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Community Advisory Council

Overview

The Community Advisory Council (CAC) is an all-volunteer education advocacy group open to all. The CAC provides feedback, insight, and community views to the Board of Education of Howard County (BOE). We strive to represent a diverse and wide ranging set of viewpoints.

At monthly meetings, the CAC brings in guest speakers to provide its members with information about initiatives, educational programs and processes. We have representatives of the CAC sit on various policy reviews and education initiative committees in order to share our concerns, offer constructive solutions, and later provide feedback to the BOE.

Who can join?

The CAC is a volunteer organization and is open to all community members who have both an interest in Howard County education and attend our monthly meetings (about a two hour commitment monthly). Any interested party can attend one of our open meetings.

How does the CAC work?

The CAC meets one evening a month.

See when our next meeting takes place and view past meeting minutes →

  1. Education-related initiatives, reports, and research findings are presented to the entire group by HCPSS administration and community organizations.
  2. Everyone is encouraged to ask questions of the guest speakers, to express their thoughts and share comments from themselves and others in the community.
  3. Votes of consensus are taken when the CAC is prepared to offer opinions or recommendations to the Board or a policy committee.
  4. The CAC Executive Board prepares a report to reflect the outcome of the discussions and votes. This report is officially presented to the board in both oral and written form.

Representation on Committees/Task Forces/Initiatives

The CAC has representatives on every HCPSS policy review committee as well as other initiatives such as the School Start and Dismissal Times, the School Health Council, and the Academic Calendar Planning Committee. We use these opportunities to provide feedback and opinions of the community to the school system administration and Board of Education.

Issues the CAC has addressed:

These are just a few of the issues and topics that CAC has attempted to address:

  • Cultural Proficiency
  • High School Athletics
  • Equity
  • Canvas in the classroom
  • Digital Education
  • Elementary School Model
  • PARCC testing
  • G/T and AP Education
  • World Language Instruction
  • 6th Grade Outdoor Education

For more information about the CAC, please contact the Howard County Public School System’s Public information Office at 410–313–6682 or email CAC.hcpss@gmail.com with your questions.