HB 836

HOUSE BILL 836
     F1  6lr2952
     By: Delegate Conaway
     Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2026
     Assigned to: Ways and Means
  A BILL ENTITLED
1 AN ACT concerning
2County Boards of Education – College Preparatory Programs – Fees
3 FOR the purpose of prohibiting a county board of education from charging a student or a
4      student’s parent or guardian any fees related to enrollment in or completion of a
5      certain college preparatory program; and generally relating to fees for college
6      preparatory programs.
7 BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
8Article – Education
9Section 7–205.1(g)(1)
10Annotated Code of Maryland
11(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
12 BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
13Article – Education
14Section 7–205.1(g)(4)
15Annotated Code of Maryland
16(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
17 BY adding to
18      Article – Education
19      Section 7–213
20      Annotated Code of Maryland
21      (2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
22SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
23 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
24Article – Education
25 7–205.1.
     EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
  [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
  *hb0836*
2HOUSE BILL 836
1(g)   (1)    Subject to paragraph (4) of this subsection[, beginning in the
2 2023–2024 school year] AND § 7–213 OF THIS SUBTITLE, each county board shall provide
3 all students who meet the CCR standard required under subsection (c) of this section with
4 access to the following post college and career readiness (post–CCR) pathways, at no cost
5 to the student or the student’s parents, including the cost of any fees:
6(i)    A competitive entry college preparatory program, chosen by the
7 county board, consisting of:
81.     The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program;
92.     The Cambridge AICE Diploma Program; or
103.     A comparable program consisting of Advanced Placement
11 courses specified by the College Board;
12(ii) A program that allows a student, through an early college
13 program or dual enrollment at a student’s high school and an institution of higher
14 education to earn:
151.     An associate degree; or
162.     At least 60 credits toward a bachelor’s degree; and
17(iii) A robust set of career and technology education programs that
18 are recommended by the CTE Skills Standards Advisory Committee and approved by the
19 CTE Committee and that allow students to complete:
201.  A credit or noncredit certificate or license program, course,
21 or sequence of courses, including a program, course, or courses taken through dual
22 enrollment under § 15–127 of this article, at a secondary or postsecondary institution,
23 through an Advanced Placement course at a secondary institution, or through an
24 apprenticeship sponsor that leads to an industry recognized occupational–credential or
25 postsecondary certificate;
262.   A registered apprenticeship program approved by the
27 Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning within the Maryland Department
28 of Labor; or
293.     A youth apprenticeship program, under Title 18, Subtitle
30 18 of this article.
31(4)   To phase in expansion of dual enrollment to maximize the number of
32 students who can earn the maximum number of dual enrollment credits consistent with
33 the phased increases in school funding, for fiscal years 2025 through 2027, the State Board
34 and the Accountability and Implementation Board, in consultation with each local school
  HOUSE BILL 836  3
1 system, may limit the number and types of courses that a student dually enrolled at the
2 student’s public high school and at an institution of higher education may enroll in during
3 the school year at the institution of higher education as part of the post–CCR pathway in
4 accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection and § 15–127 of this article.
5 7–213.
6A COUNTY BOARD MAY NOT CHARGE A STUDENT OR A STUDENT’S PARENT OR
7 GUARDIAN ANY FEES RELATED TO THE ENROLLMENT IN OR COMPLETION OF A
8 COMPETITIVE ENTRY COLLEGE PREPARATORY PROGRAM CONSISTING OF
9 ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES SPECIFIED BY THE COLLEGE BOARD.
10SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
11 1, 2026.