Maryland legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Maryland HB1039: Education – Primary and Secondary Schools – Alternative School Options (Right to Learn Act)
Status: In committee, February 13, 2026
Requiring, on or before January 1 each year, each county board of education to provide certain information to the parent or legal guardian of a student who attends a failing school; requiring that a failing school continue to be designated as a failing school until certain conditions are met; requiring that a student who is attending a failing school be provided the opportunity to attend an alternative school; establishing the Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today Program; etc.
What the bill says
A bill ENTITLED AN ACT concerning Education - Primary and Secondary Schools - Alternative School Options (Right to Learn Act) FOR the purpose of requiring, on or before a certain date each year, each county board of education to provide certain information to the parent or legal guardian of a student who attends a failing school; requiring that a failing school continue to be designated as a failing school until certain conditions are met; requiring that a student who is attending a failing school be provided the opportunity to attend an alternative school…
From the introduced text, February 10, 2026:
A BILL ENTITLED AN ACT concerning Education - Primary and Secondary Schools - Alternative School Options (Right to Learn Act) FOR the purpose of requiring, on or before a certain date each year, each county board of education to provide certain information to the parent or legal guardian of a student who attends a failing school; requiring that a failing school continue to be designated as a failing school until certain conditions are met; requiring that a student who is attending a failing school be provided the opportunity to attend an alternative school; establishing the Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today Program to provide certain scholarships for certain students; requiring each county board to provide a list of available military boarding school options to the parent or legal guardian of a certain student; requiring a parent or legal guardian of a certain student to notify the county board of a student's decision to continue attending the school or to attend an alternative school or military boarding school; requiring the local school system of a certain student to pay for the student to attend a certain military boarding school; and generally relating to alternative school options. BY adding to Article - Education Section 5-244 and 5-245 Annotated Code of Maryland (2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) SECTION 1. BE IT …