Maryland to Consider Guaranteeing College Admission to Top 10% of Each High School in Response to Affirmative Action Ban

Legislators in Maryland are gearing up to consider a bill that would guarantee college admission to high school students who graduate near the top of their class.

Maryland Matters reported that Democrat State Senate President Pro Tem Malcolm Augustine has proposed Senate Bill 5, which would require public colleges and universities in the state to accept students who graduate from a Maryland high school in the top 10% of their class.

The following Maryland institutions of higher education would be required to change admission policies under the bill: University System of Maryland: University of Maryland, Baltimore; University of Maryland, College Park; University of Maryland, Baltimore County; University of Maryland Eastern Shore; University of Maryland Global Campus; Bowie State University; Coppin State University; Frostburg State University; Salisbury University; Towson University; University of Baltimore.

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St. Mary’s College of Maryland and Morgan State University would also be required to change their admission policies if the bill passes.

Augustine told Maryland Matters he wrote the legislation in response to the Supreme Court’s decision, which banned affirmative action practices in higher education admissions.

“That made me concerned because other states that have gone to a race-neutral policy for selective schools immediately saw a drop in diversity of their student body..,” Augustine said.  “I want to make sure that our higher education schools are filled with the talented students from across the state that look like our state.”

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Texas has a nearly identical law, which guarantees admission to state-funded universities for students in the state who graduate in the top 10% of their high school class. It was passed in 1997, according to the University of Texas.

Originally published by Campus Reform. Republished with permission.

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