HB 531 establishes a task force to study existing STEM and robotics programs in Maryland public schools and other states. The task force, composed of state officials, school representatives, and nonprofit leaders, will collect data on program structures, funding, and impacts to assess the feasibility of creating statewide competitive robotics programs in public high schools. It must submit recommendations by December 15, 2026, including whether robotics should be established as a varsity sport in all public high schools. The bill directly affects Maryland public schools by initiating a formal review process for potential program expansion.
HB 352 removes a fiscal year 2027 deadline that previously limited how schools could use personnel and per-pupil grants under Maryland's Concentration of Poverty School Grant Program. The bill specifically allows eligible schools with high poverty rates to use these funds for fine arts instructional programs, as defined in COMAR Title 13A, Subtitle 04, Section 13A.04.16.01. This change applies to schools serving a high concentration of eligible students and takes effect July 1, 2026. The bill modifies existing law to expand allowable uses of grant funds without altering the program's core structure or eligibility criteria.
HB 505 requires public and nonpublic Maryland schools to accept specific unofficial documents as proof of academic records when a student transfers, *only* if the sending school denies an official transcript due to a dispute between the school and the student. The bill specifies that receiving schools must accept: unofficial transcripts, student-provided report cards, standardized test scores, copies of awards, or unofficial AP/IB results. This directly affects transferring students facing transcript denial, sending schools involved in disputes, and receiving schools that must follow these documentation rules. The policy change aims to prevent educational disruption during transfers by providing alternative verification methods.
This bill requires Maryland public and private schools to include human and sex trafficking awareness in their existing sexual abuse and assault prevention education programs for students in grades 6 through 8. The program must be taught by trained instructors as part of the health curriculum, expanding current requirements that already cover sexual abuse prevention. It applies to all schools meeting the definition of "nonpublic school" under Maryland law, including those participating in state textbook and technology grant programs. The changes take effect July 1, 2026.
HB 538, the Informed Enrollment Act, requires Maryland colleges and universities that admit first-time undergraduate students to provide prospective and current students with clear, standardized information about costs, graduation rates, post-graduation salaries, and debt outcomes. Starting July 1, 2027, institutions must prominently display a link to the federal U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard on their public websites, accompanied by a plain-language explanation of the data it offers. They must also share this link and explanation during student orientation, in recruitment materials, on social media at least once per semester, and on campus career center websites. The law automatically terminates if the federal College Scorecard resource is discontinued, ensuring it only applies while the federal data remains available.
HB 486 designates November 14 each year as "Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day" to honor Ruby Bridges' 1960 integration of an all-white school, and the second Wednesday in October as "Maryland School Pedestrian Awareness Day" to promote safe walking routes to schools. The Maryland State Department of Education must provide free, age-appropriate resources to all public schools, including civil rights lesson plans for Ruby Bridges Day and pedestrian safety materials like lesson plans and walk audit guides for Pedestrian Awareness Day. The bill directly affects Maryland public school systems by requiring state-provided educational tools for these designated days, starting July 1, 2026. It focuses on commemoration and safety education without mandating specific school activities.
This bill requires Maryland colleges and universities to provide reasonable accommodations to students with sickle cell disease and prohibits denying them access to facilities or services based on their diagnosis. It mandates the Maryland Department of Health to create an education campaign for campus staff, develop guidelines for supporting students with sickle cell disease, and compile training materials for faculty and administrators. The law directly affects students with sickle cell disease at public and private institutions of higher education in Maryland, as well as campus staff responsible for implementing these policies. The requirements take effect October 1, 2026, with institutions needing to establish clear reporting procedures for violations.
