Bill > SB529

This bill establishes the Southern Maryland Early College Teacher Pathway Program Workgroup to develop recommendations for a program that creates a structured, credit-bearing pathway for high school students in Southern Maryland to begin preparing for careers in primary and secondary education, aiming to expand access to and affordability of higher education, particularly for historically underrepresented and rural students, and to build a diverse teacher pipeline. The University System of Maryland, in consultation with the State Department of Education and the Maryland Higher Education Commission, will lead this effort, with the workgroup reporting its recommendations by June 30, 2029, to specific committees of the General Assembly, and the bill also allocates $125,000 annually for fiscal years 2028 and 2029 to support this development, with the entire act set to expire four years after its effective date of July 1, 2026.