MARYLAND AT A GLANCE

EDUCATION

ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY EDUCATION

[photo, Young musicians, Baltimore Farmers' Market, near Holliday St., Baltimore, Maryland]


Young musicians, Baltimore Farmers' Market, near Holliday St., Baltimore, Maryland, August 2012. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

[photo, Park Elementary School, 201 East 11th Ave., Brooklyn Park, Maryland] In 2020, U.S. News & World Report ranked Maryland fourth in the nation for "Best High Schools." Some 212 of Maryland's high schools were ranked with the following results: 20 schools, or 9.4%, ranked in the nation's top 5%, 41 schools, 19.3%, ranked in the top 10% nationally, and 84 schools, or 39.6%, ranked in the top 25% of the nation's schools. The rankings are based on six factors: College Readiness, College Curriculum Breadth, Math and Reading Proficiency, Math and Reading Performance, Underserved Student Performance, and Graduation Rate.

Nonetheless, Maryland high school graduation rates decreased in 2019, when 86.9% of high school students received diplomas, a decrease from 87.1% in 2018. At the same time, the dropout rate increased from 8.38% in 2018 to 8.42%.

Park Elementary School, 201 East 11th Ave., Brooklyn Park (Anne Arundel County), Maryland, August 2010. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

[photo, Margaret Brent Elementary School, 100 East 26th St., Baltimore, Maryland] In 2019, Maryland was ranked the fourth best public school system in America by Education Week. Previously, Maryland had ranked first from 2009 to 2013 [no rankings were made in 2014], third in 2015, fourth in 2016, fifth in 2017, and sixth in 2018. The journal's annual Quality Counts report evaluates states based upon three indices: chance-for-success, school finance, and k-12 achievement and overall grades.


Margaret Brent Elementary School, 100 East 26th St., Baltimore, Maryland, July 2009. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

[photo, Annapolis Elementary School, 180 Green St., Annapolis, Maryland] In 2019-2020, six Maryland public schools were selected as National Blue Ribbon Schools. In 2019, two Maryland schools were awarded the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon. Moreover, in 2014, Maryland was awarded a federal grant that gives $15 million annually to improve access to quality pre-kindergarten programs.

Maryland, in 2010, was one of eight states awarded additional federal grants for education in round two of the Race to the Top program.

Annapolis Elementary School, 180 Green St., Annapolis, Maryland, November 2011. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

[photo, Severna Park Elementary School, 6 Riggs Ave., Severna Park, Maryland] Maryland students ranked first in the nation on Advanced Placement (AP) Exams from 2008 to 2015, second in 2016 and 2017, fourth in 2018, and fifth in 2019. The standard is based on the percentage of students taking the Advanced Placement exam, as well as the percentage of those students who scored a 3 or higher, out of 5. In Maryland, some 31.5% of the 2019 graduating class took and passed at least one content exam, compared to the nationwide average of 23.9%.


Severna Park Elementary School, 6 Riggs Ave., Severna Park (Anne Arundel County), Maryland, September 2009. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

[photo, Baltimore School for the Arts, 712 Cathedral St., Baltimore, Maryland] In Maryland, public education is a responsibility shared by State, county and Baltimore City government. The State Board of Education sets educational standards, certifies teachers, partially funds school construction and instruction, and monitors school performance. The Board also oversees the State Department of Education. At the same time, county boards of education are significant for public schools, because they often set additional requirements, develop new programs, and provide substantial local funding.

Baltimore School for the Arts, 712 Cathedral St., Baltimore, Maryland July 2009. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

[photo, Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School, 500 North Caroline St., Baltimore, Maryland] Funding. In Fiscal Year 2019, Federal, State and local funds combined to provide $13.7 billion for Maryland public schools with an average cost per pupil of $15,848. Of these funds, State government provided the largest amount ($6,536,515,155), followed by local government ($6,505,772,853), and the federal government ($618,104,765).

School Attendance. Kindergarten is mandatory for children who are five years of age by September 1. State law also requires that children, ages 5 to 16, attend school (Chapter 494, Acts of 2012; Chapters 706 & 707, Acts of 2018; Code Education Article, sec. 7-301 (c)). Students may attend school up to age 21.

In September 2019, 909,414 students, pre-kindergarten through high school, enrolled in 1,428 public schools while 132,620 students enrolled at 1,302 private schools.

Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School, 500 North Caroline St., Baltimore, Maryland, April 2008. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

[photo, Prettyboy Elementary School, 19810 Middletown Road, Freeland, Maryland} School Year. The Maryland school year is a minimum of 180 days long. Schools are open for a ten-month period, from about Labor Day to mid-June. Opening and closing dates vary from county to county. Elementary and middle school students attend school at least 6 hours a day, high school students 6.5 hours a day.


Prettyboy Elementary School, 19810 Middletown Road, Freeland (Baltimore County), Maryland, July 2006. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

[photo, Brooklyn Park Middle School, 200 Hammonds Lane, Brooklyn Park, Maryland] Graduation Requirements. Set by the State, stringent requirements for graduation from high school were established in 1992. Credits required were increased from 20 to 21. General requirements were replaced with particular courses, or courses with specific content. Fewer credits were reserved for electives (nonrequired courses chosen by students). Moreover, since the graduating class of 2009, students have been required to take and pass the Maryland High School Assessment exams in algebra and data analysis, biology, and english in order to graduate. They also must perform 75 hours of volunteer community service approved by the State.

Brooklyn Park Middle School, 200 Hammonds Lane, Brooklyn Park (Anne Arundel County), Maryland, January 2004. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

[photo, George Fox Middle School, 7922 Outing Ave., Pasadena, Maryland] Standards. In June 2010, the State Board of Education adopted the Common Core State Standards, coordinated by the National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers. These standards define nationwide quality education. Since 2010, Maryland educators have developed a State curriculum in English language arts and mathematics that adheres to the Common Core Standards. In the 2013-2014 school year, the new Maryland Common Core State Curriculum was implemented statewide. To evaluate the Curriculum, new assessments have replaced some previous high school assessments.

George Fox Middle School, 7922 Outing Ave., Pasadena (Anne Arundel County), Maryland, September 2016. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

[photo, Bowie High School, 15200 Annapolis Road, Bowie, Maryland] In 2010, Maryland joined a consortium known as the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), that developed a common set of tests to be used with the Common Core Standards. In the 2014-2015 school year, the Maryland School Assessments in reading and mathematics for 3rd through 8th grades was replaced by the PARCC assessments. Also, Maryland high school students now take PARCC assessments in English language arts and mathematics, and High School Assessments in biology and government.

Bowie High School, 15200 Annapolis Road, Bowie (Prince George's County), Maryland, June 2016. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

[photo, Mayo Elementary School, 1260 Mayo Ridge Road, Edgewater, Maryland] Special Public School Programs. These cover pre-kindergarten for four-year olds; and career and technology education, including consumer and homemaking classes. Gifted and talented programs also are offered by the State, on a tuition basis, at summer centers for students who qualify academically, meet geographical distribution requirements, and are able to pay the cost.


Mayo Elementary School, 1260 Mayo Ridge Road, Edgewater (Anne Arundel County), Maryland, April 2018. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

Special education services for students with disabilities range from aid for part or all of a school day to specialized services for homebound students or those in separate facilities or hospitals. Within the State Department of Education, the Division of Special Education and Early Intervention Services administers both State and federal programs for special education.

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