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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 645
Chapter 645
(Senate Bill 263)
AN ACT concerning
Education – Dependent Children of Active Service Members – Advance
Enrollment Procedures
FOR the purpose of requiring a county superintendent of schools to allow a certain
dependent child of an active service member to advance enroll in a school in the
county in a certain manner; requiring the remote registration process to provide an
opportunity for the active service member or other parent or guardian of a dependent
child with a disability to make a certain note during the registration process;
requiring a county board of education to ensure that a dependent child with a
disability continues to receive a certain education without undue delay through a
certain method; requiring the Secretary of Veterans and Military Families, in
consultation with certain entities, to publish and maintain certain information on
school enrollment and related services for dependent children of active service
members; and generally relating to school enrollment procedures for dependent
children of active service members.
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – Education
Section 7–115.1
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
Article – Education
Section 8–401(a)(1), (2), and (3)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
Article – Education
7–115.1.
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
(2) “CHILD WITH A DISABILITY” HAS THE MEANING STATED IN §
8–401 OF THIS ARTICLE.
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Ch. 645 2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
(3) “Dependent child” means an individual of school age who is a natural
child, a stepchild, an adopted child, or a financially dependent child of an active service
member.
[(3)] (4) “Enrollment” includes course registration and charter school
lotteries.
(5) “FREE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION” HAS THE MEANING
STATED IN § 8–401 OF THIS ARTICLE.
(6) “SENDING STATE” HAS THE MEANING STATED IN § 7–1303 OF THIS
TITLE.
(b) (1) [A] SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION AND
SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION, A county superintendent shall allow a dependent
child of an active service member who is relocating to the State on official orders and is not
domiciled in that county during the enrollment period to apply for ADVANCE enrollment in
a public school in the county[, in the same manner and at the same time as individuals
domiciled in the county].
(2) TO ADVANCE ENROLL UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS
SUBSECTION, AN ACTIVE SERVICE MEMBER SHALL PROVIDE TO A COUNTY
SUPERINTENDENT OFFICIAL ORDERS EVIDENCING THAT THE ACTIVE SERVICE
MEMBER WILL BE STATIONED IN THE STATE DURING THE CURRENT OR
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING SCHOOL YEAR.
(3) (I) A COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT SHALL ESTABLISH A REMOTE
REGISTRATION PROCESS FOR ADVANCE ENROLLMENT UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF
THIS SUBSECTION.
(II) A REMOTE REGISTRATION PROCESS ESTABLISHED UNDER
THIS PARAGRAPH MAY NOT:
1. CHARGE A FEE; OR
2. REQUIRE THE ACTIVE SERVICE MEMBER OR OTHER
PARENT OR GUARDIAN OR THE DEPENDENT CHILD TO PHYSICALLY APPEAR AT A
LOCATION WITHIN THE COUNTY TO COMPLETE ANY PART OF THE ADVANCE
ENROLLMENT PROCESS.
(4) (I) THE REMOTE REGISTRATION PROCESS SHALL PROVIDE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE ACTIVE SERVICE MEMBER OR OTHER PARENT OR GUARDIAN
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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 645
OF A DEPENDENT CHILD TO NOTE WHETHER THE CHILD HAS AN INDIVIDUALIZED
EDUCATION PROGRAM OR A 504 PLAN IN THE SENDING STATE.
(II) IF A DEPENDENT CHILD HAS AN INDIVIDUALIZED
EDUCATION PROGRAM OR A 504 PLAN IN THE SENDING STATE, THE COUNTY BOARD
SHALL ENSURE THAT THE CHILD RECEIVES AN APPROPRIATE EDUCATION WITHOUT
UNDUE DELAY IN THE COUNTY IN WHICH THE CHILD ENROLLS, INCLUDING, IF
APPROPRIATE, EDUCATION UNDER AN INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM OR
IN ACCORDANCE WITH A 504 PLAN.
(III) A COUNTY BOARD SHALL COORDINATE WITH A CHILD’S
PARENT OR GUARDIAN AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE SENDING STATE IN ORDER
TO CARRY OUT THIS PARAGRAPH.
(c) (1) [Within] TO FINALIZE ADVANCE ENROLLMENT UNDER THIS
SECTION, WITHIN 10 days of the published arrival date on the active service member’s
official orders, the active service member shall provide the school with:
(i) Satisfactory evidence of the dependent child’s status as a
dependent child of the active service member;
(ii) A copy of the active service member’s official orders to relocate;
and
(iii) Proof of residence in the county.
(2) The active service member may use the address of any of the following
as proof of residence:
(i) A temporary on–base lodging facility;
(ii) A purchased or leased home or apartment; or
(iii) Any federal government housing unit or off–base military
housing unit.
(D) (1) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW, A
DEPENDENT CHILD OF AN ACTIVE SERVICE MEMBER WHO HAS USED ADVANCE
ENROLLMENT TO ENROLL IN A SCHOOL UNDER THIS SECTION MAY REMAIN
ENROLLED IN SCHOOL UNTIL THE END OF THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR, EVEN IF THE
CHILD NO LONGER MEETS RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS OF THE SCHOOL.
(2) A DEPENDENT CHILD OF AN ACTIVE SERVICE MEMBER WHO USES
ADVANCE ENROLLMENT SHALL HAVE ACCESS TO ACADEMIC COURSES AND
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Ch. 645 2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
PROGRAMS, INCLUDING EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND ATHLETIC AND SOCIAL
PROGRAMS, IN THE SAME MANNER AS OTHER STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE SCHOOL.
(E) THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES, IN
CONSULTATION WITH THE MILITARY FAMILY EDUCATION LIAISON DESIGNATED
UNDER § 7–1303 OF THIS TITLE AND THE OFFICE OF MILITARY AND FEDERAL
AFFAIRS AND THE MARYLAND MILITARY INSTALLATION COUNCIL IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, SHALL PUBLISH AND MAINTAIN INFORMATION ON:
(1) THE ADVANCE ENROLLMENT PROCEDURES ESTABLISHED UNDER
THIS SECTION; AND
(2) THE PURPLE STAR SCHOOLS PROGRAM ESTABLISHED UNDER §
7–129 OF THIS SUBTITLE;
(3) THE INTERSTATE COMPACT ON EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY
FOR MILITARY CHILDREN ESTABLISHED UNDER SUBTITLE 13 OF THIS TITLE; AND
(2) (4) ANY ASSISTANCE AND SERVICES AVAILABLE TO ACTIVE
SERVICE MEMBERS REGARDING THE ADVANCE ENROLLMENT OF A DEPENDENT
CHILD, INCLUDING A CHILD WITH A DISABILITY ENTITLED TO RECEIVE A FREE
APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE STATE.
8–401.
(a) (1) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.
(2) “Child with a disability” means a child who has been determined
through appropriate assessment as having autism, deaf–blindness, hearing impairment,
including deafness, emotional disability, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities,
orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech or
language impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment, including blindness, and
who because of that impairment needs special education and related services.
(3) “Free appropriate public education” means special education and
related services that:
(i) Are provided at public expense, under public supervision and
direction, at no cost to the parents;
(ii) Meet the standards of the State Board regulations and the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.);
(iii) Includes preschool, elementary, and secondary education; and
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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 645
(iv) Are provided in conformance with the requirements of the child’s
individualized education program.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
1, 2026.
Approved by the Governor, May 26, 2026.
–5–Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.