Education

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 1305: State Child Welfare System - Reporting

HB 1305 requires Maryland's State Department of Education to annually report specific data on students in the state's child welfare system, including school stability, graduation rates, college enrollment, and disciplinary rates. The report must break down data by county, age, gender, race, and ethnicity while protecting student confidentiality. Additionally, the Department of Education and Department of Human Services must submit a 2026 report identifying service gaps, best practices from other states, and recommendations to improve educational outcomes for foster youth. This bill directly affects foster youth in Maryland's child welfare system and the state agencies responsible for their education and care.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires data collection on student outcomes (graduation, college enrollment) in child welfare system to identify gaps and improve educational support for vulnerable students.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 503: Growing Family Child Care Opportunities Program - Funding

SB 503 requires the Governor to include $450,000 annually in the state budget for the Growing Family Child Care Opportunities Program during fiscal years 2023, 2024, 2026, and 2028-2030. The bill formalizes funding for grants to support local programs that help establish and sustain family child care services, directly affecting family child care providers and local jurisdictions (counties or groups of counties). To receive funds, counties must partner with a child care resource center to jointly apply for and administer the grants. The program, administered with the Maryland Child Care Resource Network, aims to provide start-up assistance for family child care homes serving children under 13 or developmentally disabled individuals under 21.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates $450,000 annual state budget allocation for child care program grants, directly increasing public service funding.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds family child care programs expanding early education access and supporting providers, directly aligning with educational access under topic scope.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds family child care provider programs, directly supporting employment stability and operational capacity for workers in this sector.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 742: Growing Family Child Care Opportunities Program - Funding

HB 742 requires the Governor to include $450,000 annually in Maryland's budget for the Growing Family Child Care Opportunities Program during fiscal years 2023, 2024, 2026, and 2028-2030. This funding supports grants to help local counties and child care resource centers establish and operate family child care programs. The program directly benefits family child care providers by providing start-up assistance for materials, curriculum, and renovations. Administered through partnerships between counties and child care resource centers, the bill mandates specific annual appropriations to expand access to licensed family child care services.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates annual $450k budget allocation for child care program, directly funding essential services through state appropriations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds early childhood education through $450k annual grants for family child care programs, supporting curriculum development and provider access.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds $450k annually for family child care programs, providing start-up grants to providers, directly supporting workers in the child care sector.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 1530: Higher Education - Undocumented Students - Out-of-State Tuition Exemption Eligibility

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRepeals tax filing requirement for undocumented students to access in-state tuition, expanding higher education access for Maryland high school graduates.90% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationRepeals tax filing requirement for undocumented students seeking in-state tuition, removing a barrier to higher education access.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 845: Higher Education - Student Financial Assistance - Alterations to Scholarship Programs

HB 845 amends Maryland's Community College Promise Scholarship program to include residents of Delmar, Maryland who graduated from Delmar High School in Delmar, Delaware. Currently, the scholarship requires applicants to have graduated from a Maryland high school or completed a Maryland GED, but this bill adds a new eligibility pathway for students meeting both conditions: graduation from Delmar High School (Delaware) and residency in Delmar, Maryland. The change would allow these students to qualify for the scholarship without needing to meet the standard Maryland graduation requirement. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands scholarship access to Delmar, MD residents who graduated from Delmar High School (DE), increasing higher education opportunities for targeted students.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 646: Public School System Contracts - Prohibited Provisions

This bill prohibits Maryland public school systems from including 10 specific contract terms in new agreements, such as clauses requiring schools to pay for others' liabilities without funding, mandating binding arbitration, or restricting the school's choice of legal counsel. If such terms are included, they are invalid from the start, and contracts must be enforced as if those terms never existed. The law applies only to contracts signed on or after July 1, 2026, leaving existing agreements unaffected. It ensures public school contracts comply with state law and protect school systems from unfair obligations.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProhibits contract terms that could drain school funding (e.g., requiring payment for others' liabilities without funding), protecting resource stability for public schools.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 852: Higher Education - Scholarships for Correctional Officers

HB 852 expands Maryland's existing scholarship program to include correctional officers. It amends the Maryland Police Officers and Probation Agents Scholarship Program (now titled "Maryland Police Officers, Probation Agents, AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS Scholarship Program") to allow current or future correctional officers to qualify. Eligible recipients must be Maryland residents or graduates of Maryland high schools, enrolled at an eligible institution (public university or community college), and agree to work as correctional officers for at least 5 years within 8 years of graduation. The bill does not create a new program but updates the eligibility criteria of an existing scholarship.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands scholarships for correctional officers, funding education to strengthen corrections workforce within criminal justice system90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands higher education scholarships to correctional officers, increasing access and funding for a specific group within the education system.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 748: Publicly Funded Prekindergarten - Early Childhood Educator Career Ladder for Private Providers - New Pathways

HB 748 repeals specific deadline requirements for private prekindergarten providers participating in Maryland's publicly funded prekindergarten program. The bill removes time limits (like "within 3 years of hire" or "by July 1, 2027") that educators needed to meet certain educational or credentialing qualifications to advance through the state's early childhood educator career ladder. Private providers who receive public funding for prekindergarten services are directly affected, as they will no longer face strict deadlines to ensure staff meet these qualifications. The career ladder structure itself - including its three levels (teaching assistant, lead teacher, consulting teacher) and core goals of improving pay, professional development, and retention - remains unchanged. This is a procedural adjustment to the existing framework, not a substantive policy shift.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRepeals deadlines for educator career advancement, removing barriers to professional development in publicly funded prekindergarten programs.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 668: Children's Cabinet Fund - Renaming and Funding for Grants to Local Management Boards

SB 668 renames Maryland's "Children's Cabinet Fund" to the "Children's Cabinet Interagency Fund" and requires the Governor to annually appropriate specific funds for grants to local management boards. It mandates $3 million more for fiscal year 2028 than 2027 and $2 million more for fiscal year 2030 than 2029. Local management boards receiving funds must develop community partnership agreements coordinating with state and local child and family service plans, and use the money for evidence-based programs addressing youth development, prevention services, and out-of-home care needs. This bill directly affects local boards, children, and families by structuring state funding to support coordinated, community-driven services.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates annual appropriations with specific increases ($3M FY2028 vs 2027, $2M FY2030 vs 2029) for child services grants, directly increasing state budget allocations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates increased annual funding ($3M more FY2028, $2M more FY2030) for grants to local boards coordinating with child/family service plans, directly supporting educational access and programs.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 1457: Washington County - Juveniles - Truancy Reduction Pilot Program

HB 1457 authorizes the Circuit Administrative Judge of Maryland's Fourth Circuit to establish a Truancy Reduction Pilot Program specifically in Washington County's juvenile court. The bill directly affects Washington County juveniles who are truant and the juvenile court system there, aiming to address school absenteeism through court-led interventions rather than punitive measures. Key provisions amend existing law to explicitly include Washington County in the list of jurisdictions where such pilot programs may operate, alongside other counties already covered. The program would operate using state budget funds and requires consultation with other circuit administrative judges before implementation, effective October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates non-punitive truancy intervention in juvenile court to prevent youth from entering justice system, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of diversion over punishment.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAddresses school absenteeism through court-led interventions, promoting student attendance and educational access in K-12 settings without punitive measures.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education