State Profile

Dual / Concurrent Enrollment:

State Profile - Maryland

 
Methodology: This information was collected from statutes, regulations and other state policy documents and guidelines as of April 2019. A profile was sent to each state for review and modification, as needed. To view 50-State Comparisons, click here.

Last updated: April 2019
 


Program Basics
Statewide policy in place Yes
Definition or title of program Dual Enrollment
Where courses provided The law specifies that dual enrollment is for students enrolled in a public secondary school who are also enrolled in a public institution of higher education. Homeschooled and private school students do not receive tuition reductions, and private colleges are not eligible to participate for purposes of tuition reduction. MD. Code Ann. Educ. § 18–14A–01 and response from MD DOE to MD profile.
Postsecondary and/or secondary credit earned Both COMAR 13B.07.01.02 (B)(10)
Students may take developmental/remedial courses through dual enrollment program No
CTE component Public school CTE students are eligible to participate in dual enrollment. They can enroll in either academic or technical courses depending on the agreement signed between the public school system and the public community college. The admission requirements for public school students who want to be dually enrolled in courses at four year colleges are the same as those for all other students seeking admission. Response from MD DOE to MD profile.
Unique characteristics None identified
Access
Offering mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
College partners can be 2-year/4-year/both Both, and they must be public institutions. MD. Code Ann. Educ. § 18–14A–01 and response from MD DOE to MD profile.
Student eligibility requirements
  • Other. Students must be enrolled in a public high school.
 Response from MD DOE to MD profile.
Cap on number of credits students may earn The county board will pay for a maximum of four courses of dual enrollment. If there is an agreement between a public school and a public institution of higher education where the public school agrees to pay for more than four courses of dual enrollment, the public school will pay for that agreed number of courses. MD. Code Ann. Educ. § 18–14A–04 and response from MD DOE to MD profile.
Students/parents must be notified of dual enrollment opportunities No. No reference is made to parents. However, all students who meet enrollment requirements must be made aware of the opportunity to dually enroll. MD Code, Education, § 18–14A–05
Counseling/advising is made available to students Not set in state policy
Finance
Who is primarily responsible for paying tuition Combination of district and student/parent. Both credit and non-credit courses are eligible for tuition reductions under dual enrollment provided the non-credit courses are career-related (i.e., youth apprenticeships). A public institution of higher education may not charge tuition to a dually enrolled student.

Tuition Scale: Local Boards of Education pay the lesser of tuition costs for dually enrolled public secondary school students as follows:
  • Category 1: First 4 courses – Public Senior Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) charge 75% of tuition. Community colleges charge 75% of tuition or 5% of per pupil foundation amount
  • Category 2: 5 or more courses – Public Senior IHEs charge 90% of tuition, Community colleges charge 90% of tuition or 5% of per pupil foundation amount
  • Category 3: For Agreements established prior to July 1, 2013: If lesser than categories 1 or 2, the agreement is the basis for tuition.
 Local boards may recoup costs from students as follows:
  •  First 4 courses – Boards may charge students a fee not to exceed 90% of the amount paid for tuition
  • 5 or more courses – Boards may charge students a fee not to exceed 100% of the amount paid for tuition
  • Boards must waive tuition fees for students who are eligible for Free and Reduced Price Meals (FARMS).
Fees: Colleges can charge applicable and reasonable fees for all dually enrolled students, including those who receive Free and Reduced Price Meals. Note: If an agreement exists between a public school and a public IHE whereby the school agrees to pay for more than 4 courses, the school must pay for the number under the agreement. Students are encouraged to contact the college admissions office or their school counselor to seek further information.

The Maryland Higher Education Commission administers an Early College Access Grant for dually enrolled students, as well as a grant program for part-time undergraduate students, including dually enrolled students. Under both programs, grant recipients must demonstrate financial need according to Commission-established criteria. The Commission allocates Early College Access Grant funds to an institution based on the number of dually enrolled students receiving credit for courses completed at the institution. The institution then distributes the grant awards to eligible students.

Funds under the part-time undergraduate grant program are allocated by the Commission to each institution based on the number of undergraduate part-time students who demonstrate financial need. The institution then distributes the grant awards to eligible students. Institutions may use up to 10% of the part-time grant allocation to provide grants to students who are dually enrolled.		 MD Code, Education, § 18-14A-04 Non-credit course (apprenticeship): Early College Access Grant: MD Code, Education, § 18-14A-01, 18-1401, MD Code, Education, § 18-14A-02
How state funds participating high schools Equal COMAR 13A.02.06.03(A)(9)
How state funds participating postsecondary institutions Equal
Ensuring Program Quality
Instructor qualifications component Yes. High school instructors teaching dual enrollment courses must meet the qualifications of adjunct and part-time faculty - they must possess the same or equivalent qualifications as the full-time faculty of the institution, and be approved by the academic unit through which the credit is offered. COMAR 13B.02.02.17
Course quality component Not set in state policy
Program reporting requirement Yes. The Maryland Longitudinal Data System Center must annually report to the governor and general assembly the number of dually enrolled students and the number and course names of courses in which dually enrolled students enroll.

An institution of higher education that receives dual enrollment grant funds (a.k.a. Early College Access Grant funds) must provide the commission of higher education with an annual audit of the use of the funds.
Program evaluation component No
Transferability
Public postsecondary institutions required to accept credits No

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