Senate Bill 436: Compulsory School Attendance Age Expansion

Sponsors:
Senators Pugh, McFadden, Conway, Currie, Forehand, Garagiola, Glassman, Jones, Kasemeyer, Kelley, King, Lenett, Madaleno, Muse, Peters, Raskin, and Robey

Summary:
Requiring children 5 years old or older and under 18 to attend a public school regularly during the entire school year, subject to specified exceptions including being severely ill, being married, being in military service, and attending an alternative educational program; etc.

Status:

1/31/2008		First Reading Education Health and Environmental Affairs
3/19/2008		Favorable with Amendments Report by Education Health and Environmental Affairs
3/22/2008		The Senate passed the bill 27-20 after amending to raise age to 17, rather than 18, but without allowing a private school or homeschool diploma to suffice under the “graduation” exception.
4/2/2008		Hearing scheduled in House Ways and Means Committee

This bill failed to pass out of the House Ways and Means Committee, and is now dead.

HSLDA's Position:
Oppose!

Action Requested:
None at this time.

Other Resources

E-lert—March 3, 2007—Maryland: Calls Needed to Oppose Compulsory Attendance Bills (Number 1)

E-lert—March 20, 2007—Maryland: Calls Needed to Oppose Compulsory Attendance Bills

E-lert—March 31, 2007—Maryland: Calls Needed to Oppose Discriminatory Compulsory Attendance Bill

Bill Text   (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)