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SB 70MARYLANDSession 2026State BillSigned into law
Enacted

Maryland establishes GED Option Pilot Program and MDiplomaWorks alternative diploma pathway

Original title: Adult Education - High School Diploma Pathways - MDiplomaWorks Pathway

Last action · April 28, 2026: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 168

Companion · HB 297same policy, House version
Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Does

Maryland establishes a two-year GED Option Pilot Program for at-risk students and creates the MDiplomaWorks alternative diploma pathway based on career competencies, effective October 1, 2026.

Why it matters

Students at risk of dropping out gain alternative routes to high school graduation through workforce experience and academic testing, while participating school districts must oversee the pilot and report outcomes.

Background
  • Wes Moore serves as the Governor of Maryland, responsible for signing and approving state legislative acts. context
  • The Maryland General Assembly enacts state laws governing education, labor, and employment standards. context

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Students at significant risk of not successfully completing high school

Students aged 17 and older in participating districts become eligible to take the high school diploma by examination through the GED Option Pilot Program.

Directly affected

Participating local school systems

County superintendents in selected districts are authorized to select up to 150 students to participate in the pilot program.

Directly affected

Adults without a high school diploma

Adult residents who have withdrawn from traditional schools gain access to the MDiplomaWorks pathway to earn a high school diploma through career competencies and workforce experience.

Key Facts

  • The GED Option Pilot Program begins in the 2027-2028 school year and runs for two school years.
  • The Maryland Department of Labor, in consultation with the State Department of Education and the Public School Superintendents' Association of Maryland, shall select at least three local school systems to participate in the pilot program.
  • Each county superintendent from a participating local school system may select up to 150 students to participate in the pilot program.
  • Students participating in the pilot program must be at least 17 years old and at significant risk of not successfully completing high school.
Show all 10 facts
  • The MDiplomaWorks pathway is established as an alternative method for adults to earn a high school diploma through demonstrated academic and career competencies.
  • Individuals seeking a high school diploma through the MDiplomaWorks pathway must not possess a diploma, must reside in the state, must not be subject to compulsory school attendance, and must have withdrawn from a regular school program.
  • Completion components for the MDiplomaWorks pathway include earning industry-recognized credentials, demonstrating foundational academic skills, completing career and technical education coursework, and completing an on-the-job learning experience.
  • The Maryland Department of Labor and the State Department of Education shall jointly report to the Governor and the General Assembly regarding the effectiveness of the pilot program on or before December 1, 2028, and December 1, 2029.
  • The Maryland Department of Labor shall publish information regarding the MDiplomaWorks pathway on its website in calendar years 2027 and 2028.
  • The Act takes effect October 1, 2026, and the pilot program provisions shall be abrogated after four years on September 30, 2030.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to participate in the GED Option Pilot Program?
Students selected to participate must be at least 17 years old, at significant risk of not successfully completing high school, and enrolled in one of the participating local school systems chosen by the state.
What requirements must be met to earn a diploma through the MDiplomaWorks pathway?
An individual must demonstrate equivalency to a Maryland high school diploma by completing a combination of approved components, which may include industry-recognized credentials, formal assessments of foundational academic skills, career and technical education coursework, and on-the-job learning experiences.
When does the new law take effect?
The Act takes effect on October 1, 2026, with the pilot program launching in the 2027-2028 school year.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

21 actions
  1. Apr 28, 2026Governor of MarylandEnrolled
    Approved by the Governor - Chapter 168
  2. Apr 10, 2026SenateFloor
    Passed Enrolled
  3. Apr 10, 2026SenateFloor
    Third Reading Passed (41-0)
  4. Apr 10, 2026SenateFloor
    Senate Concurs House Amendments
  5. Apr 10, 2026HouseFloor
    Third Reading Passed (127-7)
  6. Apr 8, 2026HouseFloor
    Second Reading Passed with Amendments
Show 15 earlier actions
  1. Apr 8, 2026House
    Favorable with Amendments { 983122/1 Adopted
  2. Apr 8, 2026HouseCommittee
    Favorable with Amendments Report by Ways and Means
  3. Mar 25, 2026House
    Hearing 3/25 at 1:30 p.m.
  4. Mar 25, 2026House
    Hearing canceled
  5. Mar 16, 2026House
    Hearing 3/25 at 1:00 p.m.
  6. Feb 13, 2026HouseCommittee
    Referred Ways and Means
  7. Feb 12, 2026SenateFloor
    Third Reading Passed (44-0)
  8. Feb 10, 2026SenateFloor
    Second Reading Passed with Amendments
  9. Feb 10, 2026Senate
    Favorable with Amendments { 673320/1 Adopted
  10. Feb 9, 2026SenateCommittee
    Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment
  11. Jan 21, 2026Senate
    Hearing 1/28 at 10:00 a.m.
  12. Jan 21, 2026Senate
    Hearing canceled
  13. Jan 16, 2026Senate
    Hearing 1/28 at 11:00 a.m.
  14. Jan 14, 2026SenateIntroduced
    First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment
  15. Sep 16, 2025SenateIntroduced
    Pre-filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift99% confidence

Expansion of GED Option Beyond English Learners

The legislation expands eligibility for the GED option program from exclusively English language learners to other students at risk of not completing high school within selected districts.

Maryland Department of LaborState Department of Education

Connected Entities

Wes Moore, State Department of Education, Maryland Department of Labor and 1 more
PersonWes Moore“Governor of Maryland who approved the act”Map →
OrganizationState Department of Education“Consults on pilot program criteria and reporting”Map →
OrganizationMaryland Department of Labor“Establishes criteria and selects school systems for the pilot program”Map →
OrganizationPublic School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland“Consults on the selection criteria for participating local school systems”Map →

Sources

Open source document

mgaleg.maryland.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy15
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz30
    Current news / social attention level

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