Education Week has given Maryland the top spot in its public K-12 school rankings for the fourth year in a row despite having two school systems struggling to make AYP.
Education Week used six categories to measure school performance; chance for success, K-12 achievement, standards, assessments and accountability, the teaching profession, school finance and transitions and alignment. In all cases, the state achieved at least an 83.7 percent grade averaging out to an overall score of 87.8.
Those numbers were lauded by Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley who thanked everyone involved for making Maryland public schools No. 1 in the country.
“I’d like to thank the students, parents, teachers, principals, administrators, and all of our advocates for continuing to achieve at unprecedented levels,” O’Malley said.
“Thanks to their tremendous work and dedication, we are able to say that Maryland’s public schools have been ranked number-one in the nation for the fourth straight year.”
Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker fell in line with O’Malley praising the state and his county in particular for contributing to Maryland’s success.
“I especially would like to thank the more than 18,000 employees of Prince George’s County Public Schools for their outstanding work on behalf students and families in Prince George’s County,” Baker said in a statement. “They share my commitment to academic excellence and have been a major factor in bringing about the improvements we have seen in County schools. I am confident that those improvements have had an impact on the state’s consistent top ranking over the past several years.”
The numbers for Baker’s county and Baltimore City tell a different story. Baltimore City and Prince George’s County students are struggling to keep up with the rest of the state. According to the state department of education, 41 percent of Prince George’s County’s schools and 54 percent of Baltimore City’s schools have been identified as schools in need of improvement. The only other jurisdiction in their territory is Dorchester County, a much smaller jurisdiction on the Eastern Shore with 46 percent.
In contrast, Anne Arundel County’s number is only at 14 percent, in Baltimore County, that number is at 13 percent, in Charles County its 11 percent, in Howard County its 4 percent and Montgomery County it’s 15 percent.
Those are numbers that lead Baker to talk about the improvement that still needs to be made in Prince George’s County Public Schools.
“While Maryland ranks first in the nation, as a County we must continue to improve our school system and make certain that each day our students are provided the best education possible,” Baker went on to say. As County Executive, I remain committed to ensuring that all students in Prince George’s County are provided the quality education they deserve. Together we can make our school system great.”
