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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0712*
SENATE BILL 712
F1 6lr3305
CF HB 976
By: Senator Corderman
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Budget and Taxation and Education, Energy, and the Environment
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Primary and Secondary Education – Funding Accuracy and Full–Time 2
Equivalent Enrollment Count – Alterations and Report 3
(Education Funding Accuracy Act) 4
FOR the purpose of altering the definition of “full –time equivalent enrollment” in the 5
calculation for State education aid to include the average number of students 6
enrolled in kindergarten through grade 12 on certain days of the prior school year; 7
requiring the State Department of Education to publish online and submit a certain 8
report to certain standing committees of the General Assembly; and generally 9
relating to the calculation of State aid for primary and secondary education. 10
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 11
Article – Education 12
Section 5–201(a), (e), (f), and (t) 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 15
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 16
Article – Education 17
Section 5–201(g) 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 20
BY adding to 21
Article – Education 22
Section 5–244 23
Annotated Code of Maryland 24
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 25
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 26
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 27
2 SENATE BILL 712
Article – Education 1
5–201. 2
(a) In this subtitle, except as otherwise provided, the following words have the 3
meanings indicated. 4
(e) “Enrollment count” means the greater of: 5
(1) The full–time equivalent enrollment; or 6
(2) The 3–year moving average enrollment. 7
(f) “Foundation program” means the product of the annual per pupil foundation 8
amount and a county’s enrollment count. 9
(g) “Full–time equivalent enrollment” means the sum of: 10
(1) The AVERAGE number of students en rolled in kindergarten through 11
grade 12 or their equivalent in regular day school programs on September 30 AND MAY 31 12
of the prior school year; 13
(2) The number of full –time equivalent students, as determined by a 14
regulation of the Department, enrolled in evening high school programs during the prior 15
school year; and 16
(3) The number of P –TECH students, as provided in § 7 –1804(b) of this 17
article. 18
(t) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, “3–year moving 19
average enrollment” means the average of the full –time equivalent enrollment in the 3 20
prior school years. 21
(2) If the 3 prior school years includes the 2020 –2021 school year, “3–year 22
moving average enrollment” means: 23
(i) The sum of the full –time equivalent enrollment for the 4 p rior 24
school years minus the 2020–2021 school year full–time equivalent enrollment; divided by 25
(ii) Three. 26
5–244. 27
ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2026, AND EACH DECEMBER 31 THEREAFTER, 28
THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PUBLISH ON ITS WEBSITE A ND SUBMIT TO THE SENATE 29
SENATE BILL 712 3
BUDGET AND TAXATION COMMITTEE AND THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS 1
COMMITTEE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT 2
ARTICLE, A REPORT ON: 3
(1) THE ENROLLMENT COUNT USED TO CALCULATE FU LL–TIME 4
EQUIVALENT ENROLLMENT, DISAGGREGATED BY COUNTY; 5
(2) THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS I N EACH COUNTY IN EAC H 6
ENROLLMENT CATEGORY, INCLUDING “WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN”; 7
(3) THE FULL –TIME EQUIVALENT ENRO LLMENT NUMBER USED T O 8
CALCULATE FUNDING FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR; AND 9
(4) EACH COUNTY’S ALLOCATION OF PER PUPIL STATE AND LOCAL 10
EDUCATION FUNDING. 11
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 12
1, 2026, and shall be applicable to the calculation of education funding for fiscal years 13
beginning after June 30, 2027. 14