Public Schools - Open Enrollment - Policies and Funding

SB 819 allows Maryland county school boards to adopt open enrollment policies, enabling students to attend public schools in a different county (where they are not domiciled) without cost, subject to specific requirements. The bill requires counties to include these students in full-time equivalent enrollment counts and directs state funding to the county where the student is enrolled (the "receiving county") rather than their home county ("sending county"). It mandates that open enrollment policies include an application process with preferences for zoned students and siblings, a transparent selection method like a lottery if capacity is exceeded, and regular public reporting of enrollment capacity data online.