Public Schools - Open Enrollment - Policies and Funding

SB 350 authorizes Maryland county school boards to adopt open enrollment policies, allowing students to attend public schools in a different county than where they reside with their parent or guardian. The bill requires counties to establish application processes with enrollment preferences for zoned students and siblings, use equitable selection methods (like lotteries) when capacity is exceeded, and publish enrollment capacity data online. Crucially, it directs state funding for students enrolled under open enrollment to the county where the student attends school (the "receiving county"), not the student's home county ("sending county"), changing how education funds are distributed. This policy affects families seeking school options beyond their local district and alters how public school funding is allocated across county lines.