EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW .
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0899*
SENATE BILL 899
F2, F1 5lr2392
By: Senator Augustine
Introduced and read first time: January 28, 2025
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Education – High School Class Rankings and Guaranteed Admissions to Public 2
Senior Institutions of Higher Education 3
FOR the purpose of requiring certain high schools to prepare, in a certain manner, a class 4
ranking of each high school student who completes a certain grade level to establish 5
rankings for use in a certain guaranteed admissions process to certain public senior 6
institutions of higher education in the State; requiring, beginning in a certain 7
academic year, public senior institutions of higher education to establish a certain 8
process for accepting high school students who apply for admission under a 9
guaranteed admission policy; and generally relating to admissions to public senior 10
institutions of higher education in the State. 11
BY renumbering 12
Article – Education 13
Section 7–205.2, 7–205.3, and 7–205.4 14
to be Section 7–205.3, 7–205.4, and 7–205.5, respectively 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 17
BY adding to 18
Article – Education 19
Section 7–205.2 and 15–101.1 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 22
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 23
Article – Education 24
Section 10–101(a) and (m) 25
Annotated Code of Maryland 26
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 27
2 SENATE BILL 899
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 1
Article – Education 2
Section 15–101(a) 3
Annotated Code of Maryland 4
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 5
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENER AL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 6
That Section(s) 7–205.2, 7–205.3, and 7–205.4 of Article – Education of the Annotated Code 7
of Maryland be renumbered to be Section(s) 7–205.3, 7–205.4, and 7–205.5, respectively. 8
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Laws of Maryland read 9
as follows: 10
Article – Education 11
7–205.2. 12
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 13
INDICATED. 14
(2) “CLASS” MEANS A COHORT OF STUDENTS IN THE SAME GRADE 15
LEVEL. 16
(3) “HIGH SCHOOL” MEANS A PUBLIC OR NONPUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE 17
STATE THAT OFFERS A PROGRAM OF INSTRUC TION FOR AT LEAST GRADES 11 AND 18
12, INCLUDING A VIRTUAL SCHOOL ESTABLISHED U NDER SUBTITLE 14 OF THIS 19
TITLE. 20
(4) “PUBLIC SENIOR INSTITU TION OF HIGHER EDUCA TION” HAS THE 21
MEANING STATED IN § 10–101 OF THIS ARTICLE. 22
(B) THIS SECTION APPLIES ONLY TO STUDENTS ENROLLED IN A HIGH 23
SCHOOL. 24
(C) BEGINNING WITH THE STUDENTS ENTERING GR ADE 12 FOR THE 25
2025–2026 SCHOOL YEAR , EACH HIGH SCHOOL SHAL L PREPARE A CLASS RA NKING 26
OF STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE SCHOOL IN ACCORDANCE WITH T HIS SECTION. 27
(D) (1) IF A HIGH SCHOOL CLAS S HAS AT LEAST 15 STUDENTS, ON 28
COMPLETION OF GRADE 11, EACH STUDENT IN THE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS SHALL BE 29
RANKED ON THE BASIS OF ACAD EMIC ACHIEVEMENT USI NG A STUDENT’S OVERALL 30
CUMULATIVE GRADE POI NT AVERAGE AS THE SO LE CRITERION FOR THE RANKING. 31
SENATE BILL 899 3
(2) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (3) OF THIS SUBSECTION, EACH HIGH 1
SCHOOL CLASS RANKING SHALL IDENTIFY THE STUDENT S WHO RANK IN THE TO P 5% 2
AND 10% OF THEIR HIGH SCHOOL CLASS. 3
(3) IF A HIGH SCHOOL CLASS MEETS THE REQUIREMEN TS TO BE 4
RANKED UNDER PARAGRA PH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION BUT HAS FEWER THAN 20 5
STUDENTS: 6
(I) THE HIGHEST RANKED ST UDENT SHALL BE DESIG NATED AS 7
BEING THE ONLY STUDE NT IN THE TOP 5% OF THEIR HIGH SCHOOL CLASS; AND 8
(II) THE SECOND HIGHEST RA NKED STUDENT SHALL B E 9
DESIGNATED AS BEING THE ONLY STUDENT IN THE TOP 10% OF THEIR HIGH SCHOOL 10
CLASS. 11
(E) (1) ON COMPLETION OF THE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS RANKING 12
REQUIRED UNDER SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION, EACH STUDENT WHO RANKS 13
IN THE TOP 10% OF THEIR HIGH SCHOOL CLASS SHALL BE NOTIFIED BY THE HIGH 14
SCHOOL OF THE STUDENT ’S CLASS RANK. 15
(2) A HIGH SCHOOL CLASS RANK ING IN THE TOP 5% OR 10% AS 16
DETERMINED UNDER THI S SECTION SHALL BE: 17
(I) DESIGNATED ON A STUDENT’S HIGH SCHOOL TRANSC RIPT, 18
AS APPLICABLE; AND 19
(II) USED TO ESTABLISH ELIGIBI LITY FOR GUARANTEED 20
ADMISSIONS TO A PUBLIC SENIOR INSTITUTION OF HIGHE R EDUCATION UNDER § 21
15–101.1 OF THIS ARTICLE. 22
(F) THE PERCENT AGE DESIGNATIONS FOR A HIGH SCHOOL CLASS RA NKING 23
UNDER SUBSECTION (D)(3) OF THIS SECTION: 24
(1) SHALL BE USED ONLY TO ESTABLISH ELIGIBI LITY FOR 25
GUARANTEED ADMISSION S TO A PUBLIC SENIOR INSTITUTION OF HIGHE R 26
EDUCATION UNDER § 15–101.1 OF THIS ARTICLE; AND 27
(2) DO NOT PRECLUDE A COU NTY BOARD OR HIGH SCHOOL FROM 28
USING AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD FOR CALCULATI NG THE NUMBER OF STU DENTS IN 29
THE TOP 5% AND 10% OF THEIR HIGH SCHOOL CLASS FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE. 30
10–101. 31
(a) In this division the following words have the meanings indicated. 32 4 SENATE BILL 899
(m) “Public senior higher education institution” means: 1
(1) The constituent institutions of the University System of Maryland and 2
the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science; 3
(2) Morgan State University; and 4
(3) St. Mary’s College of Maryland. 5
15–101. 6
(a) (1) [Each] SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , EACH 7
public institution of higher education shall accept for admission any graduate of an 8
approved public high school: 9
[(1)] (I) Who is certified by his high school principal, based on standards 10
of the State Board of Education, as qualified to pursue a course of study at the institution; 11
or 12
[(2)] (II) Who meets the admission standards of the institution. 13
(2) EACH PUBLIC SENIOR IN STITUTION OF HIG HER EDUCATION 14
SHALL ACCEPT FOR ADM ISSION ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO QUALIFIES FOR GUARAN TEED 15
ADMISSION UNDER § 15–101.1 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 16
15–101.1. 17
(A) IN THIS SECTION , “HIGH SCHOOL ” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 18
7–205.2 OF THIS ARTICLE. 19
(B) EACH PUBLIC SENIOR INSTITUTION OF HIGHE R EDUCATION SHALL 20
ESTABLISH A PRO CESS FOR ACCEPTING ELIGIBLE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO 21
APPLY FOR ADMISSION TO THE INSTITUTION UNDER A GUARANTEED ADMISSION 22
POLICY IN ACCORDANCE WITH T HIS SECTION. 23
(C) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION , BEGINNING IN THE 24
2026–2027 ACADEMIC YEAR , A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT IS ELIGIBLE FOR 25
GUARANTEED ADMISSION TO A PUBLIC SENIOR H IGHER EDUCATION INST ITUTION IF 26
THE STUDENT : 27
(1) HAS COMPLETED OR IS E XPECTED TO COMPLETE ALL OF THE 28
PREREQUISITE COURSES THAT ARE REQ UIRED BY THE INSTITU TION TO WHICH THE 29
STUDENT APPLIES ; 30
SENATE BILL 899 5
(2) APPLIES FOR ADMISSION TO AN INSTITUTION: 1
(I) BY THE REQUIRED APPLICATION DEADLINE ESTABLISHED 2
BY THE INSTITUTION; 3
(II) DURING GRADE 12 OF HIGH SCHOOL OR THE FINAL YEAR OF 4
HOME INSTRUCTION ; AND 5
(III) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION, INDICATES 6
ON THE APPLICATION THAT THE STUDENT QUALIFIES FOR GUARANTEED 7
ADMISSION; AND 8
(3) SATISFIES ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: 9
(I) IS RANKED IN THE TOP 10% OF THE STUDENT’S HIGH 10
SCHOOL CLASS IN ACCO RDANCE WITH § 7–205.2 OF THIS ARTICLE; 11
(II) IS DESIGNATED A S A FINALIST IN THE NATIONAL MERIT 12
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP 13
CORPORATION OR HAS AC HIEVED AN EQUIVALENT DESIGNATION UNDER A 14
SUCCESSOR PROGRAM OR BY A SUCCESSOR ORGAN IZATION; OR 15
(III) 1. PARTICIPATES IN A HOM E INSTRUCTION PROGRAM ; 16
AND 17
2. HAS ATTAINED A SCORE ON A NATIONALLY ACCE PTED 18
COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXA MINATION THAT PLACES THE INDIVIDUAL ’S SCORE IN AT 19
LEAST THE 90TH PERCENTILE FOR THE EXAMINATION CYCLE. 20
(D) A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR GUARANTEED 21
ADMISSION TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK CAMPUS ONLY IF 22
THE STUDENT: 23
(1) APPLIES FOR ADMISSION BY THE EARLY APPLICA TION DEADLINE 24
ESTABLISHED BY THE I NSTITUTION; 25
(2) SATISFIES ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: 26
(I) IS RANKED IN THE TOP 5% OF THE STUDENT’S HIGH SCHOOL 27
CLASS IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 7–205.2 OF THIS ARTICLE; 28
(II) IS DESIGNATED AS A FI NALIST IN THE NATIONAL MERIT 29
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP 30 6 SENATE BILL 899
CORPORATION OR HAS ACHIEVED AN EQUI VALENT DESIGNATION U NDER A 1
SUCCESSOR PROGRAM OR BY A SUCCESSOR ORGAN IZATION; OR 2
(III) 1. PARTICIPATES IN A HOM E INSTRUCTION PROGRA M; 3
AND 4
2. HAS ATTAINED A SCORE ON A NATIONALLY ACCE PTED 5
COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXA MINATION THAT PLACES THE STUDENT’S SCORE IN AT 6
LEAST THE 98TH PERCENTILE FOR TH E EXAMINATION CYCLE ; AND 7
(3) MEETS THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED UNDER 8
SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION FOR GUARANTEED ADMIS SION. 9
(E) IF A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ELIGIBLE FOR GUARANT EED ADMISSION 10
UNDER THIS SECTION APPLIES TO MORE THAN ONE PUB LIC SENIOR INSTITUTI ON OF 11
HIGHER EDUCATION , THE STUDENT SHALL DESIGNATE THE ONE INSTITUTION TO 12
WHICH THE STUDENT DESIRES GUARANTEED A DMISSION. 13
(F) A PUBLIC SENIOR INSTITUTI ON OF HIGHER EDUCATI ON MAY: 14
(1) VERIFY ANY INFORMATIO N REQUIRED BY THE IN STITUTION AND 15
PROVIDED BY A HIGH SCHOOL STUDEN T INDICATING ELIGIBI LITY FOR GUARANTEED 16
ADMISSION UNDER THIS SECTION; AND 17
(2) REVOKE A STUDENT’S OFFER OF ADMISSION AT THE INSTITUTION 18
UNDER THE GUARANTEED ADMISSION POLICY UNDER THIS SECTION I F THE 19
STUDENT: 20
(I) IS NOT AWARDED A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA BEFOR E THE 21
STUDENT’S ANTICIPATED MATRICUL ATION DATE; 22
(II) ENGAGES IN ACADEMIC M ISCONDUCT; 23
(III) AFTER THE STUDENT’S APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED , 24
EXPERIENCES SIGNIFIC ANTLY DECLINING GRADES SUCH THAT, UNDER THE 25
INSTITUTION’S STANDARD APPLICATION P ROCESS, WOULD JUSTIFY THE 26
INSTITUTION REVOKING AN OFFER FOR ADMISSION; OR 27
(IV) MISREPRESENTED ANY INFORMATION ON THE STUDENT’S 28
APPLICATION REGARDING THE ELIGIB ILITY OF THE STUDENT FOR GUARANTEED 29
ADMISSION, INCLUDING CLASS RANK, COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXA MINATION SCORE , 30
OR STATUS AS A FINAL IST IN THE NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. 31
SENATE BILL 899 7
(G) THE PROVISIONS IN THI S SECTION DO NOT GUARANTEE A HIGH SCHOOL 1
STUDENT ELIGIBLE FOR GUARANT EED ADMISSION PLACEMENT IN A NY SPECIFIC 2
PROGRAM OFFERED BY THE PUBLIC SENIOR IN STITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION 3
OR TO ANY SPECIFIC C OLLEGE, SCHOOL, OR FUNCTIONAL EQUIVA LENT WITHIN THE 4
INSTITUTION TO WHICH THE STUDENT APPLIES. 5
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 6
1, 2025. 7