ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor                             Ch. 419

8-203.

The State Board shall [encourage] REQUIRE THAT each county board [to]
develop and implement [programs for gifted and talented students] IDENTIFICATION
PROCEDURES, SERVICES, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES FOR
GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENT EDUCATION THAT MEET NATIONALLY ACCEPTED
RESEARCH-BASED STANDARDS ENDORSED BY THE STATE BOARD.

8-204.

(A) [To the extent funds are provided in the State budget or are available from
other sources, the State Board shall] FUNDS FOR GIFTED AND TALENTED
EDUCATION SHALL BE PROVIDED IN THE STATE BUDGET AS PART OF THE STATE
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION UNDER § 5-202 OF THIS ARTICLE
SO THAT THE STATE BOARD MAY provide guidance, consultative and technical
assistance, and fiscal support for programs that include:

(1) Teacher training to incorporate instruction in methods and
techniques that are designed to enable teachers to identify and teach gifted and
talented students;

(2) Research undertaken to help develop new or modified curricula for
gifted and talented students; and

(3) Evaluation, demonstration, and distribution of findings that are
related to programs for gifted and talented students.

(B) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHALL ADOPT AND IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS FOR
GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS THAT MEET THE STANDARDS SPECIFIED BY THE
STATE BOARD.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 2003.

Approved May 22, 2003.

CHAPTER 419
(House Bill 346)

AN ACT concerning

Family Law - Grounds for Absolute Divorce

FOR the purpose of adding cruelty of treatment toward a minor child of the
complaining party and excessively vicious conduct toward a minor child of the
complaining party as grounds for an absolute divorce; providing that
recrimination is not a bar to obtaining a divorce on any of the specified absolute
divorce grounds; prohibiting a minor child from being compelled to testify in a
certain divorce proceeding except under certain circumstances; and generally
relating to grounds for an absolute divorce.

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