EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1373*
HOUSE BILL 1373
F3 4lr2568
By: Delegate Fisher
Introduced and read first time: February 9, 2024
Assigned to: Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Calvert County Public Schools – Extracurricular Activities for Homeschooled 2
Students – Pilot Program and Workgroup 3
FOR the purpose of establishing the Extracurricular Activities for Homeschooled Students 4
Pilot Program in Calvert County to allow homeschooled students to participate in 5
extracurricular activities sponsored by public schools in the county; establishing the 6
Workgroup to Study Access to Extracurricular Activities in Calvert County Public 7
Schools for Homeschooled Students; and generally relating to the Extracurricular 8
Activities for Homeschooled Students Pilot Program and the Workgroup to Study 9
Access to Extracurricular Activities in Calvert County Public Schools for 10
Homeschooled Students. 11
BY adding to 12
Article – Education 13
Section 4–142 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 16
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18
Article – Education 19
4–142. 20
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 21
INDICATED. 22
(2) “EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY” INCLUDES INTERSCHOLA STIC 23
ATHLETICS, MUSIC, DRAMA PROGRAMS , STUDENT ORGANIZATION S, AND OTHER 24 2 HOUSE BILL 1373
PROGRAMS SPONSORED B Y A SCHOOL: 1
(I) IN WHICH A STUDENT MA Y PARTICIPATE OUTS IDE REGULAR 2
SCHOOL HOURS ; AND 3
(II) FOR WHICH A STUDENT D OES NOT EARN ACADEMI C CREDIT. 4
(3) “PILOT PROGRAM” MEANS THE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES 5
FOR HOMESCHOOLED STUDENTS PILOT PROGRAM. 6
(B) THIS SECTION APPLIES ONLY IN CALVERT COUNTY. 7
(C) (1) THERE IS AN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES FOR 8
HOMESCHOOLED STUDENTS PILOT PROGRAM. 9
(2) THE PURPOSE OF THE PILOT PROGRAM IS TO ALLOW A STUDENT 10
WHO PARTICIPATES IN A HO ME INSTRUCTION PROGR AM IN CALVERT COUNTY TO 11
PARTICIPATE IN AN EX TRACURRICULAR ACTIVI TY SPONSORED BY A PUBLIC SCHOOL 12
IN THE COUNTY. 13
(D) (1) CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHALL ADMINISTER THE 14
PILOT PROGRAM . 15
(2) THE PILOT PROGRAM SHA LL BEGIN IN THE 2025–2026 SCHOOL 16
YEAR AND LAST FOR 3 YEARS. 17
(E) (1) THE COUNTY BOARD SHALL SELECT UP TO FIVE PUBLIC SCHOOLS 18
IN THE COUNTY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PILOT PROGRAM . 19
(2) EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE PILOT PROGRAM SHALL ALLOW A 20
STUDENT WHO IS NOT E NROLLED IN THE SCHOO L TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY 21
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTI VITY SPONSORED BY TH E SCHOOL TO THE SAME EXTENT 22
THAT A STUDENT WHO I S ENROLLED IN THE SC HOOL MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE 23
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTI VITY IF THE STUDENT WHO IS NOT ENROLLED : 24
(I) PARTICIPATES IN A HOM E INSTRUCTION PROGRA M UNDER 25
WRITTEN AGREEMENT WIT H THE COUNTY SUPERIN TENDENT; 26
(II) IS ELIGIBLE TO ATTEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SPONSORING 27
THE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY; AND 28
(III) MEETS AND COMPLIES WI TH THE PUBLIC SCHOOL ’S 29
REQUIREMENTS FOR PAR TICIPATING IN THE EX TRACURRICULAR ACTIV ITY. 30 HOUSE BILL 1373 3
(F) THE COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM SHALL: 1
(1) (I) ESTABLISH A POLICY AN D GUIDELINES FOR THE 2
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PILOT PROGRAM; AND 3
(II) DISTRIBUTE COPIES OF THE POLICY AND GUIDE LINES TO 4
EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL PARTICIPATING IN THE PILOT PROGRAM ; AND 5
(2) COLLECT DATA FROM EACH PUBLIC SCH OOL PARTICIPATING IN 6
THE PILOT PROGRAM ON THE FOLLOWING ISS UES: 7
(I) ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIR EMENTS, INCLUDING PUBLIC 8
NOTICE, STAFF RESOURCES , TECHNOLOGY , PHYSICAL SPACE , AND LEGAL 9
LIABILITIES; 10
(II) COSTS OF OPERATING THE PILOT PROGRAM; 11
(III) STUDENT PROGRAM ELIGI BILITY REQUIREMENTS , 12
INCLUDING ACADEMIC , HEALTH, AND BEHAVIORAL MANDA TES ACROSS ALL TYPES 13
OF EXTRACURRICULAR A CTIVITIES OFFERED ; 14
(IV) IDENTIFYING AND PROVI DING EDUCATIONAL 15
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR NONENROLLED STUDENTS ; 16
(V) TRANSPORTATION OF NON ENROLLED STUDENTS , 17
INCLUDING COSTS , MANDATES, AND LEGAL LIABILITY ; AND 18
(VI) STUDENT PROGRAM ENROL LMENT LIMITS. 19
(G) ON OR BEFORE NOVEMBER 1, 2026, THROUGH 2029, THE COUNTY 20
SUPERINTENDENT SHALL REPORT TO THE CALVERT COUNTY BOARD OF 21
EDUCATION AND , IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT 22
ARTICLE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGARDING TH E EFFECTIVENESS OF T HE 23
PILOT PROGRAM , INCLUDING: 24
(1) THE NUMBER OF HOMESCH OOLED STUDENTS PARTI CIPATING IN 25
THE PILOT PROGRAM FROM EACH PARTICIPAT ING PUBLIC SCHOOL ; 26
(2) INFORMATION COLLECTED BY THE COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM 27
UNDER SUBSECTION (F)(2) OF THIS SECTION; 28
(3) FEEDBACK FROM THE FOL LOWING GROUPS WHO PARTICIPATED 29 4 HOUSE BILL 1373
IN THE PILOT PROGRAM : 1
(I) HOMESCHOOLED STUDENTS AND THEIR P ARENTS OR 2
GUARDIANS; 3
(II) PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT S AND THEIR PARENTS OR 4
GUARDIANS AT PARTICI PATING SCHOOLS ; AND 5
(III) SCHOOL PERSONNEL AT P ARTICIPATING SCHOOLS ; AND 6
(4) RECOMMENDATIONS TO EX PAND OR DISCONTINUE THE PILOT 7
PROGRAM. 8
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That : 9
(a) There is a Workgroup to Study Access to Extracurricular Activities in Calvert 10
County Public Schools for Homeschooled Students. 11
(b) The Workgroup consists of the following members: 12
(1) the Superintendent of Calvert County Schools; 13
(2) one member of the Board of Calvert County Commissioners, appointed 14
by the Chair of the Board of Calvert County Commissioners; 15
(3) one member of the Calvert County Board of Education, appointed by 16
the Chair of the Calvert County Board of Education; and 17
(4) two parents of homeschooled students who reside in Calvert County, 18
designated by the Maryland Homeschool Association. 19
(c) The Workgroup members shall elect the chair of the Workgroup from among 20
its appointed members. 21
(d) The Calvert County Board of Education shall provide staff for the Workgroup. 22
(e) A member of the Workgroup: 23
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Workgroup; but 24
(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 25
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 26
(f) The Workgroup shall: 27
HOUSE BILL 1373 5
(1) study the following issues regarding homeschooled student 1
participation in extracurricular activities sponsored by public schools in the county: 2
(i) administrative requirements, including public notice, staff 3
resources, technology, physical space, and legal liabilities; 4
(ii) costs of providing services not covered by State and local funding; 5
(iii) student program eligibility requirements, including academic, 6
health, and behavioral mandates across all types of extracurricular activities offered; 7
(iv) identifying and providing educational accommodations for 8
nonenrolled students; 9
(v) transportation of nonenrolled students, including costs, 10
mandates, and legal liability; and 11
(vi) student program enrollment limits; 12
(2) study and evaluate data from other states or jurisdictions, if any, that 13
allow homeschooled students or other nonenrolled students to parti cipate in 14
extracurricular activities sponsored by a public school; and 15
(3) make recommendations as to the administrative, financial, and 16
logistical feasibility of homeschooled student participation in extracurricular activities 17
sponsored by public schools in Calvert County. 18
(g) On or before December 31, 2024, the Workgroup shall report its findings and 19
recommendations to the Board of Calvert County Commissioners, the Calvert County 20
Board of Education, and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the 21
members of the Calvert County Delegation to the General Assembly. 22
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 23
1, 2024. Section 2 of this Act shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and, at the end of 24
June 30, 2025, Section 2 of this Act, with no further action required by the General 25
Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no further force and effect. Section 1 of this Act shall 26
remain effective for a period of 6 years and, at the end of June 30, 2030, this Act, with no 27
further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no further force 28
and effect. 29