MARYLAND- Maryland’s public schools continue to show steady progress for the third consecutive year, according to the latest Maryland School Report Card released by the Maryland State Department of Education.
The report highlights statewide data showing increases in academic achievement, English language proficiency, and graduation rates, with changes occurring since Governor Wes Moore and Lt. Governor Aruna Miller took office.
The Moore-Miller Administration says it has prioritized strengthening Maryland’s education system, delivering nearly $10 billion in K–12 funding this year to improve classroom performance, national test results, and teacher recruitment. State officials said more than 500 teaching positions have been filled since Moore took office.
The Maryland School Report Card—now in its sixth year—uses a five-star scale to rate schools based on factors including student achievement, growth, and graduation rates. This year’s data shows that 86% of schools earned three stars or higher, up from 83% last year and 80% the year before.
According to the report, middle schools showed the most improvement. The number of schools earning three stars has increased by 11 percentage points. Of the 1,312 schools rated, 569, or 43%, earned four or five stars.
Geoff Sanderson, deputy state superintendent of accountability, called the progress “modest gains” that align with state test results showing improvement for the third year in a row.
However, education leaders said the state’s current rating system may soon change. “Quite frankly, our report card right now is too much of a proxy for poverty in our schools, and we need more factors that are going to help us differentiate,” said Josh Michael, president of the Maryland State Board of Education.
State Superintendent Carey Wright agreed the current system is “convoluted” and said leaders are working toward a new, more transparent and fair evaluation method that rewards growth. The board says it will consider recommendations for a new rating system next month.