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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1231*
HOUSE BILL 1231
F3 6lr2118
By: Delegates Wivell, Baker, and Valentine
Introduced and read first time: February 11, 2026
Assigned to: Ways and Means and Appropriations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Washington County – Dually Enrolled Students 2
FOR the purpose of altering the definition of “dually enrolled student” to include both a 3
nonpublic secondary school student and a homeschool student in Washington County 4
so that these students are eligible to apply for the Part –Time Grant Program and 5
the Early College Access Grant; altering the definition of “full –time equivalent 6
enrollment” to include both a nonpublic secondary school student and a home school 7
student in Washington County; and generally relating to institutions of higher 8
education and dually enrolled students. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 10
Article – Education 11
Section 5–201(a) and (e) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 15
Article – Education 16
Section 5–201(g) 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 19
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 20
Article – Education 21
Section 15–127, 18–1401, and 18–14A–01 22
Annotated Code of Maryland 23
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 24
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 25
Article – Education 26
Section 18–14A–02 and 18–14A–03 27
2 HOUSE BILL 1231
Annotated Code of Maryland 1
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 2
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 3
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 4
Article – Education 5
5–201. 6
(a) In this subtitle, except as otherwise provided, the following words have the 7
meanings indicated. 8
(e) “Enrollment count” means the greater of: 9
(1) The full–time equivalent enrollment; or 10
(2) The 3–year moving average enrollment. 11
(g) “Full–time equivalent enrollment” means the sum of: 12
(1) The number of students enrolled in kindergarten through grade 12 or 13
their equivalent in regular day school programs on September 30 of the prior school year; 14
(2) The number of full –time equivalent students, as determined by a 15
regulation of the Department, enro lled in evening high school programs during the prior 16
school year; [and] 17
(3) The number of P –TECH students, as provided in § 7–1804(b) of this 18
article; AND 19
(4) THE NUMBER OF DUALLY ENROLLED STUDENTS WH O ARE 20
ENROLLED IN: 21
(I) A NONPUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL IN WASHINGTON 22
COUNTY; OR 23
(II) A HOME SCHOOL IN WASHINGTON COUNTY. 24
15–127. 25
(a) (1) In this section, “dually enrolled student” means a student who is dually 26
enrolled in AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE STATE AND: 27
(i) A PUBLIC secondary school in the State; [and] 28
HOUSE BILL 1231 3
(ii) [An institution of higher education in the State] A NONPUBLIC 1
SECONDARY SCHOOL IN WASHINGTON COUNTY; OR 2
(III) A HOME SCHOOL IN WASHINGTON COUNTY. 3
(2) “Dually enrolled student” includes a student enrolle d in a credit or 4
noncredit certificate or license program, course, or sequence of courses that leads to 5
certification or licensure at an institution of higher education in the State. 6
(b) A public institution of higher education may not charge tuition to a dually 7
enrolled student. 8
(c) Subject to subsection (d) of this section, for each dually enrolled student who 9
is enrolled in a public school in the county, the county board shall pay 75% of the cost of 10
tuition for a public institution of higher education in the State. 11
(d) (1) If there is an agreement before July 1, 2020, between a public , 12
NONPUBLIC, OR HOME school and a public institution of higher education in which the 13
public institution of higher education charges less than 75% of the cost of tuition to a dually 14
enrolled student, the county board shall pay the cost of tuition under the existing 15
agreement. 16
(2) Every 2 years, a public , NONPUBLIC, OR HOME school and a public 17
institution of higher education may evaluate and modify an agreement made un der 18
paragraph (1) of this subsection. 19
18–1401. 20
(a) In this section, “part–time student” means a student who: 21
(1) Is enrolled in a degree–granting program at an eligible institution and 22
taking at least 3 but no more than 11 semester hours of courses each semester; or 23
(2) Is dually enrolled in [a secondary school in the State and] an institution 24
of higher education IN THE STATE AND: 25
(I) A PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL IN THE STATE; 26
(II) A NONPUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL IN WASHINGTON 27
COUNTY; OR 28
(III) A HOME SCHOOL IN WASHINGTON COUNTY. 29
(b) In cooperation with the institutions of higher education in the State, the 30
Commission shall establish and administer a grant program for undergraduate part –time 31
students. 32
4 HOUSE BILL 1231
(c) A recipient of a part–time grant shall: 1
(1) Except as provided in § 18 –1401.1 of this subtitle, be a resident of the 2
State; and 3
(2) Have demonstrated a definite financial need according to criteria 4
established by the Commission. 5
(d) For courses completed under the program, a recip ient who is dually enrolled 6
in a secondary school in the State and an institution of higher education may not be 7
required to receive credit from a secondary school and an institution of higher education at 8
the same time. 9
18–14A–01. 10
(a) (1) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 11
(2) “Dually enrolled student” means a student who is dually enrolled in: 12
(i) 1. A PUBLIC secondary school in the State; 13
2. A NONPUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL IN WASHINGTON 14
COUNTY; OR 15
3. A HOME SCHOOL IN WASHINGTON COUNTY; and 16
(ii) An institution of higher education in the State. 17
(3) “Grant” means the Early College Access Grant. 18
(b) There is an Early College Access Grant that provides financial assistance to 19
dually enrolled students in the State. 20
(c) In cooperation with institutions of higher education in the State, the 21
Commission shall administer the Grant. 22
(d) A recipient of a grant shall: 23
(1) Be a dually enrolled student; and 24
(2) Demonstrate financial need according to criteria established by the 25
Commission. 26
(e) For courses completed under the Grant, a recipient is not required to receive 27
credit from a secondary school and an institution of higher education at the same time. 28
HOUSE BILL 1231 5
18–14A–02. 1
(a) Funds for the Grant shall be allocated by the Commission to an institution of 2
higher education based on the number of dually enrolled students receiving credit for 3
courses completed at the institution. 4
(b) Funds for the Grant shall be as provided in the annual budget of the 5
Commission by the Governor. 6
18–14A–03. 7
The Commission shall: 8
(1) Establish guidelines for awarding the Grant to dually enrolled 9
students; and 10
(2) Adopt any other guidelines or regulations necessary for the 11
administration of this subtitle. 12
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 13
1, 2026. 14