2023 Maryland Statutes › Education › Division II - Elementary and Secondary Education › Title 9 - Maryland Public Charter School Program › Section 9-102.2 - Lottery -- Weighting and Guaranteed Placement

(a)    A public charter school may give greater weight to a student’s lottery status as part of a lottery held under § 9–102(3) of this title and in accordance with an application submitted under § 9–104 of this title if the student is:
(1)    Eligible for free or reduced price meals;
(2)    A student with disabilities;
(3)    A student with limited English proficiency;
(4)    Homeless, as defined under the federal McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act; or
(5)    A sibling of a student currently enrolled in the public charter school for which the sibling is applying.
(b)    Notwithstanding § 9–102(3) of this title, a public charter school may give priority to the sibling of a student admitted through the lottery process or a currently enrolled student for any spaces in the school that become available throughout the school year.
(c)    (1)    Subject to the approval of the public chartering authority and § 9–104 of this title, a public charter school may propose a geographic attendance area with a median income that is equal to or less than the median income of the county for the public charter school.
(2)    Subject to paragraph (4) of this subsection, a public charter school may provide guaranteed placement through a lottery to students who live within the geographic attendance area for up to 35%, as proposed by the public charter school and approved by the public chartering authority, of the available space of the public charter school.
(3)    Subject to paragraphs (2) and (4) of this subsection, the public charter school shall:
(i)    Admit students on a lottery basis to its remaining available space; and
(ii)    Take reasonable steps to maintain the ratio intended under paragraph (2) of this subsection as part of the initial cohort of students accepted through the lottery process.
(4)    If a public charter school does not fill 100% of its available space under paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, the public charter school may admit more than the percentage of students established under paragraph (2) of this subsection from the geographic attendance area established under this section.
(d)    (1)    Subject to the approval of the public chartering authority, paragraph (2) of this subsection, and § 9–104 of this title, a public charter school may provide guaranteed placement through a lottery to up to 35%, as proposed by the public charter school and approved by the public chartering authority, of the available space of the public charter school to students who attended a public charter school during the previous school year that is operated by the same operator.
(2)    A public charter school shall qualify under paragraph (1) of this subsection if:
(i)    The operator operates two or more public charter schools in the county; and
(ii)    When combined, the public charter schools operated by the operator form an integrated multiyear academic program.
(3)    Subject to paragraph (1) of this subsection, the public charter school shall:
(i)    Admit students on a lottery basis to its remaining available space; and
(ii)    Take reasonable steps to maintain the ratio intended under paragraph (1) of this subsection as part of the initial cohort of students accepted through the lottery process.
(4)    If a public charter school does not fill 100% of its available space under paragraphs (1) and (3) of this subsection, the public charter school may admit more than the percentage of students established under paragraph (1) of this subsection.