HB 1438

HOUSE BILL 1438
     F1  6lr1728
     By: Delegates Woorman, Kaufman, Tomlinson, and Wims
     Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
     Assigned to: Ways and Means
     Committee Report: Favorable
     House action: Adopted
     Read second time: March 6, 2026
  CHAPTER ______
1 AN ACT concerning
2      State Board of Education – Public High School Graduation Requirements
3 FOR the purpose of requiring the State Board of Education to periodically review
4      graduation requirements for public high school students; requiring implementation
5      of updated graduation requirements for a certain cohort of students following State
6      Board approval; and generally relating to public high school student graduation
7      requirements.
8 BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
9Article – Education
10Section 7–205.1(b)
11Annotated Code of Maryland
12(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
13SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
14 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
15Article – Education
16 7–205.1.
17(b)   (1)    The State Board shall establish high school curriculum, college and
18 career readiness standards, and graduation requirements for all public schools in
19 accordance with this section.
     EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
  [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
  Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
  Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
  amendment.
  *hb1438*
2HOUSE BILL 1438
1(2)   The State Board shall coordinate and consult with the Maryland Higher
2 Education Commission, the Governor’s Workforce Development Board, the Maryland
3 Association of Community Colleges, and the Accountability and Implementation Board in
4 performing its duties under this subsection.
5(3)   AT LEAST EVERY 5 YEARS THE STATE BOARD SHALL:
6(I)    REVIEW AND UPDATE GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS; AND
7(II)   IMPLEMENT CHANGES TO GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
8 FOR THE COHORT ENTERING HIGH SCHOOL IN THE SCHOOL YEAR FOLLOWING
9 STATE BOARD APPROVAL.
10SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
11 1, 2026.
     Approved:
     ________________________________________________________________________________
  Governor.
     ________________________________________________________________________________
  Speaker of the House of Delegates.
     ________________________________________________________________________________
  President of the Senate.