HB 26 allows students to attend public schools in counties other than their home county with parental/guardian consent, subject to specific rules. County school boards must create transparent application processes, prioritize local students and siblings, and track enrollment capacity, while ensuring compliance with anti-discrimination laws. The bill requires sending counties (where students live) to fund receiving counties (where schools are attended) based on per-student costs, with the state covering shortfalls if the sending county spends less. This directly affects students seeking cross-county schooling, county school boards, and the funding distribution between school districts.
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.
HB 64 establishes a task force to study how delays in counting student enrollment affect school funding and how growing student populations impact funding levels. The task force includes education officials, school board representatives, teachers, parents, and county government members. It will analyze these challenges and recommend improvements to the school funding system. The task force must submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and legislature by December 15, 2026, after which the bill expires. This bill creates a review process but does not directly change funding policies.
HB 562, the "Maintenance of Effort Modernization Act," updates Maryland's method for calculating annual inflation adjustments in local school funding. It replaces the current formula with a new standard that uses the lesser of three measures: the Consumer Price Index for the Washington Metropolitan Area, a government spending index, or 5%, with 0% if neither index rises. This change requires county governments and Baltimore City to adjust their annual local school funding appropriations based on this new inflation metric, starting July 1, 2026. The bill directly affects all Maryland counties and Baltimore City, which are responsible for maintaining local school funding levels.
SB 378 updates Maryland's funding formula for regional library resource centers and county public libraries, increasing per-resident funding from $8.75 (2022) to $11.58 (2032 and beyond) for regional centers, and from $17.10 (2022) to $22.37 (2032 and beyond) for county libraries. It requires each public library to offer at least one new service, such as early childhood literacy programs, digital equity initiatives, or mental health support, by partnering with community organizations. The bill also mandates that libraries adopt written policies meeting state standards to receive state funding, with the Comptroller withholding funds for non-compliance. These changes affect all 23 Maryland county library systems and their regional resource centers, directly impacting how they allocate state funds and deliver services. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
