The Board of Education consists of eight members. Seven are elected by the voters to four-year terms (Code Election Law Article, secs. 8-801 through 8-806). A nonvoting student member, elected by the Charles County Association of Students Councils, serves a one-year term, starting in July (Code Education Article, secs. 3-101 through 3-105; 3-501 through 3-504).
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The Charles 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, Charles 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 Charles County, the Public School System has forty schools: 7 high schools, 8 middle schools, 21 elementary schools, and 4 special education centers. In Fiscal Year 2016, some 26,258 students were enrolled in the County's public schools.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
As of August 2016, the Charles County Public Schools consist of 21 elementary schools, 8 middle schools, and 7 high schools.
On July 1, 2000, the College of Southern Maryland was created to join the three southern Maryland campuses into a regional college for Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties (Code Education Article, secs. 16-601 through 16-610). Subsequently, Calvert County's Prince Frederick campus opened in 2005.
The ten-member Board of College Trustees is appointed to five-year terms by the Governor with Senate advice and consent (Code Education Article, secs. 16-101 through 16-103).
Today, the Library has four branches, as well as the Mobile Services Library, added in 2016. The four branches include the main library at La Plata; the P. D. Brown Memorial Branch (opened in 1980) and the Waldorf West Branch (opened in November 2012), both at Waldorf; and the Potomac Branch (opened in 1995) at Indian Head.
Appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, members of the Board of Library Trustees serve four-year terms (Code Education Article, secs. 23-401; 23-403 through 23-407).
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The Superintendent of Schools administers the Charles 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).
COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN MARYLAND
The College of Southern Maryland is the community college for southern Maryland. It started as the Charles County Community College in 1958 with evening classes offered at La Plata High School. In 1968, the College moved to its present site when construction began on the La Plata campus. Thereafter, campuses formed in the adjoining southern counties. In 1978, the St. Mary's County Community College began at Great Mills High School and, in 1980, the Calvert County Community College organized at Prince Frederick. The campus at St. Mary's County was established at its present Leonardtown site in 1997.
BOARD OF COLLEGE TRUSTEES
The Board of College Trustees exercises general control over the College of Southern Maryland (Code Education Article, secs. 16-604 through 16-607; 16-610).
PUBLIC LIBRARY
Based in La Plata, the Charles County Public Library originated in 1922 when books were offered for lending on the second floor of the old town jail. Originally supported by private donations and fund raising, public funds were budgeted for the Library in 1950. The main Library moved to its current location in 1966.
BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES
In Charles County, the Board of Library Trustees formed in 1950. The Board sets policy for the Public Library.
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