services for students and families.

Out-of-District Requests

Standards for Granting an Out-of-District Permit

A. Employee Children A student who is the child of an Allegany County Public Schools employee, and who resides in Allegany County, may be granted a transfer to a school outside their attendance area — as long as that school falls within the attendance area of the employee's primary work site or home school.

B. Classroom Size Guidelines Requests will be considered with the following class-size targets in mind:

Pre-K: fewer than 18 students
Kindergarten: fewer than 18 students
Grades 1–3: fewer than 22 students
Grades 4–8 (intermediate/middle school): fewer than 25 students

C. Pre-Kindergarten Eligibility Pre-K eligibility follows the State's student selection criteria. If openings remain after those criteria are applied, students who don't meet the criteria — or who live outside the school's attendance area — may still be admitted, pending completion of the out-of-district permit process.

D. Sibling Priority Schools that already have an established out-of-district placement for one sibling will give priority consideration to placing additional siblings at that same school.

E. No Available Caregiver at Home If a student's parents must be away from home and no responsible adult is available to send the child to, or receive the child from, their home school, the parent may apply to send the child to another school in Allegany County. The parent must provide the childcare/daycare provider's license number (per COMAR 07.04.01, Family Article), unless the provider is a relative or otherwise exempt from registration.

This provision applies only to students in grades Pre-K–8.
Transportation is the parent's or childcare provider's responsibility if buses are at capacity, as determined by the ACPS Department of Transportation. Students within the attendance area get transportation priority, so bus service for these students isn't guaranteed and may become the parent's obligation.

F. Mid-Year Move Within the County A student whose family moves to a new school district within Allegany County during the school year may request a permit to finish out the current year at their original school. Eleventh-graders may request an additional year.

G. Returning to the Home School A student attending an out-of-district school may return to their home school mid-year. However, they become ineligible to participate in interscholastic athletics and extracurricular activities for the remainder of that school year.

H. Other Qualifying Reasons A permit may also be granted for:

The student's academic or social interests
Mental health reasons, documented by a licensed provider
Exceptional family circumstances

I. Transportation Transportation is not provided for students attending on an out-of-district permit. The parent or guardian must certify they can provide transportation themselves.

J. Administrator Discretion School administrators may approve an otherwise ineligible application by placing the student and parent on a probationary contract.

Standards for Denying an Out-of-District Permit

A. Grounds for Denial

Unsatisfactory attendance (unexcused absences or tardies)
Unsatisfactory grades due to missing, incomplete, or unacceptable work
Unsatisfactory conduct
False information on the application
Classroom size

B. Mid-Year Transfer Requests Requests to transfer during the school year will be denied, except for documented:

Mental health reasons requiring a change of placement, documented by a licensed provider
Exceptional family circumstances, as determined by appropriate supervisors/administrators
Circumstances described in Section II.E (JC-R), above

Standards for Revoking an Out-of-District Permit

A permit may be revoked during the annual review or the first-semester review for:

A. Any of the reasons 1–4 listed under Section III.A (JC-R)

B. Violation of the probationary contract

Renewal Procedures

A. Except as noted in Section IV (JC-R), all out-of-district permits are approved one school year at a time and reviewed each May for the following year. A permit may be denied for the next year if the school administrator recommends denial for any reason listed in Section III (JC-R).

B. Students moving from elementary to middle school, or middle to high school, must submit a new out-of-district request if the requested school is outside their home feeder system.

Processing Procedures

A. Requests must be submitted by June 30. Late applications are handled case-by-case.

B. Applications are date-stamped upon receipt (whether submitted to a school or the Pupil Personnel Worker) and processed in the order received.

C. Pupil Personnel Workers review requests for the upcoming school year and coordinate with the relevant school principal.

D. Requests can be submitted to the Pupil Services Secretary at the Central Office or at a school office. The request form (JC-E1) is available at either location or on the district website. Schools forward completed request copies to the Pupil Services Secretary.

E. A Pupil Personnel Worker reviews the request and discusses its impact on both the sending and receiving schools with the respective principals before making a recommendation.

F. School administrators make the final approval/denial decision, based on the standards in Sections II and III (JC-R).

For more information, contact the Pupil Services Department at 301-759-2001.

Snap Health Portal

The Parent Portal — the Key to Better Student Health

The SNAP Health Portal connects you to your child's school health clinic to support their health and well-being. Because communication is fundamental to preventive care, the portal exchanges information quickly and securely. With 24-hour access from your computer or mobile device, you can review and update critical health information, electronically sign and submit forms, review screening results, submit vaccine records, authorize over-the-counter orders, upload medical documents, and more. Automatic email notifications alert you when new information is available, and encrypted transmission keeps health information safe and confidential.

Health Portal Highlights

Secure login and encrypted data transfer
Simplified forms with e-signatures
Easily update health information as it changes
Upload doctor's orders, physicals, vaccine cards, and more
Reminders for important health information
Share information with other providers
Direct messaging with the health clinic
24/7 web access from any computer or mobile device

Resource Documents and Websites

Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Youth

The resources below provide state and federal guidance on creating safe, supportive, and non-discriminatory school environments for all students. The first two links open external PDFs on the Maryland State Department of Education website; the third opens the U.S. Department of Education website.

MSDE — Non-Discrimination Guidelines for Student Gender Transitions (external PDF)

MSDE — Safe and Supportive Schools: Guidelines for Gender Identity (external PDF)

Title IX and Sex Discrimination (U.S. Department of Education)

Tutoring Opportunities

ACPS offers priority-based after-school tutoring in reading, ELA, and math for elementary and high school students. Middle school students receive tutoring during the co-curricular period in their schedule.

Students in Grades K–3 who score "well below" or "below" on DIBELS screening are eligible for after-school tutoring. Tutoring for these students uses an approved reading-intervention program that targets identified skill deficits and aligns with the in-school intervention the student receives. Tutoring may be in small groups of students with similar needs, or individual when there aren't enough for a group. In-person tutoring is necessary, as these programs are difficult to deliver virtually.

For Grades 4–5 and 9–12, tutoring focuses on students who performed below grade-level expectations on diagnostic assessments in ELA/reading and mathematics and/or did not reach proficiency on the most recent ELA or math assessment, as well as students with disabilities who need tutoring support.

Tutoring may take place Monday through Thursday between 2:45 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (Because tutoring must occur after a teacher's contractual workday ends, start times vary by school based on dismissal time.) Tutoring may be in person or through synchronous instruction. The program does not run on legal holidays, weekends, or during the Thanksgiving, winter, or spring breaks.

Sessions are 30 or 60 minutes. A teacher may schedule multiple weekly sessions for any student who needs support, with parent approval. Sessions may be one-on-one or up to four students. Parents must give written permission for their child to participate. Parents may request tutoring; however, priority is given to students with skill deficits as described above and depends on the number of available teacher tutors.