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*sb0324*
SENATE BILL 324
F2, F1 6lr2277
CF HB 700
By: Senator Augustine
Introduced and read first time: January 22, 2026
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 3, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Higher Education – Public Senior Higher Education Institutions – Direct 2
Admission Program and Study 3
FOR the purpose of establishing a direct admission program at participating public senior 4
higher education institutions for certain eligible high school students beginning in a 5
certain academic year; requiring the Maryland Higher Education Commission to 6
administer the direct admission program through a certain financial aid system and 7
the Common Application , the State Department of Education, and public senior 8
higher education institutions to establish eligibility requirements for the direct 9
admission progr am; requiring the State Department of Education and the 10
Commission jointly to establish a process for notifying the Commission of the high 11
school students who have met the college and career readiness standard certain 12
eligibility requirements each school year; requiring the Commission, in consultation 13
with the Department, to conduct a study on administering the direct admission 14
program; and generally relating to a direct admission program and public senior 15
higher education institutions. 16
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 17
Article – Education 18
Section 7–205.1(a) and (c)(2) 19
Annotated Code of Maryland 20
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 21
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 22
Article – Education 23
2 SENATE BILL 324
Section 10–101(a) and (m) 1
Annotated Code of Maryland 2
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 3
BY adding to 4
Article – Education 5
Section 15–101.1 6
Annotated Code of Maryland 7
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 8
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 9
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 10
Article – Education 11
7–205.1. 12
(a) In this section, “CCR standard” means the college and career readiness 13
standards established under this section. 14
(c) (2) A student shall meet th e CCR standard when the student meets a 15
standard in English language arts, mathematics, and, when practicable, science that 16
enables the student to be successful in entry level credit bearing courses or postsecondary 17
education training at a State community college. 18
10–101. 19
(a) In this division the following words have the meanings indicated. 20
(m) “Public senior higher education institution” means: 21
(1) The constituent institutions of the University System of Maryland and 22
the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science; 23
(2) Morgan State University; and 24
(3) St. Mary’s College of Maryland. 25
15–101.1. 26
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 27
INDICATED. 28
(2) “CCR STANDARD” HAS THE MEANING STATED IN § 7–205.1(A) OF 29
THIS ARTICLE. 30
SENATE BILL 324 3
(3) “HIGH SCHOOL” MEANS A PUBLIC SCHOO L IN THE STATE THAT 1
OFFERS A PROGRAM OF INSTRUCTION FOR AT LEAST GRADES 11 AND 12, INCLUDING 2
A VIRTUAL SCHOOL ESTABLISHED UNDER TITLE 7, SUBTITLE 14 OF THIS ARTICLE. 3
(B) (1) BEGINNING IN THE 2027–2028 2028–2029 ACADEMIC YEAR , 4
THERE IS A DIRECT AD MISSION PROGRAM AT P ARTICIPATING PUBLIC SENIOR 5
HIGHER EDUCATION INS TITUTIONS FOR ELIGIB LE HIGH SCHOOL STUDE NTS WHO 6
MEET THE CCR STANDARD ESTABLISHED UNDER § 7–205.1 OF THIS ARTICLE 7
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREM ENTS SPECIFIED IN THE MEM ORANDUM OF 8
UNDERSTANDING ENTERED INTO UNDER SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION. 9
(2) THE COMMISSION SHALL ADMI NISTER THE DIRECT AD MISSION 10
PROGRAM THROUGH THE COMMISSION’S FINANCIAL AID SYSTEM AND THE COMMON 11
APPLICATION. 12
(C) (1) THE COMMISSION, THE DEPARTMENT, THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM 13
OF MARYLAND, MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, AND ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF 14
MARYLAND SHALL: 15
(I) ESTABLISH ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DIRECT 16
ADMISSION PROGRAM, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE, AT MINIMUM, COMPLETION OF THE 17
CCR STANDARD AND A MINIMUM HIGH SCHOOL GRADE POINT AVERAGE; AND 18
(II) ENTER INTO A MEMORAND UM OF UNDERSTANDING THAT 19
SPECIFIES THE ELIGIB ILITY REQUIREMENTS F OR THE DIRECT ADMISS ION 20
PROGRAM. 21
(2) A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT IS ELIGIBLE FOR DIRECT ADMISSION TO 22
A PARTICIPATING PUBL IC SENIOR HIGHER EDU CATION INSTITUTION U NDER THIS 23
SECTION IF THE STUDENT: 24
(1) (I) HAS COMPLETED OR IS E XPECTED TO COMPLETE ALL OF 25
THE PREREQUISITE COURSES THAT ARE REQUIRED BY THE INSTITUTION TO WHICH 26
THE STUDENT APPLIES BY THE STUDENT’S ANTICIPATED MATRICULATION DATE; 27
(2) (II) HAS MET THE CCR STANDARD ESTABLISHED BY THE 28
DEPARTMENT MEETS THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS SPECIFI ED IN THE 29
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING; 30
(3) (III) APPLIES FOR ADMISSION TO AN INSTITUTION: 31
(I) 1. BY THE REQUIRED APPLI CATION DEADLINE 32
ESTABLISHED BY THE INSTITUTION; AND 33
4 SENATE BILL 324
(II) 2. DURING GRADE 12 OF HIGH SCHOOL; 1
(4) (IV) MEETS THE OTHER COURSE REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED 2
BY THE INSTITUTION, IF ANY; AND 3
(5) (V) MEETS THE ADDITIONAL CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY THE 4
INSTITUTION, IF ANY. 5
(D) (1) A PUBLIC SENIOR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION MAY CHOOSE 6
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DIRECT ADMISSION PROGRAM UNDER THIS SECTION. 7
(2) IF A PUBLIC SENIOR HI GHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION CHOOSES 8
TO PARTICIPATE IN TH E DIRECT ADMISSION P ROGRAM, THE PARTICIPATING 9
INSTITUTION SHALL: 10
(I) 1. AGREE TO USE THE ELIG IBILITY REQUIREMENTS 11
SPECIFIED IN THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING; 12
2. DETERMINE ANY ADDITIONAL COURSES OR CRITERIA 13
NEEDED FOR A STUDENT TO QUALIFY FOR DIRECT ADMISSION TO THE INSTITUTION, 14
IF ANY; AND 15
2. 3. REPORT THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS UNDER 16
ITEM 1 2 OF THIS ITEM TO THE COMMISSION EACH YEAR; 17
(II) WAIVE THE APPLICATION FEE FOR STUDENTS WHO APPLY 18
FOR DIRECT ADMISSION TO THE INSTITUTION; AND 19
(III) OFFER CONDITIONAL DIR ECT ADMISSION TO EAC H HIGH 20
SCHOOL STUDENT WHO MEETS THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA UNDER SUBSECTION (C) 21
OF THIS SECTION REQUIREMENTS SPECIFI ED IN THE MEMORANDUM OF 22
UNDERSTANDING. 23
(3) A PARTICIPATING INSTITUTION MAY: 24
(I) VERIFY ANY INFORMATION REQUIRED BY THE INSTITUTION 25
AND PROVIDED BY A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT INDICATING ELIGIBILITY FOR DIRECT 26
ADMISSION UNDER THIS SECTION; AND 27
(II) REVOKE A STUDENT’S OFFER OF DIRECT ADMISSION AT THE 28
INSTITUTION IF THE STUDENT: 29
SENATE BILL 324 5
1. IS NOT AWARDED A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA BEFORE 1
THE STUDENT’S ANTICIPATED MATRICULATION DATE; 2
2. HAS NOT MET THE CCR STANDARD ESTABLISHED BY 3
THE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT MEET THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED IN 4
THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING; 5
3. ENGAGES IN ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT; OR 6
4. AFTER THE STUDENT’S APPLICATION IS SUB MITTED, 7
EXPERIENCES SIGNIFIC ANTLY DECLINING GRADES THA T, UNDER THE 8
INSTITUTION’S STANDARD APPLICATI ON PROCESS , WOULD JUSTIFY THE 9
INSTITUTION REVOKING AN OFFER FOR ADMISSION. 10
(E) THE DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMISSION JOINTLY SHALL ESTABLISH 11
A PROCESS FOR NOTIFYING THE COMMISSION OF EACH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT IN 12
THE STATE WHO HAS MET THE CCR STANDARD ELIGIBILITY REQUIREM ENTS 13
SPECIFIED IN THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING EACH SCHOOL YEAR. 14
(F) (1) THE COMMISSION SHALL ESTA BLISH A PROCESS TO O FFER 15
CONDITIONAL DIRECT A DMISSION FROM EACH P ARTICIPATING INSTITUTION TO 16
EACH ELIGIBLE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT BASED ON: 17
(I) THE CCR STANDARD DATA PROVID ED BY THE 18
DEPARTMENT UNDER SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION; AND 19
(II) THE ELIGIBILITY CRITE RIA PROVIDED BY EACH 20
PARTICIPATING INSTITUTION. 21
(2) THE COMMISSION SHALL GENERATE A CUSTOMIZED LIST OF 22
PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS FOR EACH ELIG IBLE HIGH SCHOOL STU DENT THAT 23
INCLUDES THE SPECIFIC PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS FROM WHICH THE STUDENT 24
IS BEING OFFERED CON DITIONAL DIRECT ADMI SSION IN THE COMMISSION’S 25
FINANCIAL AID SYSTEM AND THE COMMON APPLICATION. 26
(G) THE PROVISIONS IN THIS SECTION DO NOT GUARANTEE A HIGH SCHOOL 27
STUDENT ELIGIBLE FOR DIRECT ADMISSION PLA CEMENT IN ANY SPECIF IC 28
PROGRAM OFFERED BY T HE PARTICIPATING INS TITUTION OR TO ANY S PECIFIC 29
COLLEGE, SCHOOL, OR FUNCTIONAL EQUIVA LENT WITHIN THE PART ICIPATING 30
INSTITUTION TO WHICH THE STUDENT APPLIES. 31
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 32
6 SENATE BILL 324
(a) The Maryland Higher Education Commission, in collaboration with the State 1
Department of Education, shall study and make recommendations on the administration 2
of the direct admission program established under § 15 –101.1 of the Education Article, as 3
enacted by Section 1 of this Act. 4
(b) In conducting the study required under subsection (a) of this section, th e 5
Commission shall: 6
(1) identify the financial, technical, legal, and operational mechanisms 7
needed to effectively implement the direct admission program; 8
(2) evaluate whether a system could be developed to integrate student 9
academic data with financ ial aid eligibility data to provide simultaneous admission and 10
affordability notifications to students; and 11
(3) create an implementation timeline for the direct admission program. 12
(c) On or before July 1, 2027, the Commission shall submit a final rep ort of its 13
findings and conclusions to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State 14
Government Article. 15
SECTION 2. 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 16
July 1, 2026. Section 2 of this Act shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and 1 month 17
and, at the end of July 31, 2027, Section 2 of this Act, with no further action required by 18
the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no further force and effect. 19
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.