Bill > HB700

This bill establishes a direct admission program for eligible high school students to apply to participating public senior higher education institutions, which include the constituent institutions of the University System of Maryland, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Morgan State University, and St. Mary's College of Maryland, beginning in the 2028-2029 academic year. The program requires the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) to work with the Department of Education and the participating institutions to establish eligibility requirements, which must include meeting the college and career readiness (CCR) standard and maintaining a minimum high school grade point average. Students must also complete all prerequisite courses, apply by the established deadline during their senior year of high school, and meet any additional institutional criteria. Participating institutions will waive application fees and offer conditional direct admission to eligible students, but can revoke this offer if a student fails to graduate, does not meet eligibility requirements, engages in academic misconduct, or experiences a significant decline in grades. The bill also mandates a study by the MHEC on the administration of the program, including identifying necessary mechanisms, evaluating data integration for simultaneous admission and financial aid notifications, and creating an implementation timeline, with a report due to the General Assembly by July 1, 2027.