WASHINGTON – Student athletes would be monitored more closely under a safety package approved by the Montgomery County Board of Education.

Members voted on the measure during a Monday evening meeting.

“This was an appropriate first step,” explained Superintendent Joshua Starr. “If we determine there are new industry standards that are widely recognized we will absolutely be willing to change that strategy as time goes on.”

The board approved four contracts, spending nearly $100,000 on a program called Baseline Testing.

Results measure brain function before and after a concussion, providing a clearer picture of an injury’s effect and mapping out a safe timetable for injured students eager to get off the sidelines and back to their sport.

“The study of the effect of concussion is a reasonably new issue,” Starr said. “Lots of concerns have been raised over the last few years.”

Baseline Testing will cost the county $99,140, which includes $18,750 for the purchase of the computer software needed for implementation.

The vote comes about a month after Maryland officials on the state level adopted new safety regulations for athletes.

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