ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Educational matters that affect Kent County come under the control of the Board of Education (Code Education Article, secs. 4-101 through 4-126).

The Board is composed of six members. Five are elected by the voters to six-year terms (Code Election Law Article, secs. 8-801 through 8-806). Chosen by student representatives at Kent County High School, one nonvoting student member serves a one-year term (Code Education Article, secs. 3-101 through 3-105; 3-801 through 3-804).

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

The Kent County Public School System is governed by the County Board of Education (Code Education Article, secs. 4-101 through 4-126). In addition, through the review and approval of the annual operating and capital budgets, Kent County government exercises authority over the County Public Schools. Moreover, through the establishment and monitoring of various financial and academic policies and regulations, the State Department of Education also has considerable oversight of county public schools. Indeed, under Maryland law, the State Department of Education works with county public schools to comply with requirements and mandates of federal law.

In Kent County, the Public School System has five schools: 1 high school, 1 middle school, and 3 elementary schools. In Fiscal Year 2021, some 1,786 students were enrolled in the County's public schools.

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
The Superintendent of Schools administers the Kent County Public School System, and serves as executive officer, secretary, and treasurer of the Board of Education (Code Education Article, secs. 4-102; 4-201 through 4-206).

With the approval of the State Superintendent of Schools, the Board of Education appoints the Superintendent of Schools to four-year terms.

CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE

Chesapeake College was founded in 1965 as Maryland's first regional community college. A two-year college, it serves the residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's and Talbot counties. Based at its Wye Mills campus in Queen Anne's County, the College has centers at Cambridge and Easton, and offers courses at local schools and community centers throughout the upper Eastern Shore of Maryland (Code Education Article, secs. 16-201 through 16-203).

Todd Performing Arts Center, Chesapeake College, Wye Mills, Maryland, October 2004. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

BOARD OF COLLEGE TRUSTEES

The Board consists of ten members: two from each supporting county. They are appointed to five-year terms by the Governor with House of Delegates advice and consent. The President of Chesapeake College serves as secretary/treasurer to the Board (Code Education Article, sec. 16-406).

PUBLIC LIBRARY

In March 1961, the Board of County Commissioners authorized a countywide library with federal and State funding. The Library opened in August 1961 in the Transcript Building at 119 Court Street in Chestertown, and originally served Kent County and shared a bookmobile with Caroline County. Later that year, the Library moved to the Bartley Building on High Street, and thereafter to its present location at 408 High Street, Chestertown.

Based in Chestertown, the Kent County Public Library today has a branch library at Rock Hall, and the North County Branch at Galena.

BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES

Appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, the Board's seven members serve five-year terms (Code Education Article, secs. 23-401; 23-403 through 23-407).

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KENT COUNTY, MARYLAND

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