HB 854 establishes a state grant program to fund renovations and improvements at eligible nonpublic special education schools in Maryland. The program provides grants for classroom renovations, safety upgrades to residential facilities, health/safety accessibility work, infrastructure modernization, and new construction to meet state standards. Eligible schools must operate with a licensed residential treatment center, offer an approved curriculum (high school credits or K-8 programs), and serve students placed through state education programs. The Interagency Commission on School Construction will administer the program, with funding proposed annually in the state budget.
HB 1582 (COMPASS Act) changes Maryland's public school accountability system by requiring schools to use multiple quality indicators beyond standardized tests for evaluation. It mandates at least three indicators - including school climate surveys, class size, chronic absenteeism, and access to advanced courses - and prohibits national tests from being the sole measure. The bill sets strict rules for the composite score, limiting academic indicators to 70% of the total, requiring transparency in score breakdowns, and banning letter grades. It takes effect July 1, 2026, directly affecting all public schools and the State Board of Education.
HB 1305 requires Maryland's State Department of Education to annually report specific data on students in the state's child welfare system, including school stability, graduation rates, college enrollment, and disciplinary rates. The report must break down data by county, age, gender, race, and ethnicity while protecting student confidentiality. Additionally, the Department of Education and Department of Human Services must submit a 2026 report identifying service gaps, best practices from other states, and recommendations to improve educational outcomes for foster youth. This bill directly affects foster youth in Maryland's child welfare system and the state agencies responsible for their education and care.
SB 503 requires the Governor to include $450,000 annually in the state budget for the Growing Family Child Care Opportunities Program during fiscal years 2023, 2024, 2026, and 2028-2030. The bill formalizes funding for grants to support local programs that help establish and sustain family child care services, directly affecting family child care providers and local jurisdictions (counties or groups of counties). To receive funds, counties must partner with a child care resource center to jointly apply for and administer the grants. The program, administered with the Maryland Child Care Resource Network, aims to provide start-up assistance for family child care homes serving children under 13 or developmentally disabled individuals under 21.
HB 742 requires the Governor to include $450,000 annually in Maryland's budget for the Growing Family Child Care Opportunities Program during fiscal years 2023, 2024, 2026, and 2028-2030. This funding supports grants to help local counties and child care resource centers establish and operate family child care programs. The program directly benefits family child care providers by providing start-up assistance for materials, curriculum, and renovations. Administered through partnerships between counties and child care resource centers, the bill mandates specific annual appropriations to expand access to licensed family child care services.
HB 1530 repeals a requirement that undocumented students (or their parents/guardians) must file Maryland income tax returns annually for three years to qualify for in-state tuition rates at public colleges. The bill directly affects undocumented students who attended Maryland high schools and meet other existing criteria (graduation from a Maryland school, applying within six years). Instead of tax filings, students must now submit an affidavit committing to apply for permanent residency within 30 days of eligibility, plus proof of Selective Service compliance if required. The bill maintains other eligibility conditions like Maryland high school attendance but removes the tax documentation burden, aiming to simplify access to in-state tuition rates.
HB 1075 expands eligibility for Maryland's Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program to include students at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) enrolled in four specific degree programs: Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies, Doctor of Pharmacy, Doctor of Physical Therapy, and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. This change directly affects UMES students in these fields who previously could not qualify for the scholarship. The bill amends the existing law by adding UMES to the list of eligible institutions under the program's criteria, which requires applicants to be Maryland residents attending approved institutions in designated health-related fields. The policy change takes effect July 1, 2026, allowing UMES students to access this financial aid for the first time.
HB 1430 requires Maryland's Interagency Commission on School Construction to distribute funds directly to public charter schools for maintaining and operating their facilities, bypassing local governments. It mandates that starting in fiscal year 2028, the state must appropriate $1,600 per enrolled student from the previous fiscal year for these facilities. The bill applies to all public charter schools occupying facilities used for K-12 education, including those that own or lease their buildings. This establishes a fixed per-student funding formula for facility costs, effective July 1, 2026.
HB 845 amends Maryland's Community College Promise Scholarship program to include residents of Delmar, Maryland who graduated from Delmar High School in Delmar, Delaware. Currently, the scholarship requires applicants to have graduated from a Maryland high school or completed a Maryland GED, but this bill adds a new eligibility pathway for students meeting both conditions: graduation from Delmar High School (Delaware) and residency in Delmar, Maryland. The change would allow these students to qualify for the scholarship without needing to meet the standard Maryland graduation requirement. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
This bill prohibits Maryland public school systems from including 10 specific contract terms in new agreements, such as clauses requiring schools to pay for others' liabilities without funding, mandating binding arbitration, or restricting the school's choice of legal counsel. If such terms are included, they are invalid from the start, and contracts must be enforced as if those terms never existed. The law applies only to contracts signed on or after July 1, 2026, leaving existing agreements unaffected. It ensures public school contracts comply with state law and protect school systems from unfair obligations.
