Education - High School Diploma - Veterans of Armed Conflicts

SB 137 allows veterans honorably discharged from military service to obtain a high school diploma if they withdrew from a public or private accredited high school to enlist during an armed conflict authorized by the U.S. President or Congress. It amends Maryland law to create a pathway for eligible veterans to apply to their county board (where they reside or where their school was located) to receive a diploma. The bill updates previous conflict-specific language (like WWII or Vietnam) to cover any authorized armed conflict. The policy change takes effect October 1, 2025, and requires county boards to establish application procedures. This directly affects veterans who left high school early for military service but did not graduate.