Public High Schools - Student Transcripts - Traumatic Loss Notation
Summary
HB1310 creates a new option for Maryland public high school students who experience a defined “traumatic loss” to request a notation on their official transcript. The bill defines traumatic loss as the death of a parent or sibling due to reproductive cancer, including breast, cervical, and uterine cancer. A student may ask the local school system to place the notation on the transcript to reflect that the loss affected academic performance, achievement, or attendance.
To qualify, the student must submit a written request and documentation such as a death certificate or a letter from a licensed health care provider verifying that the death meets the bill’s definition. The local school system must add the notation using standard language developed by the State Department of Education, and the student may later request removal of the notation. The bill also requires school counselors to inform affected students and surviving parents about the option and how the notation may help explain academic disruptions. The State Board of Education is authorized to adopt implementing regulations, and the act takes effect July 1, 2026.
Impact
The bill adds a new section to the Education Article, Section 7-213, creating a statewide transcript-notation process for eligible high school students. It requires local school systems to maintain a standardized, privacy-protective transcript notation and places new duties on school counselors and the State Department of Education. The measure affects public high school transcript practices, student records, and the way schools document extraordinary personal circumstances that may have influenced attendance or academic performance.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests broad support for the bill: it passed the House on third reading by a unanimous 127-0 vote. The bill was reported favorably with amendments by committee, indicating general agreement with the concept while allowing for refinement of the language. No committee transcript is available here, but the legislative action reflects a largely sympathetic response to students facing serious family loss.
Contention
The main policy issue appears to be how to balance recognition of a student’s hardship with privacy and record integrity. The bill addresses this by requiring standard language that refers to the circumstance only as a “documented compelling personal circumstance” or “exceptional hardship acknowledgement,” and by allowing removal at the student’s request. Another point of possible concern is the narrow definition of traumatic loss, which is limited to deaths from reproductive cancer and may exclude other serious losses; however, the available record does not show recorded opposition. The amendments likely reflect efforts to clarify eligibility, documentation, and privacy protections.