This bill directs Maryland's Higher Education Commission to create a framework for transformative economic efficiency, which focuses on measurable improvements in economic performance, resource use, and health risk prevention through education and research. The Commission must develop independent consensus-based standards collaboratively with universities, research institutions, and subject matter experts, using independent research and verification methods. These standards must be posted on the Commission's website and updated regularly to encourage continuous improvement in higher education practices. The law takes effect on July 1, 2026, and applies to institutions of higher education and community-based research institutions in Maryland.
This bill requires county school boards in Maryland to conduct a financial audit before reappointing a county superintendent of schools, ensuring the district's financial management is evaluated for effectiveness and efficiency. The audit must be completed by the Office of Legislative Audits or an independent certified public accountant during the final year of the superintendent's term, with results submitted to the State Superintendent of Schools and made public. This provision applies to all county school systems except Baltimore City and Prince George's County, which already have different appointment procedures. The bill also maintains existing requirements that superintendents must have a college degree and two years of graduate work in public school administration to be eligible for appointment or reappointment.
This Maryland bill requires the State Department of Education to collect and publish discipline-related data for all public and nonpublic schools, including charter schools, special education programs, and specialized schools for students with visual or hearing impairments. The law mandates that schools with high suspension rates for specific student subgroups - defined by race, ethnicity, gender, disability, socioeconomic status, grade level, or English language proficiency - create action plans to address disproportional disciplinary practices. Schools are considered high-suspending if they suspend 10% or more of elementary students or 25% or more of secondary students within any subgroup, and the Department will use a risk ratio threshold of 2.0 to identify schools where removal rates for certain groups are disproportionately high compared to the state average. All discipline data will be made publicly available in a searchable, usable format on the Department's website, allowing parents and communities to review suspension statistics by school level and subgroup.
This bill modifies Maryland's higher education regulations by removing the requirement that a proposed new academic program must be a graduate program for the Maryland Higher Education Commission or other institutions to file objections. The change allows objections to be raised for any type of new academic program, not just graduate-level ones, based on criteria such as mission consistency, regional need, program duplication, or violations of equal educational opportunity. Directly affected parties include the Maryland Higher Education Commission, public and private nonprofit institutions of higher education, and students who may be impacted by program approvals. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026, and does not alter the existing grounds for objections, only expanding the scope of programs eligible for review.
This bill prohibits Maryland schools from discriminating against job applicants or employees based on their legal use of cannabis outside of work hours and away from school property. It specifically protects individuals from being denied employment, having their compensation affected, or facing adverse employment actions due to off-duty cannabis use. However, the law does not authorize employees to use, possess, or be impaired by cannabis during work hours, and schools retain the ability to prohibit such behavior on school premises. The legislation also clarifies that it does not override federal requirements for drug testing related to employment, federal funding, or licensing.
This bill requires Maryland public schools to recognize autism diagnoses made by licensed medical, mental health, or educational professionals until the school completes its own initial evaluation. It mandates that schools begin their evaluation process within 30 days of receiving an external autism diagnosis and parental consent, while also requiring schools to provide supports recommended in the diagnosis during the evaluation period. The law specifies which professionals qualify for making external diagnoses, including developmental pediatricians, clinical psychologists, and psychiatrists, and allows schools to offer alternative supports only if the original recommendations conflict with laws or pose safety risks. This legislation takes effect on July 1, 2026, ensuring students with external autism diagnoses receive appropriate support during the school's evaluation timeline.
This bill requires Maryland county school boards to submit detailed justifications and cost comparisons before entering into service contracts, including proof that they explored alternatives and a plan to assist employees who might lose their jobs. It mandates that contracts demonstrate at least 20% savings compared to using school employees, while accounting for all direct and indirect costs, and subjects contracts to public audits for compliance. Additionally, the bill directs the State Department of Education to create a new professional development system for paraeducators and support staff by July 2027, requiring paid training during school hours that includes collaboration with teachers, crisis prevention, and job skills training. County boards must then implement this system for all support professionals in their districts, with the department providing guidance on the program's specifics.
This bill requires Maryland county school boards to create parent and family engagement policies by the 2027-2028 school year, and mandates that individual public schools develop Parent-School Compacts starting in the 2028-2029 school year. The policies must be created in consultation with parents and include frameworks for collaboration, technical assistance like translation services, staff training, and annual evaluations to ensure effectiveness. School compacts will define the specific roles and responsibilities of school staff, parents, and students, including curriculum standards, parental support duties, teacher qualifications, and communication requirements. The State Department of Education will provide guidance and technical assistance to help schools implement these policies. Existing policies may be amended to meet the new requirements rather than requiring entirely new documents.
This bill modifies Maryland's legislative scholarship programs to exempt certain applicants from competitive examination requirements and to allow scholarship funds to be used for real estate appraisal training. Specifically, it removes the exam requirement for students who have completed at least one year at an eligible institution, those who graduated high school five years prior, applicants to approved private career colleges, and community college students. Additionally, it authorizes senatorial and Delegate scholarships to cover expenses for completing the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria program. The changes apply to both new scholarship applications and the existing scholarship programs, affecting current and future recipients who meet the specified eligibility criteria.
HB 1311 requires Maryland's Department of Public Safety to help incarcerated individuals access federal Pell Grants and state student financial aid. It mandates that correctional facilities assist eligible incarcerated people in applying for these funds and explicitly states that financial aid established under Maryland law must be available to those meeting eligibility criteria. The bill affects incarcerated individuals in state correctional facilities, directing the Department to collaborate with the Maryland Higher Education Commission and specific higher education institutions to facilitate access. This change takes effect July 1, 2026, without creating new funding but altering access procedures.
