Posted on 12/03/24
| News Source: FOX45
Baltimore, MD - Dec. 3, 2024 - The Maryland State Department of Education released its 2024 Maryland School Report Card on Tuesday. The results show an improvement from last year for many school systems around the state. But some districts in the Baltimore region appear to be going in the wrong direction when it comes to high-performing schools.
The report card grades schools on a one-to-five-star scale, based on factors such as academic achievement, progress and graduation rates.
About 1,300 public schools across Maryland are rated.
This year, 91 schools throughout Maryland earned a five-star rating, the highest possible score. That’s up from 85 schools last year.
Baltimore County had the most five-star schools in the state with 20, up one from 2023.
Anne Arundel and Harford County both also showed growth. Eleven Anne Arundel County Schools earned five-stars up from nine last year. Meanwhile, seven Harford County Schools received the highest rating, compared to four in 2023.
Baltimore City and Carroll County both saw a drop in the number of five-star schools. In City Schools, Baltimore Polytechnic Institute is the lone school to earn the highest star rating. Meanwhile, no Carroll County School earned a five-star rating. However, 65% of the schools in the district earned four-stars.
The Department of Education said the statewide growth in overall scores this year is aligned with the growth shown on the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) – the state test. On the most recent exam, 24.1% of Maryland students tested scored proficient in Math. In English, 48.4% scored proficient. Both were minimal improvements over the previous year.
But the number of schools achieving at four and five stars still lags behind pre-pandemic levels. Last year, MSDE attributed that decline to chronic absenteeism which is still high around the state.