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 1003 establishes a 5-year pilot program in Anne Arundel County Public Schools to prepare students for careers as election officials. The bill requires the Anne Arundel County Board of Education and the State Board of Elections (with input from the State Department of Education) to develop this career and technical education program. It directly affects high school students in Anne Arundel County by offering training pathways into election administration roles. The program will run from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2031, after which it automatically ends without further legislative action.
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 1204 establishes Maryland's Education Savings Account Program, providing state-funded accounts for parents of eligible K-12 students to cover approved education expenses. Eligible students include those who attended public school for at least 100 days last year (or military-connected students), with funding set at 75% of per-pupil state/local funding for families below 500% of the federal poverty level, and 50% for others. Parents must sign agreements committing to use funds only for approved costs (like private school tuition or licensed tutoring), not double-bill insurance, and return unused funds upon graduation or withdrawal. The bill also adds a state income tax deduction for deposits into these accounts.
HB 1275 requires Maryland public school districts to establish an appeal process for students deemed academically ineligible to participate in interscholastic athletics. The bill mandates schools provide written notice of the ineligibility decision and appeal steps, including a hearing, and creates a 10-day provisional eligibility period during which students may continue participating in sports. If a school upholds the ineligibility after the appeal, the student becomes ineligible the next school day. This directly affects public high school students in Maryland who face academic eligibility decisions for sports participation.
HB 1043 allows homeschool students in Maryland to participate in public high school athletic programs under specific conditions. It permits eligible homeschool students - those meeting COMAR home instruction requirements and not in deficiency correction - to join sports at the school they'd attend if enrolled publicly or a geographically nearby school, subject to space availability and priority for enrolled students. The bill requires public schools to extend their liability insurance coverage to homeschool participants and mandates they follow the same health, safety, and insurance rules as enrolled students, while homeschoolers cover their own transportation. It does not apply to students who withdrew from public school due to disciplinary action. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 1032 requires all public and nonpublic primary and secondary schools in Maryland to adopt written policies protecting student privacy, including procedures for parents to access records, limits on sharing personal information without consent, and documentation of record reviews. It also mandates that nonpublic prekindergarten programs and schools report annually (starting September 1, 2027) the number of alleged discrimination incidents based on race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other protected characteristics. These provisions directly affect all K-12 schools, with specific exemptions for religiously affiliated schools that meet existing legal standards under federal law. The bill updates privacy requirements and adds new reporting obligations without altering existing anti-discrimination protections.
HB 1524 requires employers with 15 or more employees in Maryland to provide parent employees with 20 hours of paid leave annually to attend school functions for their child enrolled in public or nonpublic elementary or secondary school. This includes events like parent-teacher conferences or school performances, with employees needing to submit proof within 48 hours after the event. Employers must pay at the employee’s regular rate and cannot force parents to use existing sick or vacation leave instead. The law applies to all qualifying employers, including government entities, and takes effect October 1, 2026.
SB 529 establishes the Southern Maryland Early College Teacher Pathway Program to help high school students in Southern Maryland begin teacher preparation while still in high school. The program allows eligible students (particularly historically underrepresented and rural students) to earn college credits through dual enrollment at no cost for tuition or mandatory fees. It requires the University System of Maryland, in consultation with the State Department of Education and Higher Education Commission, to develop the program and a teacher preparation pathway. The bill also creates a workgroup with members appointed by the Governor, Senate President, and House Speaker to design the program. This aims to address teacher shortages in Southern Maryland by building a diverse, local educator pipeline.
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.
