ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Educational matters that affect St. Mary's 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 four-year terms (Code Election Law Article, secs. 8-801 through 8-806). Selected by qualified County public school students, one nonvoting student member serves a one-year term (Code Education Article, secs. 3-101 through 3-105; 3-1101 through 3-1104). A chair and vice-chair for the Board are chosen annually in December (Code Education Article, sec. 4-107). The Superintendent of Schools serves as executive officer, secretary, and treasurer of the Board (Code Education Article, sec. 4-102).

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Headed by the Superintendent of Schools, the Department of Education oversees three divisions: Fiscal Services and Human Resources; Instruction; and Supporting Services.

St. Mary's County Public Schools include thirty-two schools: 3 high schools, 4 middle schools, 18 elementary schools, 1 charter school, 1 vocational technical school, and alternative centers and programs. In Fiscal Year 2021, some 17,480 students were enrolled in the County's public schools.

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

The Superintendent of Schools administers the St. Mary's County Public School System (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 County Superintendent of Schools to four-year terms.

DIVISION OF SUPPORTING SERVICES
The Division of Supporting Services formerly was called the Division of Schools and Operations. It reorganized under its present name in 2015.

COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN MARYLAND

The College of Southern Maryland is the community college for southern Maryland. In St. Mary's County, the Leonardtown Campus of the College of Southern Maryland originated in 1978 when St. Mary's Community College was established at Great Mills High School. The Community College moved to its present site in 1997, and merged to become the Leonardtown Campus of the College of Southern Maryland on July 1, 2000.

Wellness & Aquatics Center (Building D), Leonardtown Campus, College of Southern Maryland, Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, Maryland, November 2017. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MARYLAND AT SOUTHERN MARYLAND

The University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland began as the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center. In response to the expanded role of the U.S. Navy at the Patuxent Naval Air Station, the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center was created in 1994 (Chapter 282, Acts of 1994; Code Education Article, secs. 24-301 through 24-309). The Center was reformed as the University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland in March 2019.

Based in California, Maryland, the University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland offers graduate degree and certificate programs, as well as upper-level undergraduate programs, for the tri-county region encompassing Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties.

BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Appointed by the Governor, the Board's thirteen members serve four-year terms. The Board appoints the Director (Code Education Article, secs. 24-303 through 24-309).

PUBLIC LIBRARY

The St. Mary's County Public Library consists of libraries located at Charlotte Hall, Leonardtown, and Lexington Park.

In April 2020, the Leonardtown branch moved from 23250 Hollywood Road into a new building at 23630 Hayden Farm Lane, Leonardtown. Due to COVID-19 restrictions the new library did not open to the public until June 2020.

[photo, St. Mary's County Library System, 23250 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, Maryland]

BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES

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

Former St. Mary's County Library System building, 23250 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, Maryland, November 2017. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

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ST. MARY'S COUNTY, MARYLAND

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

EDUCATION