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<section article="ged" article_name="Education" number="11-209" title_number="11" title_name="Maryland Higher Education Commission" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Certificates of Approval for Institutions of Postsecondary Education">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “near completer” means an individual who has completed some college credits but does not have a college degree and is no longer attending an institution of higher education.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The Commission, in collaboration with institutions of higher education, shall create a statewide communication campaign to identify near completers in the State and to encourage near completers to re–enroll in an institution of higher education to earn a degree.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>For each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024, the Governor shall include in the State budget $125,000 to the Commission to fund a statewide communication campaign.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The communication campaign shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Make use of a variety of marketing media, including billboards, brochures, and electronic resources;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Provide a centralized contact point for near completers to get information about and assistance with re–enrolling;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Make readily available contact information for each public institution of higher education in the State;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Focus on near completers who:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>Earned a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a scale of 4.0 while in college; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <level label="A">
            <text>Earned at least 45 credit hours if the individual attended a community college; or</text>
          </level>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>Earned at least 90 credit hours if the individual attended a senior higher education institution; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>For the 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 academic years, focus on near completers who are no longer attending an institution of higher education because of personal or financial reasons related to the COVID–19 pandemic.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Commission shall develop and implement a centralized web–based match program for near completers that facilitates the matching of a near completer with any institution of higher education at which the near completer would be able to complete the degree.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Commission shall encourage each institution of higher education in the State to participate in the match program at no cost to the institution.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>An institution that participates in the match program shall provide the Commission with information regarding near completers who attended the institution, as requested by the Commission and in the format identified by the Commission.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>On receipt of information under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, the Commission shall:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>Determine any matches between a near completer and institutions; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Send information to the near completer regarding the matches, any incentives offered for near completers by the State or by the institutions, and any other financial aid available to the near completer.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>For each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024, the Governor shall include in the State budget $50,000 to the Commission to develop and implement the match program for near completers described under this subsection.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A near completer is eligible for a grant under this section if the near completer:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Earned a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a scale of 4.0 while in college; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <level label="1">
          <text>Earned at least 45 credit hours if the individual attended a community college; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Earned at least 90 credit hours if the individual attended a senior higher education institution.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Governor shall include in the State budget the amount specified in paragraph (3) of this subsection to the Commission to provide to a near completer the following amount:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>For a near completer who re–enrolls in a community college, up to one–third of the in–county tuition charge; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>For a near completer who re–enrolls in a public senior higher education institution, up to one–third of the resident undergraduate tuition charge.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The Governor shall include the following amounts in the State budget to the Commission for near completer grants under paragraph (2) of this subsection:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>For fiscal year 2020, $250,000; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>For each of fiscal years 2021 through 2024, $375,000.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>A grant provided under this subsection may be used only for tuition and may not be used for fees or other charges or expenses related to attending an institution of higher education.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>All nonloan aid received by the near completer shall be credited to the near completer’s tuition before the calculation of the grant amount provided under this subsection.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>Grants shall be provided on a first–come, first–served basis.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The Commission and institutions of higher education may implement other near completer initiatives in addition to the campaign and match program required under this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>By December 1, 2019, and every December 1 through 2025, the Commission shall submit a report, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, to the General Assembly on the details of the statewide communication campaign and the match program, including implementation of the campaign and match program and a detailed account of the expenditures under the grant program established in subsection (d) of this section.</text>
  </level>
</section>
